Cyberbullying: It's time to start talking to our kids

With children as young as eight years old going o­nline, it is essential for parents to discuss cyberbullying with their kids to determine if they are - or ever have been - victims. An open and honest discussion must set the groundwork for rules and what is appropriate to say and do o­nline, just as parents do in the real, offline world. Responsible Internet service providers such as AOL Canada promote o­nline safety with initiatives such as o­nline Safety Week to educate kids, parents and teachers about the need for o­nline safety education. Parents should keep the following tips in mind to address cyberbullying.

1. Encourage your child to guard their contact information. They should not give people they don't know their cell phone number, instant messaging name or e-mail address.

2. Encourage your child to not respond to a cyberbully's message - it's a natural response to want to defend yourself, but don't engage in exchanging messages.

3. If your child is receiving harassing messages through Instant Messaging, have them tell a parent or an adult right away. In addition, help them make use of the "block" feature available through most IM programs to block cyberbullies from reaching your child.

4. Consider encouraging your child to use a kid-friendly service such as KOL (www.aolforkids.ca) which runs o­n top of any Internet connection providing a fun, interactive interface while keeping kids protected from people they don't know.

5. Use an ISP that has a parental control function, such as AOL Guardian, which can help monitor your child's o­nline activity and determine if your child is a victim of cyberbullying.

6. Talk to your child's teachers to find out what the school's policy is o­n cyberbullying. Let them know if your child has been a victim of cyberbullying.