70% of children admit they have witnessed cyber bullying
50% of children admit to be scared of their online bullies
Cyber bullying victims are 3 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide
Only 2 in 10 victims will inform their parents or teachers of online attacks
So, how can we decrease these statistics?
- Talk openly! It is imperative to have open and honest conversations with your children. The more you talk, the more you know.
- Monitor online activity! Like talking, monitoring your child's phone and devices allows you to be aware of what is going on in their digital life. The more you monitor the online activity, the less likely they are able to cyber bully and the less likely a cyber bully will continue.
- Set limits! Set time ranges or time limits for phone/device usage. This will limit the amount of time they are on social media, or messaging online friends!
- Tattling vs. Reporting- Teach your children about the difference between tattling and reporting. Tattling is reporting someone for wrong doing, and reporting is to give a written statement of what is going on. See the chart below!
Your point about tattling vs. reporting is an important one. Within my work setting, I encounter a number of students that feel that sharing information (no matter the type) is tattling or being a snitch. It's important for students to remember the distinction.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and have seen this a lot with my 5th graders. They never want to be the "snitch" like you said. But it's important to acknowledge when it is necessary to report, which is helping someone get out of trouble. Thanks for your comment, D'Andrea!
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