CEO of bullying prevention charity Kidscape and mom of 2 Lauren Seager-Smith shares her expert advice on how to identify and cope with online bullying.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nUnder \u201cnormal\u201d circumstances, children spend an average of 2 hours a day online \u2013 around 20 minutes more than they do watching TV, according to a survey by Ofcom<\/a>.\u00a0 With the impact of school closures and lockdown, it\u2019s likely that the amount of time children are spending online each day is currently much higher, with children (and parents) relying on the online world to provide opportunities to study, game, entertain and connect with others.<\/p>\nThere are lots of positives to this, not least the opportunity for children to stay in touch with their friends and family – but the longer children spend online, particularly if there is little parental support or supervision, the more likely it is that they could be exposed to online bullying (aka cyberbullying).<\/strong><\/p>\nKidscape<\/a> is a bullying prevention charity, and as well as taking action to keep children and families safe, we support children who have been impacted by bullying. Almost 1 in 5 children<\/strong> who attended our ZAP workshops<\/a> in the last year had experienced online bullying, usually by others in their peer group.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s important for parents and carers to be aware of signs that a child might be experiencing online bullying so that you can give them the safety and support they need.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nSigns that a child may be experiencing online bullying:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n- Social withdrawal
<\/strong>It\u2019s common for children who experience online bullying to be targeted by their peer group rather than strangers, so if children express a reluctance to make contact with other children online, or they stop being in touch with others, it might be because they\u2019ve had a negative experience.<\/li>\n- Obsessively checking their phone or device
<\/strong>If a child is caught up in a cyberbullying or trolling incident they may feel a compulsion to keep checking for messages or notifications -\u2013 even if these are distressing. They may also become secretive and withdraw from family life.<\/li>\n- Changes in behavior
<\/strong>You know your child best so if they are acting out of character, or are showing other symptoms of distress such as disturbed sleep, it\u2019s important to check-in. Episodes of bullying can lead to depression and anxiety and so it\u2019s vital that you intervene.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThe good news is there are steps you can take to keep your child safe and support your child if they go through a bullying incident.<\/p>\n
Talk about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect and the importance of trust in relationships.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nSteps you can take to keep your child safe:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n- Technical support
<\/strong>Depending on the age of your child and their developmental and emotional maturity, it\u2019s important that you take steps to limit their exposure to risk \u2013 just as you would offline. This includes the use of parental control apps like Qustodio<\/a>, and learning together how to navigate privacy settings and messaging capability on apps and games.\nCheck apps and games for the age rating and even if your child is old enough to access, think about whether it\u2019s a positive space for them to be and they have the emotional maturity to handle what they might see or experience<\/strong>.\u00a0Consider whether this is a space you are happy for them to navigate alone, or whether it\u2019s best for you to access together.\u00a0Just because everyone else is downloading it, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s right for your child at this time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n- Emotional intelligence
<\/strong>You may not understand everything they are using if you\u2019re not much of a gamer or a social networker, but you do have a role in sharing what it means to be a friend, and what a healthy relationship looks like<\/strong>. Talk together about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect, and the importance of trust in relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n- Learn their language
<\/strong>It\u2019s likely an older child will have different words and phrases for describing online bullying behavior. For example, they may talk about ghosting<\/em> or scamming<\/em>. Find out what they already know about bullying and ask them to tell you the steps they take to protect themselves and others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n- Be their ally
<\/strong>Make sure you keep the channels of communication open at home so they can always share with you if something has gone wrong<\/strong>. We all make mistakes and it may be that your child has shared something they regret, or has caused harm to others.\u00a0 Let them know that you will fix it together. If they have hurt others they should do what they can to remove the post and make amends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.qustodio.com\/public-site\/uploads\/2021\/08\/10170436\/0b0ec84c-776e-4dd4-b63e-9dd66ad505a7_Kidscape_logo_horiz_strap_col_pos_RGB.png\")
<\/div>\n\nIf your child or someone you love is experiencing an online bullying incident:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n- Stay calm and create space to think
<\/strong>It\u2019s horrible to go through a bullying situation and your child will need you to be a source of comfort and strength. No matter how upsetting the situation is, stay calm and let them know that together you will sort this out.<\/li>\n- Don\u2019t retaliate
<\/strong>As much as they may be tempted to retaliate, this usually prolongs the situation, may cause it to escalate and get others involved,\u00a0 and could make it harder to hold the moral high ground.<\/li>\n- Create distance from the person or people doing the bullying
<\/strong>There\u2019s usually an option to block, unfollow or mute. If the bullying is happening within a peer group, your child may worry this will further isolate them, so another option can be to take a break. Things move quickly in the online world so it\u2019s likely that without retaliating and with a bit of time, the bullying behavior will stop<\/strong>.\u00a0Your child will also be in a better frame of mind to deal with the situation when they are removed from the heat of the moment.<\/li>\n- Reach out
<\/strong>If the person who has caused harm has acted out of character or is usually a friend, it can be worth reaching out offline to calmly explain the harm this has caused. They may be willing to remove a post and may not have realized the impact of their actions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\nThe reality is that people often say hurtful things online, whether emboldened by anonymity and group behavior or caught up in the careless, reactive nature of fast-moving online chat. Help your child understand it is not a reflection on them, and that the situation will pass.<\/div>\n\n\n- Help from friends and family
<\/strong>When you go through an online bullying incident it can make you feel very low and you will need positive affirmation from friends and family. Don\u2019t downplay the impact of hurtful words<\/strong>. Your child will need care and kindness to get back to a better place.<\/li>\n- Know how to report
<\/strong>There may be occasions when a child is exposed to serious harm and criminal behavior online. This could include threats to harm, inciting your child to harm themselves, sharing of private images, or content that is discriminatory and fuelled by hate<\/strong>. In these instances, your child still needs you to create a calm and safe environment to help them recover, but you have options to report content through the platform, to the police, and to outside agencies<\/a>. If the bullying involves the school peer group, you may also want to reach out to school staff. Most schools should include cyberbullying in their anti-bullying policy and help the behavior to stop.<\/li>\n- Help your child keep perspective
<\/strong>The reality is that people often say hurtful things online, whether emboldened by anonymity and group behavior or caught up in the careless, reactive nature of fast-moving online chat. Help your child understand it is not a reflection on them, and that the situation will pass. With your love and support, they can regain their confidence, identify who is worthy of their time, love, and friendship, and enjoy positive relationships both online and offline.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n![]()
For more advice, support and resources on bullying and keeping children safe visit Kidscape<\/a>.<\/div>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CEO of bullying prevention charity Kidscape and mom of 2 Lauren Seager-Smith shares her expert advice on how to identify and cope with online bullying. Under \u201cnormal\u201d circumstances, children spend an average of 2 hours a day online \u2013 around 20 minutes more than they do watching TV, according to a survey by Ofcom.\u00a0 With […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":3294,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
\r\n CEO of bullying prevention charity Kidscape - and mom of 2 - Lauren Seager-Smith shares her expert advice on how to identify and cope with cyberbullying.<\/h2><\/div>\r\n Under \u201cnormal\u201d circumstances, children spend an average of 2 hours a day online \u2013 around 20 minutes more than they do watching TV, according to a survey by Ofcom<\/a>.\u00a0 With the impact of school closures and lockdown, it\u2019s likely that the amount of time children are spending online each day is currently much higher, with children (and parents) relying on the online world to provide opportunities to study, game, entertain and connect with others.\u00a0<\/p>There are lots of positives to this, not least the opportunity for children to stay in touch with their friends and family - but the longer children spend online, particularly if there is little parental support or supervision, the more likely it is that they could be exposed to online bullying (aka cyberbullying).<\/strong><\/p>Kidscape<\/a> is a bullying prevention charity, and as well as taking action to keep children and families safe, we support children who have been impacted by bullying. Almost 1 in 5 children<\/strong> who attended our ZAP workshops<\/a> in the last year had experienced online bullying, usually by others in their peer group.\u00a0<\/p>It\u2019s important for parents and carers to be aware of signs that a child might be experiencing online bullying so that you can give them the safety and support they need.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>
\r\n Signs that a child may be experiencing online bullying:<\/strong><\/h3>- Social withdrawal<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nIt\u2019s common for children who experience online bullying to be targeted by their peer group rather than strangers, so if children express a reluctance to make contact with other children online, or they stop being in touch with others, it might be because they\u2019ve had a negative experience.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Obsessively checking their phone or device<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nIf a child is caught up in a cyberbullying or trolling incident they may feel a compulsion to keep checking for messages or notifications -\u2013 even if these are distressing. They may also become secretive and withdraw from family life.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Changes in behavior<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nYou know your child best so if they are acting out of character, or are showing other symptoms of distress such as disturbed sleep, it\u2019s important to check-in. Episodes of bullying can lead to depression and anxiety and so it\u2019s vital that you intervene.<\/li><\/ul>The good news is there are steps you can take to keep your child safe and support your child if they go through a bullying incident.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>
\r\n Talk about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect and the importance of trust in relationships.\u00a0\r\n<\/div>\r\n Steps you can take to keep your child safe:<\/strong><\/h3>- Technical support<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nDepending on the age of your child and their developmental and emotional maturity, it\u2019s important that you take steps to limit their exposure to risk \u2013 just as you would offline. This includes the use of parental control apps like Qustodio<\/a>, and learning together how to navigate privacy settings and messaging capability on apps and games.
\r\n
\r\nCheck apps and games for the age rating and even if your child is old enough to access, think about whether it\u2019s a positive space for them to be and they have the emotional maturity to handle what they might see or experience<\/strong>.\u00a0Consider whether this is a space you are happy for them to navigate alone, or whether it\u2019s best for you to access together.\u00a0Just because everyone else is downloading it, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s right for your child at this time.<\/li><\/ul>- Emotional intelligence<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nYou may not understand everything they are using if you\u2019re not much of a gamer or a social networker, but you do have a role in sharing what it means to be a friend, and what a healthy relationship looks like<\/strong>. Talk together about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect, and the importance of trust in relationships.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>- Learn their language<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nIt\u2019s likely an older child will have different words and phrases for describing online bullying behavior. For example, they may talk about \u2018ghosting\u2019<\/em> or \u2018scamming<\/em>\u2019. Find out what they already know about bullying and ask them to tell you the steps they take to protect themselves and others.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>- Be their ally<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nMake sure you keep the channels of communication open at home so they can always share with you if something has gone wrong<\/strong>. We all make mistakes and it may be that your child has shared something they regret, or has caused harm to others.\u00a0 Let them know that you will fix it together. If they have hurt others they should do what they can to remove the post and make amends.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n ![](\"https:\/\/www.qustodio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/0b0ec84c-776e-4dd4-b63e-9dd66ad505a7_Kidscape_logo_horiz_strap_col_pos_RGB.png\")
\r\n<\/div>\r\n If your child or someone you love is experiencing an online bullying incident:<\/strong><\/h3>- Stay calm and create space to think<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nIt\u2019s horrible to go through a bullying situation and your child will need you to be a source of comfort and strength. No matter how upsetting the situation is, stay calm and let them know that together you will sort this out.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Don\u2019t retaliate<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nAs much as they may be tempted to retaliate, this usually prolongs the situation, may cause it to escalate and get others involved,\u00a0 and could make it harder to hold the moral high ground.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Create distance from the person or people doing the bullying<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nThere\u2019s usually an option to block, unfollow or mute. If the bullying is happening within a peer group, your child may worry this will further isolate them, so another option can be to take a break. Things move quickly in the online world so it\u2019s likely that without retaliating and with a bit of time, the bullying behavior will stop<\/strong>.\u00a0Your child will also be in a better frame of mind to deal with the situation when they are removed from the heat of the moment.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Reach out<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\n If the person who has caused harm has acted out of character or is usually a friend, it can be worth reaching out offline to calmly explain the harm this has caused. They may be willing to remove a post and may not have realized the impact of their actions.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n The reality is that people often say hurtful things online, whether emboldened by anonymity and group behavior or caught up in the careless, reactive nature of fast-moving online chat. Help your child understand it is not a reflection on them, and that the situation will pass.\r\n<\/div>\r\n - Help from friends and family<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nWhen you go through an online bullying incident it can make you feel very low and you will need positive affirmation from friends and family. Don\u2019t downplay the impact of hurtful words<\/strong>. Your child will need care and kindness to get back to a better place.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Know how to report<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nThere may be occasions when a child is exposed to serious harm and criminal behavior online. This could include threats to harm, inciting your child to harm themselves, sharing of private images, or content that is discriminatory and fuelled by hate<\/strong>. In these instances, your child still needs you to create a calm and safe environment to help them recover, but you have options to report content through the platform, to the police, and to outside agencies<\/a>. If the bullying involves the school peer group, you may also want to reach out to school staff. Most schools should include cyberbullying in their anti-bullying policy and help the behavior to stop.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>- Help your child keep perspective<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nThe reality is that people often say hurtful things online, whether emboldened by anonymity and group behavior or caught up in the careless, reactive nature of fast-moving online chat. Help your child understand it is not a reflection on them, and that the situation will pass. With your love and support, they can regain their confidence, identify who is worthy of their time, love, and friendship, and enjoy positive relationships both online and offline.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n More great online safety and digital wellbeing articles from Qustodio:<\/strong><\/h3>- 4 Simple Steps to Digital Wellbeing<\/a><\/li>
- Digital Wellbeing: Are today\u2019s families worried enough about the effect of tech on their health and happiness?<\/a><\/li>
- Got a love-hate relationship with YouTube?<\/a><\/li>
- Is there a right age to give your child their first phone?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n
![](\"\")
\r\n<\/div>\r\n For more advice, support and resources on bullying and keeping children safe visit Kidscape<\/a>. <\/p>
Under \u201cnormal\u201d circumstances, children spend an average of 2 hours a day online \u2013 around 20 minutes more than they do watching TV, according to a survey by Ofcom<\/a>.\u00a0 With the impact of school closures and lockdown, it\u2019s likely that the amount of time children are spending online each day is currently much higher, with children (and parents) relying on the online world to provide opportunities to study, game, entertain and connect with others.<\/p>\n There are lots of positives to this, not least the opportunity for children to stay in touch with their friends and family – but the longer children spend online, particularly if there is little parental support or supervision, the more likely it is that they could be exposed to online bullying (aka cyberbullying).<\/strong><\/p>\n Kidscape<\/a> is a bullying prevention charity, and as well as taking action to keep children and families safe, we support children who have been impacted by bullying. Almost 1 in 5 children<\/strong> who attended our ZAP workshops<\/a> in the last year had experienced online bullying, usually by others in their peer group.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important for parents and carers to be aware of signs that a child might be experiencing online bullying so that you can give them the safety and support they need.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The good news is there are steps you can take to keep your child safe and support your child if they go through a bullying incident.<\/p>\n Talk about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect and the importance of trust in relationships.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Check apps and games for the age rating and even if your child is old enough to access, think about whether it\u2019s a positive space for them to be and they have the emotional maturity to handle what they might see or experience<\/strong>.\u00a0Consider whether this is a space you are happy for them to navigate alone, or whether it\u2019s best for you to access together.\u00a0Just because everyone else is downloading it, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s right for your child at this time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CEO of bullying prevention charity Kidscape and mom of 2 Lauren Seager-Smith shares her expert advice on how to identify and cope with online bullying. Under \u201cnormal\u201d circumstances, children spend an average of 2 hours a day online \u2013 around 20 minutes more than they do watching TV, according to a survey by Ofcom.\u00a0 With […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":3294,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Under \u201cnormal\u201d circumstances, children spend an average of 2 hours a day online \u2013 around 20 minutes more than they do watching TV, according to a survey by Ofcom<\/a>.\u00a0 With the impact of school closures and lockdown, it\u2019s likely that the amount of time children are spending online each day is currently much higher, with children (and parents) relying on the online world to provide opportunities to study, game, entertain and connect with others.\u00a0<\/p> There are lots of positives to this, not least the opportunity for children to stay in touch with their friends and family - but the longer children spend online, particularly if there is little parental support or supervision, the more likely it is that they could be exposed to online bullying (aka cyberbullying).<\/strong><\/p> Kidscape<\/a> is a bullying prevention charity, and as well as taking action to keep children and families safe, we support children who have been impacted by bullying. Almost 1 in 5 children<\/strong> who attended our ZAP workshops<\/a> in the last year had experienced online bullying, usually by others in their peer group.\u00a0<\/p> It\u2019s important for parents and carers to be aware of signs that a child might be experiencing online bullying so that you can give them the safety and support they need.\u00a0<\/p><\/div> The good news is there are steps you can take to keep your child safe and support your child if they go through a bullying incident.\u00a0<\/p><\/div> For more advice, support and resources on bullying and keeping children safe visit Kidscape<\/a>. <\/p><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Signs that a child may be experiencing online bullying:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/strong>It\u2019s common for children who experience online bullying to be targeted by their peer group rather than strangers, so if children express a reluctance to make contact with other children online, or they stop being in touch with others, it might be because they\u2019ve had a negative experience.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>If a child is caught up in a cyberbullying or trolling incident they may feel a compulsion to keep checking for messages or notifications -\u2013 even if these are distressing. They may also become secretive and withdraw from family life.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>You know your child best so if they are acting out of character, or are showing other symptoms of distress such as disturbed sleep, it\u2019s important to check-in. Episodes of bullying can lead to depression and anxiety and so it\u2019s vital that you intervene.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Steps you can take to keep your child safe:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/strong>Depending on the age of your child and their developmental and emotional maturity, it\u2019s important that you take steps to limit their exposure to risk \u2013 just as you would offline. This includes the use of parental control apps like Qustodio<\/a>, and learning together how to navigate privacy settings and messaging capability on apps and games.\n\n
<\/strong>You may not understand everything they are using if you\u2019re not much of a gamer or a social networker, but you do have a role in sharing what it means to be a friend, and what a healthy relationship looks like<\/strong>. Talk together about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect, and the importance of trust in relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
<\/strong>It\u2019s likely an older child will have different words and phrases for describing online bullying behavior. For example, they may talk about ghosting<\/em> or scamming<\/em>. Find out what they already know about bullying and ask them to tell you the steps they take to protect themselves and others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
<\/strong>Make sure you keep the channels of communication open at home so they can always share with you if something has gone wrong<\/strong>. We all make mistakes and it may be that your child has shared something they regret, or has caused harm to others.\u00a0 Let them know that you will fix it together. If they have hurt others they should do what they can to remove the post and make amends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIf your child or someone you love is experiencing an online bullying incident:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
<\/strong>It\u2019s horrible to go through a bullying situation and your child will need you to be a source of comfort and strength. No matter how upsetting the situation is, stay calm and let them know that together you will sort this out.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>As much as they may be tempted to retaliate, this usually prolongs the situation, may cause it to escalate and get others involved,\u00a0 and could make it harder to hold the moral high ground.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>There\u2019s usually an option to block, unfollow or mute. If the bullying is happening within a peer group, your child may worry this will further isolate them, so another option can be to take a break. Things move quickly in the online world so it\u2019s likely that without retaliating and with a bit of time, the bullying behavior will stop<\/strong>.\u00a0Your child will also be in a better frame of mind to deal with the situation when they are removed from the heat of the moment.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>If the person who has caused harm has acted out of character or is usually a friend, it can be worth reaching out offline to calmly explain the harm this has caused. They may be willing to remove a post and may not have realized the impact of their actions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/strong>When you go through an online bullying incident it can make you feel very low and you will need positive affirmation from friends and family. Don\u2019t downplay the impact of hurtful words<\/strong>. Your child will need care and kindness to get back to a better place.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>There may be occasions when a child is exposed to serious harm and criminal behavior online. This could include threats to harm, inciting your child to harm themselves, sharing of private images, or content that is discriminatory and fuelled by hate<\/strong>. In these instances, your child still needs you to create a calm and safe environment to help them recover, but you have options to report content through the platform, to the police, and to outside agencies<\/a>. If the bullying involves the school peer group, you may also want to reach out to school staff. Most schools should include cyberbullying in their anti-bullying policy and help the behavior to stop.<\/li>\n
<\/strong>The reality is that people often say hurtful things online, whether emboldened by anonymity and group behavior or caught up in the careless, reactive nature of fast-moving online chat. Help your child understand it is not a reflection on them, and that the situation will pass. With your love and support, they can regain their confidence, identify who is worthy of their time, love, and friendship, and enjoy positive relationships both online and offline.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
For more advice, support and resources on bullying and keeping children safe visit Kidscape<\/a>.<\/div>\n
CEO of bullying prevention charity Kidscape - and mom of 2 - Lauren Seager-Smith shares her expert advice on how to identify and cope with cyberbullying.<\/h2><\/div>
Signs that a child may be experiencing online bullying:<\/strong><\/h3>
\r\n
\r\nIt\u2019s common for children who experience online bullying to be targeted by their peer group rather than strangers, so if children express a reluctance to make contact with other children online, or they stop being in touch with others, it might be because they\u2019ve had a negative experience.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>
\r\n
\r\nIf a child is caught up in a cyberbullying or trolling incident they may feel a compulsion to keep checking for messages or notifications -\u2013 even if these are distressing. They may also become secretive and withdraw from family life.\u00a0
\r\n<\/li>
\r\n
\r\nYou know your child best so if they are acting out of character, or are showing other symptoms of distress such as disturbed sleep, it\u2019s important to check-in. Episodes of bullying can lead to depression and anxiety and so it\u2019s vital that you intervene.<\/li><\/ul>Steps you can take to keep your child safe:<\/strong><\/h3>
\r\n
\r\nDepending on the age of your child and their developmental and emotional maturity, it\u2019s important that you take steps to limit their exposure to risk \u2013 just as you would offline. This includes the use of parental control apps like Qustodio<\/a>, and learning together how to navigate privacy settings and messaging capability on apps and games.
\r\n
\r\nCheck apps and games for the age rating and even if your child is old enough to access, think about whether it\u2019s a positive space for them to be and they have the emotional maturity to handle what they might see or experience<\/strong>.\u00a0Consider whether this is a space you are happy for them to navigate alone, or whether it\u2019s best for you to access together.\u00a0Just because everyone else is downloading it, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s right for your child at this time.<\/li><\/ul>
\r\n
\r\nYou may not understand everything they are using if you\u2019re not much of a gamer or a social networker, but you do have a role in sharing what it means to be a friend, and what a healthy relationship looks like<\/strong>. Talk together about the importance of listening to your feelings and emotions, connecting with others who make you feel good about yourself, treating others with kindness and respect, and the importance of trust in relationships.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>
\r\n
\r\nIt\u2019s likely an older child will have different words and phrases for describing online bullying behavior. For example, they may talk about \u2018ghosting\u2019<\/em> or \u2018scamming<\/em>\u2019. Find out what they already know about bullying and ask them to tell you the steps they take to protect themselves and others.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>
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\r\nMake sure you keep the channels of communication open at home so they can always share with you if something has gone wrong<\/strong>. We all make mistakes and it may be that your child has shared something they regret, or has caused harm to others.\u00a0 Let them know that you will fix it together. If they have hurt others they should do what they can to remove the post and make amends.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n<\/div>If your child or someone you love is experiencing an online bullying incident:<\/strong><\/h3>
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\r\nIt\u2019s horrible to go through a bullying situation and your child will need you to be a source of comfort and strength. No matter how upsetting the situation is, stay calm and let them know that together you will sort this out.\u00a0
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\r\nAs much as they may be tempted to retaliate, this usually prolongs the situation, may cause it to escalate and get others involved,\u00a0 and could make it harder to hold the moral high ground.\u00a0
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\r\nThere\u2019s usually an option to block, unfollow or mute. If the bullying is happening within a peer group, your child may worry this will further isolate them, so another option can be to take a break. Things move quickly in the online world so it\u2019s likely that without retaliating and with a bit of time, the bullying behavior will stop<\/strong>.\u00a0Your child will also be in a better frame of mind to deal with the situation when they are removed from the heat of the moment.\u00a0
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\r\n If the person who has caused harm has acted out of character or is usually a friend, it can be worth reaching out offline to calmly explain the harm this has caused. They may be willing to remove a post and may not have realized the impact of their actions.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul><\/div>
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\r\nWhen you go through an online bullying incident it can make you feel very low and you will need positive affirmation from friends and family. Don\u2019t downplay the impact of hurtful words<\/strong>. Your child will need care and kindness to get back to a better place.\u00a0
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\r\nThere may be occasions when a child is exposed to serious harm and criminal behavior online. This could include threats to harm, inciting your child to harm themselves, sharing of private images, or content that is discriminatory and fuelled by hate<\/strong>. In these instances, your child still needs you to create a calm and safe environment to help them recover, but you have options to report content through the platform, to the police, and to outside agencies<\/a>. If the bullying involves the school peer group, you may also want to reach out to school staff. Most schools should include cyberbullying in their anti-bullying policy and help the behavior to stop.\u00a0
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\r\nThe reality is that people often say hurtful things online, whether emboldened by anonymity and group behavior or caught up in the careless, reactive nature of fast-moving online chat. Help your child understand it is not a reflection on them, and that the situation will pass. With your love and support, they can regain their confidence, identify who is worthy of their time, love, and friendship, and enjoy positive relationships both online and offline.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div>More great online safety and digital wellbeing articles from Qustodio:<\/strong><\/h3>
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