6 Signs Your Kid Is a Victim of Cyberbullying
Learn how to read the signs of cyberbullying, and how you can help your teen if they're being bullied online.
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Your teen's behavior changes suddenly.
Ellis also recommends looking out for a decline in grades, or changes in eating and sleeping habits. Your teen may also change his route home from school or start refusing to go to school all together.
Your teen is more secretive than usual.
Tweens and teens are notoriously private but it’s wise to start investigating if your teen starts to seem much more concerned about hiding her screen. If this is a new pattern, you may want to consider the benefits of using mSpy to monitor your kid's communication online.
Your teen now avoids hanging out with friends.
If your kid suddenly wants to avoid certain social situations, like hanging out with a specific group of friends, or doing a certain activity, he may be being bullied, Ellis says. Ask your teen how his friends are doing and if it's a particularly negative reaction, you may want to look into it more.
What to Do If Your Kid Is a Victim of Cyberbullying
If you think your teen might be a victim, it’s important to offer her support—but approach it delicately. Ellis recommends talking in general terms rather than asking directly. For example: “I’m reading a lot about cyberbullying and bullying and it’s really happening a lot. Does it happen at your school? Do you know anyone it’s happening to?” Even if she doesn’t open up, it’s important to reinforce that you are there for her, you love her, and will do your best to help.
If you find out he is being cyberbullied, stopbullying.gov recommends keeping a record and screenshots, then reporting directly to the social media platform as well as your kid's school. If your kid is receiving threats of violence or worse, or if a crime or illegal behavior is happening, report it to the police.
Finally, make sure your kid knows the rules of the cyber road. “A parent has to be computer savvy,” Ellis says. “You have to communicate with your kids constantly. It’s not a one-time conversation. Parents need to raise responsible digital citizens because if they don’t, there’s a possibility their kids are going to bully someone, or they will be bullied.”
For more help and support, visit stompoutbullying.org and staysafeonline.org.