Bullying isn’t new, but the internet and text messaging has
taken it to a whole new level. It might not be throwing a punch
on the playground, but cyberbullying, or online name-calling,
can have serious emotional consequences. In fact, Cyberbullying
is extremely dangerous and can cause anxiety and depression. In
rare cases, it has even led to suicide. As a parent, what can
you do? Since most teens are connected to the internet, chatting
or sending text messages all day, it’s not always possible to
monitor every interaction. It is possible, however, to take
steps to ensure your teen is neither a victim or an agressor.
Steps to Stopping Cyber Bullies Talk to your teen. Explain your
concern and ask them to voice their own. Encourage empathy
toward others, whether in person or over the internet. Let them
know they can trust you and you will work with them to solve the
problem. Limit access to technology. Place computers in a
central location in the house and limit cell phone use. If your
teen is secretive about i