October is National Bullying Prevention Month and yet, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has put more stress on kids and adolescents during this time, accounting for a 70% increase in cyberbullying, according to Verywell Family
Photo courtesy MetroCreative
"A major crisis, such as a global pandemic, creates stress, confusion, anxiety and depression in adults as well as children. Over a prolonged period of time it can lead to misunderstandings, acting out or lashing out at others and risk-taking behavior. Ryerson lists a number of triggers that can lead to cyber bullying as: the need for power and control; retaliation for pain they've experience from others (revenge); boredom; lack of empathy toward others; relationship problems with family/friends; the need to elevate their self-esteem; and its addictive nature which provides a temporary lift and protection in that it's anonymous."-Lamorida Weekly
The best way to help your teen to prevent these kind of behaviors seeping into their digital devices and their lives is to know what to expect. Approve every app on your teen's phone and stay current on the latest apps, how they are used, and how they might be manipulated, such as Snapchat. Check out our blog posts on Anonymous Apps to see a list of the ones we've flagged as a concern for potential cyberbullying.
Buy Cyberslammed to learn about the six most common cyberbullying tactics from ganging up on person (Digital Pileons) to revenge photos (Sexting).
Available in both Kindle ($5.99) and Softcvoer ($9.99)
RSS Feed