How to recognize bullying and what to do if your child is affected.

Many children and young people say they have been bullied in school at some point. With a growing pressure on children to have the latest smartphone, tablet, or laptop, for many of these children the bullying doesn’t stop outside the school gates but continues when they get home.  If your child is not technology-wise, here is how to get to the bottom of the problem and keep your child safe.

What steps to take when your child has been bullied.

Show appreciation to them for trusting you. Explain to them that now they have told you, that you will be able to help them. Do not take away their Gadgets / Tablets, Phone / Laptops. It is not their fault that they’ve been cyberbullied.

It is important to determine the period that the bullying has been going on/Taking place. They can now confidently explain/Show to you what has been said to them during the bullying period. If they have been on a site which they should not have been on, it is ok, do not get angry with them.

Discuss with them how the bullying affected them and have them make suggestions on how to tackle / approach the situation. This should be a joint effort, a family approach. The children should at all times feel loved and trusted and not in any way guilty of being bullied.

Take screenshots of any abusive comments to keep as evidence. Use Print screen or Snip tool. Type Snip tool into the start Menu. Most computers have a Print Screen Button. Delete all the negative messages or/and Pictures/smileys. They do not have to be reminded of these unpleasant moments.

Block the people involved with the bullying. This will limit the interactions that the bullies can see and have with your kids. They can change their passwords often, which will ensure that nobody has their account details.

 Re-examine who can see their information. On most social media sites, you can choose who sees the information you share. Make sure they only allow people to have access to their information who they know and are sure they can trust. Make the school aware of what has been happening as the bullying may also be happening offline.

Content sourced from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying/what-should-i-do-if-my-kid-is-bullied-online