Cyberbullying: How to Talk to Your Kids

Jan. 28, 2010— -- Being the victim of a cyberbully can be traumatic and humiliating for children and teenagers. Internet harassment has even been blamed in the suicides of several teens.

Below are a few tips on how to talk to your children about cyberbullying, courtesy of the Web site of Parry Aftab, an Internet safety and privacy lawyer.

Kids may fear even more harassment by telling an adult, but parents and school officials can help the victim decide when to ignore the bullying or when the authorities should be called.

Tell children to "take five"-- walk away from the computer, do something they enjoy to get some perspective.

Although free e-mail accounts mean the bullies can simply continue the harassment, Internet-monitoring software can help track the bullying and be used as evidence for authorities.