RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
DEALING WITH CYBERBULLYING
If your child is being bullied …
`` Talk with your child about conflict
they may have experienced.
`` Keep evidence of bullying
behaviour such as instant
messenger conversations or
online posts.
`` Discuss options with your child
and their school.
`` Report content to the site on
which it occurred.
`` It is important to avoid removing
access to technology as this may
prevent your child from talking to
you if future issues arise.
If your child is bullying others …
`` Explain to your child why bullying
is unacceptable.
`` Find out why the bullying
is occurring – often a child
who is bullying others may
be experiencing other
behavioural issues.
`` Encourage your child to
understand the offline
consequences of their actions.
`` Encourage your child to
think about how they would
feel if they were in the other
person’s position.
TIPS FOR ADDRESSING CYBERBULLYING
1. Building parental connectedness can help build resilience in children and help
them to overcome conflict.
2. Encourage your child to support their friends who are being cyberbullied and
assist them in telling a trusted adult.
3. Provide opportunities for your child to develop their own strategies for
combating cyberbullying.
4. Create an environment in which your child is comfortable coming to you with any
issues they face online without fear of having their devices confiscated.
5. Talk with your child about appropriate forms of conflict resolution so that they do
not resort to cyberbullying.
6. Make sure your child knows who they can talk to
about any issues they are facing online if they are not
comfortable confiding in a parent.
7. Encourage your child to reduce their exposure to
people they don’t know who may upset them, by
changing their privacy settings.
8. Find out the policies of your school, sports organisation
and any of the sites and applications your child uses in
relation to cyberbullying.
15