Preventing your child from becoming a cyberbully

View Mary Kay Hoal's video on Preventing your child from becoming a cyberbully...
Preventing your child from becoming a cyberbully | Kids in the House
KidsInTheHouse the Ultimate Parenting Resource
Kids in the House Tour

Preventing your child from becoming a cyberbully

Comment
90
Like
90
Transcription: 
If you are concerned that you think your child may be a cyber bully, what you need to do is look inside your own home and be aware of the influence that is affecting your child's potential behavior. Often times, kids who bully have an adult role model that's close to them that's exhibiting that type of behavior. Also, you need to be aware of the social sites your kids are spending time on. You cannot discount the culture and content that kids see online because it does impact the way they believe it is socially okay to behave. Unfortunately, on many adult intended sites where it's a cultural free-for-all where anything goes, members are not being held accountable; kids are learning that they can get away with being mean to another person or saying things that are disrespectful. It's also important to know, parents, that if your child is someone that has bullied someone on the school yard, likely they are going to bully someone online. Unlike traditional bullying where the day ends at 3:00 o'clock, when it comes to the cyber bully, that internet is available 24/7, will follow that victim home. It's critically important that if your child has demonstrated that type of behavior, that you are on alert. If you are a parent of a high school kid, they don't often refer to it as bullying, they refer to it as drama. Any reference to the word "drama" is a jumping off point and an opportunity for you to have conversations with your teen to find out what's going on online. If you are concerned that your child might be a cyber bully, I strongly encourage you to, not only have a technology contract in place so they understand there are consequences; but I also encourage you to use tracking software so that you can be aware of their behavior.

View Mary Kay Hoal's video on Preventing your child from becoming a cyberbully...

Transcript

Expert Bio

More from Expert

Mary Kay Hoal

Family Internet Safety Expert

Mary Kay Hoal is a nationally recognized expert on children’s online safety. She is the founder and president of Yoursphere Media Inc., which focuses on the family and publishes the kids’ social network Yoursphere.com. Mary Kay also offers parents Internet-safety information and tips at YoursphereForParents.com. She has been profiled on CNN, Fox & Friends, FOX Business, E!, Lifetime TV, ABC News Now, and The Reader's Digest. Mary Kay is also part of the "Web Avenger" team for ABC's 20/20.

In 2012, Mary Kay founded The Yoursphere Media Foundation and Coalition for Internet Safety Education and Reform (FCISER), which is dedicated to creating a network of community educators that provide children, their parents, schools and communities, with the necessary skills, knowledge and tools they need to have a positive and safer digital experience.

Mary Kay has also been published on sites such as DrLaura.com, Yahoo! Shine and ABC News where she's able to reach millions of parents. 

 

More Parenting Videos from Mary Kay Hoal >
Enter your email to
download & subscribe
to our newsletter