| Bullying | | | | it is up to you to make sure you are looking for any |
| When the term bullying comes up, taunting and teasing | | | | visible signs that your child may tip you off to. Some of |
| at the schoolyard probably comes to mind. Worrying | | | | the major indications include:o Your child spends long |
| about your child's safety while they are away from | | | | hours on the computero Tries to hide or shelter you |
| the home is enough for a parent to think about. But | | | | from their online activityo Mood swingso Your child |
| with technology moving at lightning speed, there is a | | | | complains of illness irregularly and tries to avoid school |
| new threat in town. A threat that allows bullying to | | | | and social eventso Lowered self-esteemo Loss of |
| walk right into your living room, even when you think | | | | personal items, broken personal itemso Taking out |
| your child is safe and sound ten feet away from you. | | | | aggression at homeo Trouble sleeping |
| Enter the world of cyberbullying. | | | | Spread the word |
| Cyberbullying is a serious issue that affects many | | | | Talk to teachers and other parents about bullying. |
| school children and peaks between the ages of 11-13. | | | | Consider starting or joining a committee on |
| As with regular bullies, cyber bullies typically displace | | | | bully-prevention. The more the word gets out the |
| their own anger and frustrations on targets that they | | | | better chances or people starting to recognize it as a |
| find to be weaker and more vulnerable than themself. | | | | serious problem. |
| A bully will traditionally pick on someone that appears | | | | Warn kids about personal privacy |
| different from themself and has shown the inability to | | | | Make sure your kids are not revealing personal |
| defend themselves. | | | | information while online. Photos, addresses, cell phone |
| However, cyberbullying can be even more ruthless, as | | | | numbers can all be fuel for a bully's rampage. It is best |
| bullies have the capability to post pictures and text on | | | | for your child to have as little information available to |
| the internet where the entire world can see it. Often | | | | the public as possible. |
| these pictures and text can be edited with different | | | | Call services providers |
| programs to create images and phrases that can be | | | | Internet service providers have restrictions against this |
| seriously damaging to a child. Such as kids' faces | | | | kind of inappropriate activity, so if your child is |
| copied and pasted onto pornographic images, hurtful | | | | experiencing taunts or threats, they should be reported |
| captions on pictures, or even voting and rating of kids | | | | immediately. However, do not delete any abusive |
| as to who is the fattest, sluttiest, ugliest, etc. These | | | | images or messages that have been directed towards |
| cruel tactics can be extremely psychologically | | | | your child. This can end up being your evidence against |
| damaging to a child. | | | | the bully if pursuing further action. |
| Cyberbullying is particularly scary because the bully has | | | | Call a police officer |
| the ability to remain invisible. Kids can be targeted from | | | | If bullying becomes constant and abusive it is important |
| remote locations with vicious and cruel acts, while the | | | | to contact authorities. The police will be helpful and can |
| bully holds little or no accountability because he or she | | | | conduct Internet surveillance to catch the bully if you |
| can remain anonymous. | | | | feel that your child is in any kind of danger. |
| The worst part about cyberbullying is that a child will | | | | As a good parent it is important to make sure that you |
| often not report this type of abuse to a parent | | | | are raising your kid with the common sense to be able |
| because he or she is embarrassed, scared, or fears | | | | to come forward and report incidences like bullying. It is |
| that it will make the problem worse. | | | | the bully that has the real problem, and it is necessary |
| There have been very limited studies done on this new | | | | for your kid to know that they need to stick together |
| phenomenon, which makes the problem hard to fully | | | | with friends, teachers and parents, and come forward |
| understand and prevent. Dr. Qing Li, a professor of | | | | when they are experiencing abuse on the internet. |
| educational technology at the University of Calgary, | | | | Even if your kid is not being bullied but knows |
| says that around one in every six kid's experiences | | | | someone who is, hopefully you have taught them to |
| cyber-bullying on a regular basis, and that the problem | | | | have the courage to tell someone about it. Tell your |
| is increasing at a rapid pace. | | | | kids that bystanders are part of the problem, and |
| What can you do as a parent? | | | | reporting inappropriate online behaviour to an adult is a |
| Look for signs of cyber-bullying. | | | | step in the right direction of eradicating the problem. |
| A child will often be reluctant to report being bullied, so | | | | |