Just thought I'd put a few questions out there as lately this has been constantly on my mind as the last young girl to take her life was DS's friend.
How do you as parents of teenagers monitor your childs internet use?
What programs are out there that allow parents to check our childrens msn/myspace etc?
I would really love some feedback, as much as I'd like to think DS is a strong enough person not to let bullying affect him, at the end of the day I can't be 100% sure. Have any of you actually found evidence of cyber bullying and how did you go about handling it?
I think it is very important to instill in our children good morals and ethics and hope that if anything did happen they would be open with us as parents to enable us to help them.
I would just like to leave this open for anyone with ideas or questions so that we may be able to help each other.
This is a very real and very out there problem. We teach a bullying and social skills program at school now called Friendly schools & Families and there is a whole unit contained in it about cyber bullying, we were PD on it at the start of the year, and I really was quite astounded at the extent it goes too.
I will bring the book home in the week and put up some of the skills and strategies in there about what to do, and how to minimise your child's exposure to it etc
As for monitoring your childs internet use, you can download a program called KeyLogger, just do a GOogle search for it.......its available as a free download. It can then be installed and will log every keystroke done on your computer, and it can be hidden so your child doesnt know its on there. So you will be able to monitor what they are typing on MSN, or any website that they visit (please be aware that it will record ALL keystrokes like backspace and space, so it will take a bit of deciphering!). We have it installed on both our home comp and laptop to check what sites the kids are visiting, and what they are typing, so that we can monitor the comp's use
Also with this, you will be able to access passwords etc so that you can log into MSN or whatever else they have...a good way to monitor their use on these social networking sites.
Good luck
Ali, Friendly Schools sounds like a great programe, there definately needs to be more education in schools re Cyber Bullying.
Demon, I will definately look up KeyLogger, sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.
Thanks again ladies.
We keep out computers in a family room - so we are fairly aware of what they are doing at any time. Anything they can socialise on though - I have set up the account and they have a stock standard password. If they change it they lose their computer rights.
I plan on sitting down with Angie soon and having a very frank conversation about the inherant dangers lurking on the web because she is about to get a laptop for her birthday. She will still have access to MSN and Facebook, but she cant change the passwords or add people without my approval.
On the bright side, she does understand that all this is done with her best interests in mind and not because I am part of the third reich.
i personally think the kids/teens being cyber bullied are already being bullied at school/on bus etc... its not a new thing at all, its just a bit easier to do these days.
I grew up with the pc with the net being in the lounge room/study/dads office.. i didnt get a pc with internet in my room till i got married and moved out! lol!
being savvy myself i know that teens could easily downgrade or turn off filters so i'd probably be sneaky and put a keylogger (type of spyware) on the pc just in case. Id absolutely deny the use of MSN or any other chat program/website.
i was bullied from 3rd grade, by year 12 alot matured and stopped being bullies.... now oddly i have them as facebook friends??!! looking back on it... the whole being a bully thing was a pack mentality. They all thought it was cool to look down on me and somehow it made them look good if they could poke fun at me. Very sad.
I was bullied during school, those stronger kids who think they are invincible and make the weaker kids feel awful. Don't think as we grow up bullying stops, we often find it in the workplace, even through groups of friends because one has said something that another person didnt like. I find it quiet sad we can't get over our differences and try to put our feelings to good use instead of crap bullying!
Cyber Bullying
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