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Hudson Valley Parent 17
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A series answering parents' toughest
questions when raising a teen
Keep the conversation going. See the complete article and
get tips to help raise your teens at HVParent.com/RealTalk
Dr. Paul Schwartz
Professor of psychology and education
Kristina Lasher
Mother of two from Poughkeepsie
Young people who are victims of
cyberbullying may act withdrawn or
depressed, show reluctance to go to
school and fall behind in schoolwork.
There might also be a change in your
teen's usual pattern of online
communication.
If you have reason to believe your
child is a victim, bully or bystander,
you need to ask him or her about it.
You both should be calm, so your child
doesn't shut down and refuse to talk.
Remind your child that you are
there for them, no matter what.
Support your children emotionally
and let them know that their safety
and emotional well-being are your
biggest priorities.
Get help from others like school
personnel or even the police who are
experts with the issue of cyberbullying.
Most parents are unaware of their
teen's digital activity, which puts them
in the most danger. My husband and
I have maintained an open and
ongoing dialogue about our teens'
technology use.
Bullying becomes more complicated
when the bully is hiding under the
mask of anonymity. Parents should
check the privacy setting for their kids'
social media applications.
I used to think cyberbullying was
unique to social media, but it turns
out gaming applications are just as
pervasive when it comes to exposing
children to cyberbullying.
It becomes a bigger problem when
teens are not honest with their parents.
If my child did not speak to me about
what was going on, I may bring the
issue to her school guidance counselor.
How can I talk to my kids about
online bullying?
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