Parent tips for all kids

» Give them a code of conduct. Tell them that if

they wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, they

shouldn’t text it, IM it, or post it.

» Ask your kids if they know someone who has

been cyberbullied. Sometimes they will open up about

others’ pain before admitting their own.

» Establish consequences for bullying behavior. If

your children contribute to degrading and humiliating

people, tell them their phone and computer privileges

will be taken away.

Parent tips for elementary school kids

» Keep online socializing to a minimum. Let your

kids use sites like Webkinz or Club Penguin where chat

is pre-scripted or pre-screened.

» Explain the basics of correct cyber behavior.

Tell your kids that things like lying, telling secrets, and

being mean still hurt in cyberspace.

» Tell your kids not to share passwords with their

friends. A common form of cyberbullying is when kids

log in to another child’s email or social networking

account and send fake messages or post embarrassing

comments. Kids can protect themselves from this

by learning early on that passwords are private and

should only be shared with their parents.

Parent tips for middle school kids

» Monitor their use. See what they’re posting, check

their mobile messages, and let them know you’re

keeping an eye on their activities.

» Tell your kids what to do if they’re harassed.

They shouldn’t respond or retaliate, they should block

bullies immediately, and they should tell you or an

adult they trust. They shouldn’t delete the messages

because in persistent cases, the content should be

reported to a cell or Internet Service Provider.

» If your kid is doing the bullying, establish strict

consequences and stick to them. That goes for

cruel or sexual comments about teachers, friends,

and relatives.

» Remind them that all private information can be

made public. Posts on friends’ walls, private IMs,

intimate photos, little in-jokes can all be cut, pasted,

and sent around. If they don’t want the world to see

it, they’d better not post or send it.

» Don’t start what you don’t want to finish. Chat in

online games and virtual worlds can get ugly fast. Make

sure your kids are respectful because hurtful retaliation

happens all the time.

Parent tips for high school kids

» Tell kids to think before they reveal. At this age, kids

experiment with all sorts of activities, many of which

should not be made public. Remind your teens that

anything they post can be misused by someone else.

» Remind them they aren’t too old to ask for your

help. There are things some kids can handle on their

own, but sometimes, they just need help. Coming to

their parents isn’t baby-ish;

Cyberbullying