Bullying is a clear and present danger that can have a serious impact on your child and sadly it is something that has evolved from the playground to an online environment.
You will undoubtedly want to do all you can to protect your child from being exposed to bullying and spot the signs that there could be a problem.
Here is a look at how to use tech to tackle cyber-bullying with an app that monitors social media activity, a way to act as a watchdog on your child’s phone, plus an anti-bullying app that is proving popular with schools and students.
Social media monitoring
One of the major issues that you face as a parent is being able to keep tabs on what your child is doing online and who they are talking to.
You want to give them their freedom to make friends and enjoy social interaction with others but you don’t want them exposed to any bullying comments or behavior. A way to monitor their posts and highlight any potential issues would be to use an app such as GoGoStat.
The aim of the app is to highlight any inappropriate comments or drug references made in posts and to get a warning when they post a photo or profile details that should remain private.
You can print out emergency reports if you find something untoward and need to take further action to protect your child from cyberbullying or have to take steps to get official help with a bullying problem.
Work with your kids to create a safe contact list
As well as monitoring your child’s activity on social media sites they are also potentially vulnerable to bullying directly through their smartphone.
If you download an app like My Mobile Watchdog you will be able to get alerts on your own mobile phone whenever your child receives any text message, photo or video that could be viewed as questionable or definitely inappropriate.
You can work with your child to create a master list of trusted contacts on their phone, but the aim of the app is to give parents the control over what happens with unauthorized numbers and content on their phone.
Another good option would be this call recorder app, which automatically records their telephone calls and gives you a chance to play back any conversation that needs further action.
Put an end to bullying before it takes hold
One of the fundamental ways to successfully tackle bullying is to act swiftly and also to provide a suitable deterrent in the first place.
If you make it difficult for someone to get away with bullying they are going to think twice about targeting your child, which is where an anti-bullying app like K12 Alerts comes into its own.
This app has already become part of anti-bullying measures in a number of schools and a key feature is the ability to generate anonymous alerts. Many children end up being subjected to further bullying because they are worried about reporting an incident for fear of reprisals.
A two-way confidential text message between school officials and the student acts as an early-warning system and your child has the option of anonymity if they are concerned about revealing their identity.
Bullying is unacceptable whichever way you look at it and at least you have some tech solutions available to help you try and fulfill your parental duties and protect your child from this problem.
Charlie Pearce is a stay-at-home Dad who is wearing the traditional Mommy hat as he cooks, cleans, and cares for the kids whilst his wife works.
