Child Cyberbullying: What Is It and How to Fight It?
Often schools arrange sessions dedicated to Internet safety and literacy. However, not all parents understand exactly what a child is doing online, what opportunities he or she has and, more generally, why all this is of such great interest to the child at all. Many parents are cautious about their child's presence on the web. For example, adults set rules for children about using certain devices at certain times. The main task of the parent in this case is to correctly explain to their son or daughter these restrictions in such a way, which will help to avoid anxiety and unnecessary quarrels. Building trust is very important. Do you know why a child spends so much time on the Internet? What does he/she do when he/she goes for a walk? Who does he/she spend time and socialise with? Some people may think it is not that important, "why bother the child?", but these are the questions that need to be answered in order to build a proper dialogue with your child. Otherwise, they will have yet another reason to believe that "adults don't understand".
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is a form of violent behavior that includes threats, harassment, humiliation, insults, etc., within and/or through the digital space. If you've never heard of cyberbullying, here's a simple and vivid example. Most often, children become victims of cyberbullying from their peers. There may be bullies in the classroom who constantly seek attention at someone else's expense. Most adults had similar experience in their own childhood, so it is easy to believe that this behavior may also be common on the Internet. Any piece of information or any action can serve a reason for bullying: a photo, lists of interests exposed for public viewing, music that the child likes, and so on. Here I should repeat that, first of all and most importantly, parents ought to take interest in their children's lives in order to be able to understand problems they may face.
What Risks Does Cyberbullying Pose?
On the Internet, a child socializes in the same way as in real life. They communicate with friends, follow their favorite bloggers, share posts, leave likes and comments, repost, they may even make videos in search of fame... As research and statistics show, anyone can be a victim of cyberbullying. Your child is no exception.
When faced with cyberbullying, first of all, a child feels a sense of fear, which can turn into retaliatory aggression, despair, frustration and even depression. The child may also feel guilty for being "different", which may have a strong impact on his or her identity. Constant stress will affect not only mental but also physical health.
Tips for Parents
Communicate with your child. If you have noticed a change in your child's behavior or condition, gently find out what has caused the change. Establishing a trusting conversation with a child and being in contact with him or her is not a whim, but a parent’s responsibility.
Share his or her interests. Of course, this isn't always easy. Everyone has a job and chores to do. But if we want to understand our children, watching a favorite anime or playing an online game with them will not be difficult. And if by chance you still don't know how it feels, it's time to find out.
Talk to your child about Internet safety. Make it clear that anything can provoke aggression and that it is not your son or daughter's fault. At the same time, pay attention to the fact that the child should also behave in a certain way, without violating other people’s boundaries, which are not as easy to feel on the Internet as in life. But do not as well "overexcite" your kid - cautious behavior should not turn into paranoia.
Contact a professional if you don’t know how to help your child deal with cyberbullying. The sooner a therapist starts working with the child's negative feelings and experiences, the more likely it is that the teen won't end up with a trauma that he or she will have to live with and cope with as an adult.