I recently appeared on WNYMedia’s “Parent Talk” radio show to discuss what parents can do to protect their child from online harassment. Please click here to download and listen (47 minutes, MP3 file), and let me know if you have any follow-up questions!
Though it is difficult for me to speak on behalf of parents, me not being one yet, I can only imagine what actions I would take to prevent my kids from being cyberbullied. In my opinion, parents are not involved enough in the activities their adolescents are partaking in. Though it is impossible for anyone to monitor their children 24 hours a day the goal of a parent should be to TRY. Unfortunately one has to depend on the school system to do so for a long period throughout the day. So therefore, when your child is under your direct supervision, what measures should be taken?
The obvious measure is that of communication. Building a strong relationship with your child from an early age is very important. In doing so, a trust bond will be formed and your child will be more likely to be open to you about things he or she normally wouldn't’t disclose. Personally, when I was an adolescent I would tell my parents everything because a had a very strong relationship from an early age.
Secondly, it is essential that parents become familiar with the technology being used by adolescents. What happens a lot of the time, parents don’t keep up with the changing technology and are completely oblivious to what their child could be doing or saying online. For example, my parents didn't’t start using the internet until about a year ago and yet they have lived here for over 20 years. There should be no excuse for not being able to operate a computer or any other device. Without the knowledge, how can one expect to monitor the activities of a child? Also, this will permit you to set up preventative programs such as firewalls, password protection, and restricted websites.
Regardless of how well the relationship is between a parent and the child, part of monitoring is going to involve spying. Your child cannot be aware of your actions because the trust will be broken. Software programs are available for those who want to track their childrens activities online which I would highly recommend.
Lastly, a parent must be very observative. Regardless of the number of monitor methods being used or how close the relationship is, something is bound to go unchecked, unnoticed or ignored. Its important to pay close attention to your child’s behavior. Behaviors such as mood swings, sudden outbursts, and crying should all be looked out for. Aside from behaviors, actions need to be observed just as carefully. Parents must look out for suspicious activity such as late night computer use, computer frustration, and emotional changes while on the computer.
Using these methods can prove to be useful for parents who want to prevent cyber bullying.