How to Talk to Teens About Cyberbullying | Child Mind Institute

New research from a Pew study finds that nearly half of teens have been bullied online.

Dr. Howard shares her recommendations noting that when a child first joins social media (many times around age 13) that the parent should install parental monitoring software and tell their kids that they are doing this to establish good practices. It’s important to monitor because you want to know that children are behaving appropriately and that the parent can intervene if something happens. Dr. Howard also reminds parents that social media is here to stay so cutting kids off from it will not help them socially. She closes the segment by discussing what to do if your child is the bully and emphasizes that this can be a teaching opportunity to let the child know what’s expected, and that kindness always matters, even online.

Dr. Jamie Howard, senior clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, was interviewed live on CBS Mornings today to provide guidance to parents on tackling cyberbullying.