What is the parent's role in cyberbullying?
The parent’s role plays a crucial part in their child’s safety. Parents should be the one trusted place that children can go when things go wrong. However, they are often the place children avoid when things go wrong. Why? Parents may have a tendency to overreact. Most children will avoid telling their parents about a cyberbullying incident for fear that it might make things worse. For example, they may call the other parents of the child or children involved, the school, or take away the privilege to use the computer and the internet. On the other hand, they may at times, underreact and rarely do they get it “just right” where the parents really understand and are calm about the situation.
It is important for parents to be supportive at this time and not lecture the child. This time may have lasting effects on the child. These attacks follow them into your otherwise safe home and wherever they go offline. And when over 500 million accomplices can be recruited to help target or humiliate your child, the risk of emotional pain is very real, scary and very serious. So we can’t ignore it.
Some things to do to help your child:
- Inform the school so that the school’s counselor can be aware of in-school bullying as well as how your child is dealing with things.
-Notify your pediatrician, family counselor or clergy or rabbi for support if needed
-It is so important that you are there to provide the necessary love and support that your child needs. Help your child feel secure and take this very seriously.
-Parents need to understand that a child can be a cyberbully as well as a victim of cyberbullying and can alternate between the two roles during only one incident. If your child is being cyberbullied your actions must be proactive.
- If you find any indication that personal contact information has been posted online, or any threats are made to your child, you must speak with your local law enforcement agency.
Sometimes schools will try and get involved by disciplining the student for cyberbullying actions that took place off-campus and outside of school hours, they are often sued for exceeding their authority and violating the student’s free speech right. Oftentimes, the school will lose. On a positive note, schools can be very effective mediators in working with the parents to stop and remedy cyberbullying situations. They can also be excellent educators for the students on cyberethics and the law.
-Schools should develop school-wide anti-bullying policies that encourage and reward students for respecting each other and for recognizing the right of each student to be free from bullying. These anti-bullying policies should be translated into rules and posted in every school setting as reminders to students and staff of these behavioral expectations.
-The influence of other peers is also very important part of the intervention process. Research has shown that peers can escalate bullying through mutual encouragement and validation. On the other hand, peers can also provide a supportive social environment that discourages bullying.
It is hoped that cyberbullying can be prevented and stopped by proactively addressing the potentially negative uses of technology. Early detection of cyberbullying is also a critical factor in protecting children. Parents must regularly monitor the online usage and activities in which their children are actively engaged. It is so important for them to also encourage an open dialogue with their children regarding issues of safety and responsible use of the computer and the internet.
It is so important for teachers to also supervise students as they utilize the computers in the classrooms and may want to consider incorporating discussions of issues related to cybersafety in their curriculum. Role-playing exercises and hands-on activities may be very useful for introducing this topic to youth. It is important for school liaison officers and law enforcement officials to investigate all cases of harassment, including electronic bullying, and hold responsible parties accountable for their behavior. Each party has a different and very important role to play in the growing phenomenon. By adopting such policies, parents and schools gain the ability to uncover and rein in rumor-mongering, threats and harassment.