Cyberbullying has far reaching emotional implications – depression, anger, shame and fear are only a few emotions that could be experienced by a cyberbullying victim. These feelings may lead to social withdrawal, isolation, decline in your children’s school work and in extreme cases even suicide! So whether your child is a cyberbullying target or one that bullies others online, your child is a cyberbullying victim.
If your child is a victim of cyberbullying, they may not tell you about it. Often they are embarrassed, or they fear you will overreact, or that you will restrict or curtail their mobile phone or online activities to protect them.
So how will I know?
There are many signs that may indicate that your child is a cyberbullying victim. It is important that you closely monitor your children’s use of computers and mobile phones and notice any behavior that seems unusual. Does your child normally enjoy using the computer but suddenly no longer wishes do so? Is your child constantly engaged with interacting over the internet all hours of the day and night? These could be warning signs that you need to pay attention to.
What to look for
The following signs could indicate that your child is a cyberbullying victim. Remember that none of these signs by themselves is a definite indication of cyberbullying but several signs together are cause to open a discussion with your child.
