9 Things Parents Can Do to Prevent Cyber Bullying Technology has brought about many innovations.

Many of such innovations make it easier for us to achieve tasks and simplify our lives. You could sit in the comfort of your home and with your mobile device, hold a video conference with

The beast is called cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is one of the many downsides of today’s technology and social media. According to Cyber bullying.org, "cyber bullying is when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online or repeatedly picks on another person through e-mail or text message or when someone posts something online about another person that they don't like."

Specific behaviours that can constitute cyber bullying may include but are not limited to hurtful comments, threats, rumours, pictures, or videos posted or circulated online.

In recent times, reports of cyber bullying teenagers have been on the increase, hence the need for parents to act to prevent their children from being cyber bullied or becoming cyberbullies themselves. How can parents prevent their wards from cyber bullying?

We will share some useful tips for parents below:

Things Parents Can Do to Prevent Cyberbullying

Demystify cyberbullying for your child

First thing first, as a parent, you need to know what cyberbullying is all about so you can help your child to understand cyberbullying. Have an open conversation with your child about cyberbullying.

Be prepared to listen and hear them out too. Explain in simple, age-appropriate terms what cyberbullying is and the danger of it. Develop a good rapport with your child Your teenage child will only feel free to tell you if he or she's been bullied if you both have a good rapport.

So start now to develop a good rapport with your child if you want them to trust you enough to talk to you.

Be your child's support system.

Be a listening parent, not a judgmental one. Don't be quick to dismiss issues when your child brings them up. Instead, listen insightfully and never embarrass them. If anyone does anything to harm them anywhere, you'll be the one they'll run to. 

Together with your child, set rules and best practices Set social media best practices and standards together with your teenager. Let them know their limit and the consequences of going beyond their limits.

Set rules could include never sharing personal information online, never answering a bully but ignore and dad or mum setting the password or at least knowing the password.

Always stick to the rules and consequences so they take you seriously. If your child is part of the process of making the rules, they are less likely to break them.

Know the signs

Watch out for signs that your child is probably being cyberbullied at school.

Some of the signs may range from your child being withdrawn, fearful, hesitant to go to school, uninterested in former friends, etc. When you see any of these signs, it’s time to find out if your child is being cyberbullied and take necessary actions.

Learn and learn

The good thing about parenting is that you are not doing it alone. There are millions of parents like you who have the same concern as you do. Learn what they are doing to prevent cyberbullying. If you do not know parents to seek advice from, you may find out about cyberbullying events that you could attend.

Get information from verified sources on how to help prevent your child from cyberbullying. Be calm, and prepared If your child takes on the courage to open up to you that they are being cyberbullied, be calm choose your words carefully. Be careful not to embarrass them or raise an unwarranted alarm.

A lot of kids are going through the same and are not even opening up to their parents. Prepare in advance how to help your child, even knowing the choice of words to use to sound consoling rather than off-putting. 

Create more family time together

Help your child maximize time spent with family and friends. This will help them minimize time spent online where they could get exposed to cyberbullying. Children learn faster from what they see than what they are told so you may want to spend more time with your family and friends than do on your mobile devices.

Teach your child kindness

Teach your child the importance of respecting other children and their privacy. Teach them how to treat others the way they would want to be treated so that they are dissuaded from cyberbullying other kids.

Establish rapport with your child's teachers Since schools are the breeding ground for cyberbullies, why not work in partnership with your child's teachers or guidance counsellor or principal so that they can bring any suspicion to your attention even before they are full-blown.