On October 10, David would have been 20 years old. To honor his legacy, we have vowed to prevent a similar tragedy from happening to another family. We believe no kids should have to endure cyberbullying or any bullying for that matter.
This month we celebrate David’s life and continue our work to share our message in an effort to eliminate cyber and other forms of bullying. In this blog, we will share 20 various ways to address and combat cyberbullying.
5 Ways to Stay Safe Online
Kids have easy access to the internet with smartphones, tablets, and smartTVs, so it’s important for parents to teach them how to stay safe online.
- Remind your kids that if they have social media accounts to never share their password with friends.
- Tell your kids that they should never share suggestive photos with people.
- Remind your kids that they should think before they post. Sometimes it’s easy to write mean things when we’re angry, by taking a couple of minutes to think it through you can prevent from hurting someone online.
- Think before you share. Tell your kids that if they’re in doubt, don’t. Most of the time our intuition will let us know if something is wrong, especially sharing questionable content.
- Practice empathy. Always remind your kids to put themselves in the other person’s shoes before they comment on something. By practicing empathy, we can prevent from hurting someone else’s feelings. Take it a step further and take the David’s Legacy Pledge to never use a device as a weapon.
5 Conversation Starters
If you think your kids or someone else’s kids are being bullied, these five questions can help start the conversation:
- Ask your kids where they sit at school. Ask who sits with them and if they’re friends.
- Ask your kids if they’re afraid to use the school restroom.
- Ask your kids who they’re texting. If they turn away, ask them why.
- If your kids can’t sleep, ask them why. Sometimes anxiety can keep them awake.
- Ask your kids if they know someone who is being bullied at school. This will help you teach them why it’s wrong and how they can help that person.
5 Ways to Seek Help
Sometimes we can’t win a battle alone, which is why it’s important to know when to seek help for both yourself and your child.
- Contact your school’s administration to discuss the situation.
- Text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741
- Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255
- Visit the Stomp out Bullying Help Chat at https://www.stompoutbullying.org/get-help/helpchat-line
- Contact David’s Legacy Foundation to learn more about our Don’t Bully Me Project legal services
5 Ways to be an Advocate
- Know your rights as a parent and the rights for your child. Check out your state laws about cyberbullying.
- Make it a family affair. Have open discussions with your family about internet safety and cyberbullying. You can also lead by example by showing empathy and teaching them about the effects of bullying.
- Host a parent group. Find a few parents that would be interested in meeting to discuss cyberbullying and how to identify it.
- Start a campaign. Through David’s Legacy Foundation, you can find additional resources on how to start an anti-bullying campaign at your school.
- Share your voice. If your family has experienced cyberbullying, share your experience with others to help stop it.