On September 10th, 12-year-old Rebecca Ann Sedwick jumped off a ledge at a cement plant in Lakewood, Florida, killing herself. Victimized by cyberbullying driven by a feud over a boy, her former friends had been terrorizing her, sending her cruel text messages.
According to a recent U.S. study, cyberbullying has been reported by 7 million American teens from ages 12-18. With this issue on the rise in school and home life, it’s vital to know how to assess this matter as a parent. The following information for parents on how to handle cyberbullying is from The Institute for Healthcare Advancement’s new book “What To Do For Your Teen’s Health”.
The self-help primer offers in an easy-to-read style, information on a variety of teen problems, like eating disorders, depression, self-injury, rape, alcohol use, and drug use.
Keep reading for 5 pointers from the book:
#1 Know the platforms used by cyberbullies. These include: cell phones, cell phone cameras, computer tablets, social media sites, chat rooms, text messaging, and online game rooms. Find out which platforms your teen is using, and warn them against inciting bullying online. Talk to them about adjusting their privacy settings on social media to only allow friends to see their sites.
#2 Create ground rules for your teen’s safety. These can include: not posting personal information online, keeping social computer time to one hour or less per day, never opening or sending emails to a stranger, only going on approved sites, and not posting personal photos.
#3 If your teen is a victim of cyberbullying, copies of the cyberbullying incident should be kept for police reports. Write down the dates and times of the bullying, describe the incident in detail, and save screen shots, emails, and text messages. If your teen receives threats or is harassed with sexual content, private photos, stalking, and hate crimes, report to the police immediately.
#4 Keep a list of hotlines to call when you or your teen need outside help. For example, the National Parent Helpline is 1-855-427-2736.
#5 Make sure that your teen feels comfortable talking to you. In many cases of suicide after cyberbullying, the person repressed their feelings and did not reveal their trauma with family or friends. Tell your teen that your home is a safe zone and that you won’t judge or punish them for telling the truth.
“What To Do For Your Teen’s Health” is the most recent in the popular “What To Do For Health” book series, which has sold over 4 million copies to date. Authors Gloria Mayer, R.N., and Ann Kuklierus, R.N. wrote the book out of frustration with most health books, which speak to the reader in medical jargon and reading levels beyond the ability of many adults. “What To Do For Your Teen’s Health” is easy to read and easy to use. Each topic is addressed in four question-based headings: What is it? Did you know? What can I do? and When should I get help? For more information or to purchase the book, you can visit the nonprofit organization at www.iha4health.org/books or call 1-800-434-4633.
This post is part of a sponsored conversation but as is always the case all opinions are my own.
Cyberbullying can be hurtful whether it be a mean text or a nasty comment on Facebook. There are lots of ways to deal with bullies so it is important to research all the options. One website, Kids in the House, has incredible information on bullying and other topics.
Their videos feature parenting professionals and experts giving advice on anything from menstruation to cyberbullying.
I’ve included one link below as a good starting place for finding online safety tips. Hope this helps!
http://www.kidsinthehouse.com/teenager/technology-and-media/cyberbullying/what-should-i-do-if-my-child-being-bullied-online