What should I do if my child is being bullied online?
Finding out that your child has been cyberbullied is emotional for parents. You or your child might want to retaliate, but it’s best to help your child to defuse the situation, protect him/herself and make rational efforts to put a stop to the bullying.
- Reassure your child that you love and support them
- Help your child to step away from the computer or device and take a break
- Empower your child with specific steps that he or she can take to protect themselves
- Tell them to stop and then not respond to any more messages and block them from your page
- Take a snapshot of the text or photo for proof
- If it continues, it is a form of harassment and needs to be reported to the authorities
- Encourage your child to talk with you and be open about what is going on in their lives
Simon Grehan, Project Officer with Webwise offers some advice for parents on how to deal with cyberbullying (video provided courtesy of Webwise.ie)
Click here for a page from webwise.ie giving clear advice on how to deal with cyberbullying