subject: Student Guard - Helping Parents Keep Their Children Safe From Cyber Bullies [print this page] Student Guard - Helping Parents Keep Their Children Safe From Cyber Bullies
Today, bullying has assumed a new avatar in the embodiment of cyber bullying. Gone are the days when a teenager who was pushed around in a locker room found solace in the shelter of his own home. No more. Now bullying has expanded beyond the realms of playgrounds, schools, and amusement parks into the safe haven of homes. Even in their bedrooms and in the personal spaces of their perceptibly secure online social networking sites, teenagers are bombarded with threats, abuses, and insults on their profiles, or on their hacked email ids. In fact, this phenomenon is worsening more than ever, in an already brutal world of teenagers. Cyber bullying has become rampant when all that a bully needs is a few clicks to torment his victim via a cell phone or a networked computer.
There is no denying the fact that cyber bullying is rampant. According to an estimate by the U.S.Department of Education, nearly a million secondary students reported being cyber bullied in 2007. The figure today in all probability is higher. Parents are especially concerned and are wondering if there a way out of this predicament. They hope for some kind of a student guard who can protect their children against cyber bullying. Is there some way that can help parents protect their children's reputation?
One cyber bullying counselor feels that the first line of security should be the parents themselves. Parents must understand that teenagers are bound to err when they navigate the dangerous arena of cyber space.
Student guard is all about inculcating a sense of responsibility in the teenagers by letting them know nothing on the web is private. The perils of providing too much information on the internet are grave. Cyberspace has its tentacles far and wide and with lightning speed can communicate information to millions. Kids, no doubt, make a strong case for privacy, but they must understand that the internet is never completely safe. Parents must be the first student guard by deciding when a teenager should be allowed to send text messages. Restraining text messaging is just one among the many activities that need monitoring.
In a holistic approach, parents need to:
* Pay attention to their kids when they first send distress signals. The signals can be in the form of being withdrawn, sullen, moody, and irritable.
* Listen carefully if the child mentions even a fleeting incident of cyber bullying. This could be a precursor to something serious.
* Make the children understand how dangerous web surfing can be. It is even more important to make them feel comfortable in confiding to their parents in case help is needed.
* Be supportive in case a cyber-bullying incident is reported. In case the parent is unable to provide guidance, help can be sought from knowledgeable counselors.
* Be firm and say a big no when it comes to surfing objectionable and inappropriate websites. A home, after all, is the best student guard to begin with.
Lately, there are internet based student guard services, though very few, that claim to help parents in guarding their teenagers against cyber bullying. It may take some time before we really see the efficacy of such student guard services.
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