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This is one video that I hope goes viral.
I would like to think that I would jump right in, but after watching that video I am afraid that I might not move quick enough in the precious seconds one would have in that moment. What about you? Would you help?
My kids know to yell “This is not my Mom/Dad” if anyone were to grab them. But when I see a video like this one, I immediately think that I should have them watch this with me. I explain how she is yelling but no one is listening. I might explain how in that situation I would probably kick and fight as hard as I could. So what does this have to do with cyber safety?
When watching this video with my kids I would turn the discussion to the real troubling situation in this video – this child needed help and no one did anything. How many times during the day do we miss out on helping someone? How often do kids see other kids mistreated by peers and not help?
This clearly can be a teachable moment on so many levels and certainly a conversation starter. I think part of the reason that cyberbullying has reached the level that it has is because kids don’t recognize and respond to other kids being mistreated. They just aren’t equipped with the skills they need to recognize the situation and step in, just like the adults in this video.
I want my kids to be able to recognize the signs of bullying. When they see one kid picking on another verbally (whether online or in person), I want them to step in and say “Hey, that’s not cool.” Often times, you only need one person to recognize a bad situation for others to join in as well. There is safety in numbers and it makes a big difference to the victim when anyone is willing to step in and help. Here are a few things your child can do to help when they see Bullying take place, either online or on the playground:
-Flag a bullying post or report a Bully on the website – often times popular website rely on users to flag inappropriate content and bad behavior. Step in when you see something going down.
-Call out the rude behavior – “Pick on somebody your own size” or “That’s not funny/cool” can help point out the behavior and gives other kids the chance to step in to help as well.
-Don’t forward on humiliating photos or videos – This is important for kids to learn that you expect them to recognize a bad situation and not to participate. Not only does this make the problem worse, but it can land them in jail if they are found possessing inappropriate pictures of minors.
For more tips on how kids can help stop Cyberbullying, see my previous post Standing Up, Not Standing By and CommonSense Media’s Cyberbullying Toolkit.
Stay safe out there!
Tracy
@McAfeeCyberMom on Twitter
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Tags: child safety, cyber bullying, cyberbullying, good parenting, kids online safety, online safety