Within this article we offer some ways to help your child if they’re being bullied.
- Let them share their concerns and what they want to happen.
- Take their concerns seriously, while trying to remain calm.
- Try not to attribute blame, even if your child has done something you advised them not to.
- Report and take action to address the cyberbullying. Save any messages as proof, take screenshots of private messages – and don’t delete anything.
- Take action to prevent further bullying: remove the bully from friends lists, set your child’s profile to private, if it isn’t already, and block any offending phone numbers.
- If the bully is someone at school, talk to a teacher or the headteacher and find out what their anti-bullying policy is.
- Remain sensitive to your child’s feelings. So, for instance, don’t indefinitely ban their use of all internet-enabled devices. Please note: much of the advice here was created in consultation with the NSPCC Participation Unit, speaking directly with children and young people about how to tackle cyberbullying.
Source: Vodafone Digital Parenting
