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BULLYING IS ALWAYS challenging to deal with as a parent. Add a cyber element into the mix and many are completely flummoxed.
A survey conducted by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals published recently found that parents are getting worse rather than better when it comes to monitoring children’s online behaviour.
Some 46% of parents said they check their children’s online presence once a week. This was down from 54% a year ago. Worryingly, a full 30% of parents surveyed said they check their child’s online activity infrequently or never.
As parents we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about our children’s online presence. This takes time and commitment but it is worth doing. You wouldn’t allow your child to go to an unsupervised disco or house party. Think of your child’s online presence in similar terms.
Educate yourself, as well as your child
The rules are simple. Educate yourself to the point where you can supervise your child’s online activity, but involve your child in your decisions and discussions about online activity at home. If your child sees that you are open and have an understanding about the issues it is possible that they will come to you if there is a problem.
We need to see cyberbullying as an extension of bullying. If we can get past the word cyber we may find it easier to know what to do. In days gone by, parents could monitor their children’s interactions. They knew who the friends were and any callers to the house had to go through whoever answered the phone.
The advent of the mobile phone, but particularly the smart phone, has complicated matters. In truth though, the same principles apply. Parents need to know what their children are up to. They need to monitor online activity and talk to their children.
Dealing with cyberbullying is more complicated but if you think about what you would tolerate in the real world, things can become clearer.
1. Talk about it
Talk to your children about cyberbullying. Make sure they know what it is. This is important so that they can identify it if it happens to them, but also so that they don’t bully others.
It’s also important to talk to them about the issues and problems posed by online anonymity.
2. Educate yourself
Ask your teenagers and children to show you how to play games online. Ask them to help you with social media. If they get to spend time online with you, you will get to know how things work but it will also open a conversation between you and your children.
3. Collaborate on guidelines
Don’t impose guidelines on internet use in the home. Talk to your children about what guidelines you should all adhere to and draw them up together.
4. Get on social media
Join the sites that your sons and daughters are using. Make sure that they friend you and keep an eye on their activity. Be upfront about the fact that you are doing this. Make sure you know their passwords. This is easier if you are active when your child begins their online activity
5. Make sure they know what’s safe and what’s not
Children should know never to share their passwords with anyone apart from you as their parent or guardian.
They must never post personal information.
They must never post or share inappropriate photos.
Encourage them not to be friends online with people they don’t know in the real world.
6. Make sure your own internet infrastructure is safe
Install child protection filters and anti-virus software on internet connected devices that are in your home or belong to your children.
7. Limit time spent online
There’s more to life than what’s online. The greater the online presence, the greater the effect of the cyberbully. Try and impose limits on the time your child spends online
8. Tell your children what to do if they are on the receiving end of abuse
They should know:
9. Teach them about respect
Rules around respecting others in the real world, apply to the online world. If you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, don’t say it to their online profile.
10. Make sure your children have a healthy cynicism about online activity
Try to encourage critical thinking. Your children should know not to take things online at face value.
Brendan Smith is Education and Public Engagement Officer with the Insight Centre for Data Analytics. He delivers workshops and talks on internet safety among many other things to parents, teachers and students in primary and post primary schools.
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That’s a manky looking breakfast roll.
Which makes it different how from every other breakfast roll?
I know, feckin’ great isn’t it?
Because it looks like somwone sat on it and the bread looks horrible
its not a lot,but at least their is something left that is Irish,i will make a point of buying these products in the future.
So just because it’s Irish even if it’s an inferior item you will buy it? That’s just stupid.
There is nothing inferior about Irish products made with fair Irish hands. You are a race traitor for suggesting there is. We must support Irish companies in the face of the multiculti genocide being foisted on us by the EU and its hidden masters. We must build Irish indigenous industry that pays its taxes and leave behind the false currency that is the Euro. Modern FIAT currency is the future. When our sovereign currency is worth a tenth of what the Euro is our exports will be so competitive that we will in months reach full employment and will be able to use the Euro and dollars we have been paid for our God to import critical needs. Paul Murphy, TD, sage leader, understands this.
See you have changed your name again you racist plonker – still didn’t get the Irish right though. And it is clear you know as much about economics as the copy paste merchant Coddler O’Toole. Lets print money until we can’t buy anything. Tosser.
‘Ballygowan’s water comes from a spring next to its Co Limerick factory’
AKA a tap.
It’s still better than a tap in the UK owned by Coca Cola.
brings to mind ‘Peckham Spring’ :)
Is Irish water still Irish?
How about an article on quality Irish products sourced in Ireland and manufactured by 100% Irish companies.
Our people are our best brand !
Then why the native exports and foreign imports?
Java Republic have a big glass-walled roastery in Ballycoolin in Dublin – they are a 100% Irish-owned company, owned and run by an almost completely untamed headbanger named David McKernan. They use ethically-sourced raw ingredients and are an exporter of high value-added teas and coffees. The finest brew in the country, yet when I went to Dunnes Stores recently they were gone off the shelves. Not in Tesco or Supervalu either. And I’m running low on stock, down to my last few bags.
?
Yesterday we heard that Lyons Tae is English – today we hear Barry’s is Irish but the raw material comes from Africa. Does the English stuff grow in England?
This is the type of thing where pollsters get all excited about the result but they fail to ask that all important follow up question after they ask ‘are you in favor of x issue’ and that question is ”how high a priority is this issue for you?” when you ask that devastating second question it often renders the first one moot.
We live in a globalized world now. Nationalism and economics don’t mix.
Think back to how ridiculous it was that the Irish state owned a sugar company, imagine that today when sugar is the direct cause of 80% of obesity out there (with pints the next culprit down)
The only nod I’d give to country of origin is meat, to make sure somethings from the EU15, but that’s not nationalism so much as a quality control issue.
Right Ryan, and when our little island has its argi-economy collapse (bringing down everything else) remember what you said here.
Are people in the republic even aware of how much the north contributes to the republics economy in terms of tourism, goods purchased, etc. Please stop this begrudgery to northen businesses as you would be a lot worse off without us…
I’m in New York and I buy imported Kerry Gold Irish butter.
Even the roman empire knew irish butter was the best.
What about the best sauce chef ??
Deep River rock is just tap water put through a filtering process. It doesn’t come form a source like ballygowan (which I’m sure goes through some sort of processing but..) the important difference is ballygowan actually comes from a spring water source.
Where the tap waters comes from, I don’t know, but would be interested to find out.
Can I ask why this article seems to tell people not to buy products from the north.they are from the island of Ireland too after all.. there are a lot of products on sale in the north that come from the republic and nobody begrudges buying them
And Butlers Chocolates are Irish too…..
Ah yes
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