Shocking: Indian Kids Are the Most Cyberbullied in the World
How to Stop Cyberbullying
Earlier bullying used to happen in person. The kids were bullied at the bus stop, at school during lunch breaks, or during school dispersal. But once the child was home, the bullying was avoided. But with the advancement in technology, bullying can take place anywhere and at any time. But the biggest point arises: how to stop cyberbullying?
It is scary to think that your child is not even safe at home. They can be threatened at any point. They can be threatened, picked, and teased nonstop. But with an online bully, the horizon widens and they can be bullied or can hurt other kids at school or even at night.
In today’s time when the kids are spending most of their time online, the number of cyberbullying cases is also increasing. But have you wondered that the bully can even happen in your house, at schools, or anywhere they go?
According to research, 42% of surveyed youngsters have experienced cyberbullying on Instagram. In comparison to 37% on Facebook and 31% on Snapchat in India.
What is Cyberbullying?
Bullying is referred to as an intentional, aggressive, and repeated behavior that could be mental, physical, verbal, or sexual, or even mental. Kids generally don’t tell their parents about these things as they are too embarrassed or they think the parents won’t understand. These things are very normal to be thought upon.
Cyberbullying is harassing, threatening, or embarrassing the targeted person using the internet. Kids are busy on phones all the time, they are sending texts, playing games on their phones at a very early age.
The most common cyberbullying faced by kids are:
- Offensive name-calling
- Spreading false rumors
- Receiving objectionable images
- Physical threats
- Having explicit images shared without their consent.
Emotional Distress
We tend to provide our children gadgets at a very young age due to various selfish reasons. With social distancing followed, and these tough times of COVID, children are adapting themselves to the online trends. Children are spending maximum time in front of the screens.
Parents need to look out that the concept of cyberbullying is real and can be cumbersome. When a child posts about someone, the comment is permanently stored in the child’s mind. The impact of bullying is more severe.
So, keeping an eye is the key. The parents need to understand that their child might be suffering from huge mental distress. Should parents search out ways on how to stop cyberbullying?
Also read: Effective Tips on How to Stop Cyberbullying for Kids and Parents
Parents can look out for certain signs like:
1. Avoiding School
If your child is continuously trying to miss out on school or is searching for reasons to avoid school. There is a larger problem than casual school missing.
2. Changes in Eating Habits
If you observe that the kid is either eating more than their appetite or less than it, they might be facing certain issues and are not able to discuss them with anyone.
3. Behavior Changes
If the child becomes very aggressive or is not communicating properly, they might be going through some mental stress.
4. Physical Complaints Like Headache or Stomach Aches
These are normal manifestations of anxiety or stress. They may be saying such issues to avoid school.
What steps can be taken to keep the kids safe?
a. Manage the contact lists with complete control
You can stop strangers from contacting your child. It is best to stop the unknown contact from reaching your child. You can use a mobile monitor app as well to block unwanted contacts.
b. Use a child monitoring app on your child’s device
A good child monitoring app like Phone Agent 007 is very helpful in protecting the child from the dangers of the internet. It helps you in tracking your child’s location, checking the call logs and recordings, browsing the internet history, social media screening. You can secure your child from cyber threats.
What steps can be taken by the parents to keep the kids safe?
- You must ensure to educate your kid regarding cyberbullying.
- Help your child understand the cyberattacks on them.
- Tell them that even famous people get ridiculed often on social media.
- Ask your children whether you can be a part of their world. Do not force your child to include yourself but build trust so that they happily include you.
Closing words
Cyberbullying has spread its paws among youngsters. As a parent, it is our duty to protect the child from such problems. We must think about how to stop cyberbullying so that the child can stay protected. A parental control app can help you in keeping an eye on the phone’s activities of children. You can look after their companions, chats, calls, and images sent and received. A parent knows how to make their child safe and secure.
