Spotting early signs of school bullying
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- We are just over one month into the new school year, and bullying is a big concern for many parents.
Do you have a good idea of what your child is doing on social media? What is being said to them? What are they saying to and about others?
They've been in school long enough now for the bullying to have started and KDKA's John Shumway is here with some words of caution.
Bullying can be destructive to your child and only gets worse if left unchecked.
School days can be the best of times. Friends for life are made, memories are cast for a lifetime -- but there can be a dark side, especially from middle school and up.
A generation ago, the discomfort would end with the school day, but now it just moves online when the buses head home.
When the taunting and bullying turns online, that's when the impact is turned outwardly.
Experts say often, the children will internalize the attacks.
"Then that's where it can get pretty bad so you can get depressed and kids will get suicidal or maybe they'll or they'll damage themselves in some way," said David A Morris, Licensed Counselor and Social Worker with the Cognitive Dynamic Therapy Associates.
"if you see isolation happening that is outside the norm, I think you need to start asking questions," Morris added.
Morris says that's the key -- asking questions and opening a line of communication with your child. He says to watch their facial expressions while they're online, also.
Morris says there needs to be transparency between adult and child, and that the adult's access to the phone should not be negotiable.
"Most of the parents I talk to I tell them if You don't have access to the phone and you should probably remove the phone until you get access," Morris said.
Morris says you should work with your child and tell them you just want to be able to spot check.
"I'm looking for swear words. I'm looking for nasty things. I'm looking for bad pictures. I'm not going to go through every little comment that you make," Morris said.
Morris says to teach the kids to screenshot anything questionable so that it can be on the record. At this point, as the parent, you decide if it should be turned into the school or to the student's guidance counselor -- or even if they should go across the aisle to another parent.
If you detect something is wrong, be direct and ask the kids. The ultimate goal is to help them deal with the difficulty.
