Expert offers parents tips to cope with cyberbullying
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Parents should plan to have more than just "a talk" with their children about cyberbullying, says a Purdue University child development expert.
"There needs to be an ongoing conversation about being civil to other people, and it is a must that parents understand the technology their children are using," says Judith Myers-Walls, professor emerita in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies. "Parents need to realize that technology is not good or evil by itself, and we have a responsibility to help children use it in positive ways. Each type of technology, whether it is text messaging on cell phones and privacy settings on Facebook, has unique characteristics, and it is important that parents understand those characteristics.
"Children know more than parents do about these technologies, but parents can learn from each other and talk about strategies that work."
Myers-Walls says regularly engaging in conversation with children about cyberbullying can be done without making a child feel like the parent is overbearing. For example, a parent can show a child a story from the news about cyberbullying and ask what he or she thinks about it. Adults also can ask open-ended questions such as "Do you think that happens at your school?"
"One of the most important things is that parents model civility and how to deal with someone when they feel frustrated," she says. "Teaching children how to manage conflict or express their feelings without being mean are important life skills they need to learn."
The National Crime Prevention Council reports that 43 percent of teens have been victims of cyberbullying during the past year.
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Source: Judith Myers-Walls, 765-494-2959, myerswa@purdue.edu