Cyber Bullying: Staying Connected With Your Kids

Not Aggression, Not Timidity
But Life Skills and
  Discipline in Unbroken Spirits
Newport Judo Club
Newport Baptist Church Hall
26 Mason Street
Newport Victoria
Australia
Mob. 0408 541 015

Cyber Bullying Safety in the Electronic world

Cyber bullying is a huge problem in our society. Although my Judo website Martial Arts Judo does have a facebook account, the Newport Judo Club does not. This is because Most of the parents of my Judo students will not allow their children to be on social media because of the risk.

On the other hand all my children are grown up and they all are on social media. In fact because half of them live interstate, social media is often the best way to keep in touch. Even then I have had 2 occasions where I have had to warn them of potential risk posts that they had received and re-posted, not realizing that they were something other than what they appeared.

If I had teenagers I would be insisting that I was in their friends list

Some of you are going to applaud me, some of you are going to condemn me. Then there are those that haven't made up their minds and they have questions.

The question of cyber bullying

Questions Like:

1. Wont my teens object because of the embarrassment?
2. What about my young persons right to privacy?
3. What about supporting my teen in their becoming independent?

These are all valid questions and as I have said, I no longer have teenagers, so I am not going to try to answer these questions myself. To do so would be to open myself to the accusation of: "what would you know?"

Instead I will refer you to this article Stay Connected With Your Teen’s Electronic Worlds.

Although I don't have teenagers anymore in my household, It does not mean that I am no longer affected by the issue. As a Judo coach I teach a lot of teenagers and they have to be emotionally secure enough to be able to cope with potential cyber bullying. Parents are not the only influence on teenagers so we have to be informed and I can't see how any coach can remain neutral.

So weather you are a parent or a coach you should read the above article and the supporting ones. Even if you have already made up your mind, there are hints that may change it and help support you in your decision. This is an issue that is not going away. No parent or coach can afford to ignore it.

Enjoy
    Sensai
        Richard