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.
Diane, that's awful for your ds - how is he holding up? Must have been a huge shock for the school community.
Like Inertia we have internet access in family areas only. Email accounts are not private in this house and the kids know I check them from time to time.
Even so, my 11 yo sent some questionable emails to a friend last month, just *****ing about another friend. I sat her down and talked to her about how that might be misconstrued - what if the friend who got the emails passed them around to others and the girl found out? What if it came out that the things dd was saying were a misunderstanding, and she was accused of spreading rumours? Did she understand that that kind of thing could lose her the internet at school and at home? When I reminded her about the documentary we watched recently about a young man who committed suicide following cyberbullying, she was horrified and upset to realise that what she was doing was on the same spectrum, albeit much less directly harmful.
She lost her internet privileges for a while and had to explain to me today exactly what the issues were before having them returned.
Because cyberbullying has been a problem at her school, the teachers have also talked to the kids and handed around pamphlets explaining how to stay safe, and also how to respect others on the net.
I think like with most things adolescent, starting the conversations early and keeping them going, and setting consistent boundaries are the key.
Registered User
).
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks