Helping Your Child Understand and Avoid Cyberbullying

In many ways, cyberbullying is very similar to the traditional bullying that happens in face-to-face environments. It has the same negative implications that leave children in a state of despair. However, one stark difference is that children aren’t able to walk away from cyberbullying at the end of a school day. Using the following advice from a private boys’ school in London, parents should find opportunities to discuss cyberbullying with their child so that they know how to avoid being on either end of it. 

Talk About Cyberbullying

First and foremost, if your child is at an age where they are using smartphones and tablets, with access to the internet, you need to talk to them about cyberbullying. Ask them if they know what it means. Find out if they have ever noticed it happening on their social platforms. Try and keep it a judgement-free conversation during which your child should feel comfortable talking to you about such a serious matter. You could initiate the conversation by saying you have read about a cyberbullying incident in the news, and see if they can relate to it in any way.

Assure your child that you are there for them no matter what. If something has happened, either by text or over the internet that they’re concerned about, they should feel confident coming forth and discussing it to you or another adult, even if they are somewhat responsible for it as opposed to a victim. The conversation should be private, just between the two of you, as your child may feel less inclined to open up if other people (e.g., siblings) can hear them. 

Establish Rules

Every home should have a set of rules when it comes to using the internet. Remind your child that if they send a text or post something online that’s unfavourable in some way, they will never be able to take it back, even if they delete it from their device. Other people will have been able to take screenshots and potentially forward it on or report it, so remind your child that they should never post something online that they would be ashamed of should an adult see it. Explain to your child that their safety is of the utmost importance and that’s why there are rules in place.