Cyber Bullying--a deadly threat to our children!

My son was an early casualty and his death an early warning to our society that we’d better pay close attention to how our children use technology. We need to study this new societal problem with a sense of urgency and great diligence. We must also be swift and deliberate in our law making and social policy development when it comes to protecting our youth from the misuse of technology against them and amongst them.
John Halligan, Ryan’s Dad (http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/); from the foreword for the book, Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age by Robin Kowalkski, Ph.D, Susan Limber, Ph.D, and Patti Agatston, Ph.D (http://www.cyberbullyhelp.com/)


Technology is a wonderful thing. The advancements just in my life time have been incredible. Think about my grandmother who was born in the late 1800’s and lived to see man walk on the moon. What will our children see? What will they do? There are so many good things in store for them.

However, as with anything, technology has its down sides. Parents, you must be diligent in keeping up with the technology our children are using. Instilling good values is paramount during this age when an immature child can send a negative message about someone they are mad at to the entire world. That immaturity does not allow him to understand the ramifications of what he has done.

She does not realize that what she has done could change the course of the other person’s life. In my day, a small rumor may have been spread about someone but it did not go very far. It stayed in a select group and could be disproved. Such is not the case nowadays.

And what if your child is the victim? How do you react? How do you help?

All I can say is that we need to go back to the Golden Rule and teach our children how to live a life in which they understand and practice right from wrong. Teach them appropriate ways to vent frustrations and handle disputes. Know what is happening in your child's life online--there should be no sites they go to that you are locked out of. You need, more than any time in history to have good communication with your kids. Laws are needed that protect us but do not intrude on individual rights.

It is not a time to step back and let someone else raise your kids! Be involved. I pray none of you ever have to go through what Mr. Halligan had to endure.