© 2007 - 2011 Allan Cockerill All Rights Reserved
I’ve written about bullying on line before, and I’m finding that it is a topic that just won’t go away.
I’ve found that unless you’re on top of it, and constantly check your children’s on line activities, this can escalate very quickly.
Teenagers may feel that their rights are being threatened if you’re strict, but there are no rights without responsibility!
Left to their own devices in these situations, children and teenagers can get caught in an ongoing online slanging match.
Once this happens it becomes difficult to see where the problem started, and to deal with it properly!
For some reason, two local schools here, including ours, have had an ongoing problem with bullying on Bebo.
In my previous article, I wrote how I had I joined Bebo.com, and befriended my daughter so that I could see what went on!
Unfortunately, due to the busyness of life, I didn’t monitor the situation for a while, and it got a way from me again.
Please note that when I wrote ‘constantly checking the situation’ above, it’s because I have learned the hard way!
My daughter parted company with the girl responsible previously, and the situation eased further when that girl changed schools!
However, other members of the opposing groups took up the battle, meaning that the school, other parents, plus my wife and I had some rather interesting interaction as well!
Recently, another far more serious episode occurred at another school with a girl being told that she may as well commit suicide!
The police were called in, and are continuing to visit schools in the area.
Please note I’m not an expert in this, just a father, and community member who cares.
Parents need to do the following:
1. Make a written contract covering internet use and online behavior. This way, everybody knows their rights and responsibilities!
2. Make a point of retaining the right to check on what’s going on while your child/teen is online.
3. Learn the ‘slang’ that kids use for when there is a parent or adult in the room. Learn the slang for everything else too!
4. If you see the screen being minimised when you enter the room, or another one being maximised to cover it, demand to see it!
If they refuse, haul them off and shut everything down! If you have a signed contract, you can do this!
5. Relate to your school and other parents about the issue!
6. If your child is being bullied, go to the relevant authorities, whether it is the school, or the police.
7. Don’t assume that your child is blameless! Sorry, but we can all need to sometimes step back and look at it from all angles.
8. Have a look on the Internet for help. In Australia, go here!
A recent poll in ‘Girlfriend’ magazine reveals that only about 10% of Australian parents have a contract for Internet use in place.
Further, two out of three kids had said that they’d attempted to conceal non essential internet use from parents!
Parents need to realise that they are responsible for what happens with their kids online, not the school, police or society!
If rules aren’t set, and abided by, it creates a climate for this sort of problem to fester and grow!
Giving in for the sake of peace and harmony can quieten things down, but will only cause more problems in future!
Being strict may upset your teens, but if you’re not upsetting them at least once a week, you probably aren’t doing your job properly anyway…!
Have a great weekend!
Update: Schools Target Cyber Bullying On Bebo and Myspace!
© 2007 - 2011 Allan Cockerill All Rights Reserved
