Did you know that the prospect of their child becoming a victim of bullying is now the top fear among Australian parents?
Six-in-ten parents nominate bullying as their biggest concern, ahead of their children becoming a victim of crime (46 percent) or performing poorly at school (44 percent).
Make no mistake – online bullying is part of this. It’s far more of a worry than young people taking drugs which scored relatively lowly at just 37 percent or underage drinking (33 percent).
I do have to ask the question whether parents are underestimating the power and reach of cyber-bullying. It’s far more intrusive and relentless than playground harassment and has the potential to do lasting damage to a young person’s psyche.”
One of the important things for parents to remember too is that not only should they be keeping an eye on their kids on the computer to protect them from cyber-bullying but also to intervene when they discover their child is being the bully. Technology these days makes it too easy for us to create anonymous identities via the internet or mobile phones.
That’s a very valid comment, Alicia.