3 THINGS PARENTS CAN DO TO HELP STOP BULLYING

DO WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT John Halligan's 13 year old son had been bullied for years. In 2003, John's son took his own life. John founded Ryan's Story Presentation in his memory. It has helped get protective laws enacted. Laws like the Vermont Bully Prevention Bill and mandatory suicide-prevention education in Vermont schools. Many parents ignore the law The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. With this act, you must be at least 13 to use social media websites. Unfortunately, there are 10-yr-olds on them who are not mature enough to use them responsibly. John suggests no matter how much your kid begs, "don't give in because everybody else is." With lying about their age, it sends the message that it is ok to lie online. GET YOUR KID TO USE THIS APP Natalie Hamptom,17 says "I ate lunch alone every single day". She was referring to middle school, where she was bullied. She discovered a welcoming group of friends when she transferred to high school. There she began inviting lonely students to join her for lunch. The app Sit With Us helps students who are looking for a table find an invitation. This app is now used in seven countries. HAVE THE TALKS EARLY Lauren Coaxum,22 with her younger sister started the nonprofit Think Before You Type in 2012. She says, "Lots of parents don't understand that even really young kids encounter online negativity". She goes on to explain,"Maybe they're watching a harmless YouTube video on your phone, then they scroll down, and now they're witnessing someone being cyberbullied". Parents need to be the first to bring up the subject. Tell them it is wrong. Tell them what to do before they stumble upon it.