Overlooked Facts on Cyber Bullying:

Self Esteem, Self Confidence, Body

Image, and Eating Disorders
KIDGUARD EDITOR

The only thing we want as parents is the best for our children. Not knowing
what kind of risks your child is exposed to can be vexing. Statistics show that
most children dont mention when they encounter problems on the internet.
How can you watch out for them and make sure you are giving them the
support they need?

Children today have to embrace technology. However, the alarming increase

in minors experiencing and witnessing cyberbullying is fast becoming an
issue every parent needs to deal with.

You should always be on the watch out to identify any changes in your child
as so soon as they arise. Below are some of the biggest dangers that parents
dont think about.

Self-confidence and Self-esteem

In most cases, children who are bullied will lose self-confidence drastically.
Here are a few signs to watch out for:
 o Saying or expressing that they feel unwanted and unloved.

o Suddenly unable to tolerate everyday frustrations

o Pretending to be emotionally indifferent and distant to family and

friends.
Parents, remember, you have the most power in restoring your childs self -
confidence. Let them know they are loved, frequently and explicitly. If you
notice any sudden changes as mentioned above, sit them down and try to
find out what triggered the abnormal behavior.

Take note when they perform well. When you praise your child, give them
specific examples of how they have done well.

Eating Disorders

A research done with 1000 girls between 10-16 years old found that 40% of
them believed that they were not good enough. They suffered from negative
perception of their body image and were concerned about gaining weight.
Research showed that there has been a rise of eating disorders such as
anorexia and bulimia among girls between 10-15 years.

This unhealthy relationship with food stems from the attempt to get the
perfect body, one that they think they will finally be happy with thigh gaps,
flat tummies, perfect hair, tall and slender. This is not surprising when they
are surrounded by perfect people on social media, tv, movies, and other
media outlets. Worst, cyber bullies troll Facebook and Snapchat, harshly
criticizing peoples look. If you notice your teen changing their their eating
habits and not wanting to talk about it. Take action before it affects your
childs health.

Here are a few symptoms to watch out for:

o Abnormal eating habits (suddenly eating a lot in one meal, skipping

multiple meals)

o Weighing themselves frequently

 o Weight change in short amount of time

o Unusual interest in exercising and decline in health

Body Image

Weve all heard of it: Teenage girls stalking other peoples Instagrams and
then dissect everything in the mirror. Teenage boys are the same way with
seeking out the perfect athletes body and defined abs. Overexposure
through social media can take this to a new level. In extreme cases, we see
minors undergo cosmetic surgeries and even skin bleaching or lip injections.

Adolescence is a very delicate stage. As a parent, you are torn between

being protective and giving your child their space. However, their safety is
always the priority and if that means having to control their internet use, so be
it. Encourage your child to be true to themselves. Always speak positive
words to them to boost their self-confidence. Your child will need your
guidance on internet use. Teach them social media etiquette. Encourage
them to only accept friend requests from people they have met and trust.
Help them set privacy settings on their accounts.

Do all this while respecting your childs space. each them to love and accept
themselves as they are. The best counter to cyberbullying is raising children
who are confident enough to resist and speak up when bullying happens.
Create an environment that your child will thrive in and not merely survive.

About Us

KidGuard's sole mission is to protect your children online. Our team spends
every waking hour thinking about how to bring awareness and inspire
solutions on issues of cyber bullying, online predators, teen suicide, and
childhood depression in the age of technology. KidGuard employs a team
of researchers and writers to educate parents on solutions to digital
parenting problems and also runs a popular child cell phone monitoring
software to allow parents to stay involved in their child's life online.

Visit https://www.kidguard.com/cell-phone-monitoring-and-gps-tracking/ for more

signs to look out for.