3 Ways to Protect Your Child From Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is most common among middle schoolers, but it can begin as early as 2nd grade, according to a 2008 Rochester Institute of Technology survey of 40,000 K-12 students. It’s never too early to talk with your child about cyberbullying.
1. Remind your child never to share his passwords, even with good friends.
2. If your child has an experience online that frightens her or hurts her feelings, she should let you know right away. If possible, save the evidence in case you need to take further action.
3. Don’t respond to the bully. This is what the bully wants. If he sees that your child is upset, he’s likely to torment her even more. Tell your child to take a deep breath, walk away from the computer if necessary, and ignore the harassment. Her next step should be to block the bully from contacting her again by using privacy settings and preferences.
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