Young children and teenagers can be very difficult to understand sometimes. Many of the signs and symptoms that your child is a cyberbully are very similar to the signs and symptoms that your child might be getting cyberbullied. Accepting that your child is cyberbullying other people can be very difficult for parents to accept, but remember – children demonstrating bullying type behavior need as much help as those getting bullied. Visit our Total Access Support section to learn more about the help and support that we can offer.
Refusal to let you know what they are doing online, or see what messages they are sending. Minimizing screens and cutting off calls when you walk in the room are common indicators of a problem of some kind.
Aliases and anonymity are a cyberbully’s protection from being found out and are very easy to set up.
Does your child spend a long time online whilst also on the phone to friends? Calls can be used to strategize cyberbullying and hate campaigns.
Have they recently complained about themselves or a friend being cyberbullied? You should obviously speak with your child to learn more about the situation and explore our support services, but be aware that this is also a common sign of cyberbullying behavior.
Has there been a recent falling out with a friend or several friends? With children and teenagers now spending a majority of their time online – this could be due to something offensive posted online.
Has your child fallen in with the wrong crowd offline or online? By succumbing to peer pressure or simply “going with the flow,” young people can often be encouraged to make the wrong choices.
Does your child become unusually angry when they can’t use the computer or when you ask about their online activities? Although this can be attributed to ‘being a teenager’, it can also be indicative of other problems such as cyberbullying or online harassment.
Has your child become increasingly aggressive or spiteful to others, including animals?