Related posts:

1. Teddy Bear Ban @ Herald Sun Kimberley discussed the teddy bear ban in hospitals with reporter...
2. Children’s Television Viewing @ Sun Herald Kimberley discussed the appropriate amount of television for children with...
3. Children’s Pocket Money @ Sun Herald Kimberley discussed children’s pocket money and associated responsibilities with Caroline...

Cyberbullying refers to bullying that occurs through information and communication technology such as phone calls, text messages, emails, Internet chat rooms, instant messaging and social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Cyberbullying activities include leaving insulting or offensive messages on social networking sites, spreading rumors online, sending unwanted emails, text messages or instant messages, and much more. Cyberbullying is particularly concerning as it can happen anywhere and at any time, and so there is no safe haven from the bullying behaviour. This type of bullying can cause great distress, and have a negative impact on a child’s self esteem and self confidence.

Signs to help parents recognise cyberbullying

The secretive and hidden nature of cyberbullying can make it difficult for parents to detect when it is occurring. Some children also feel ashamed when they are a victim of bullying, or may feel afraid to tell others as they believe it may make the situation worse. For this reason, parents need to look at changes in their child’s behaviour, which could give a clue that they may be being bullied. These signs may include:

• Sudden aversion to socialising with friends
• Disinterest or avoidance of school
• Dropping out of sports or other recreational activities
• Extreme sleeping behaviour (either lots more or lots less)
• Abnormal nail biting or other minor or severe self harming behaviours
• Abnormal changes in mood and/or behaviour

Things parents can do

The powerful impact of feeling scared, powerless, helpless, ashamed and other emotions that can result from being cyber bullied, particularly when occurring over a long period, has the capacity for long-lasting effects on children.

Ways that you can protect a child from any long-lasting negative impacts of cyber bullying include:

• Take lots of time to hear, listen and understand your child’s story
• Discuss cyber bullying with the child and encourage them to tell you if they’re feeling bullied
• Be alert to any abnormal behaviour / mood changes
• Stay calm while your child is telling you his/her story, and be aware of your own reactions.
• Take complaints from the child seriously, do not brush them off
• Try to ascertain what ‘meaning’ the child takes from the bullying, for example whether they believe what the bully says about them
• Assure the child that it is not their fault.

Strategies for young people to deal with cyberbullying

• Tell someone – The most important step is for the child or young person to talk to someone they trust about what is happening. This may be a parent, friend, teacher or counsellor.
• Don’t reply to bullying messages – This may make the situation worse.  By replying, the bully gets what he or she wants. Often, if the child does not reply, the bully will get bored and leave them alone.
• Block the cyberbully – Depending on the way that the bully is communicating with the young person, it may be possible to block their messages or texts. If your child is not sure how, your phone or internet service provider can help you.
• Report the problem – Your child’s school may have policies about cyberbullying and can take action against it. Your ISP or phone provider may also be able to help. Websites like Facebook and MySpace have links where you can report abuse.
• Keep the evidence – Keeping copies of texts, emails, online conversations or voicemails as evidence can be useful if it comes to tracking the bully down.
• Change your contact details – Get a new user name for the internet, a new email account, a new mobile phone number and only give them out to your closest friends.
• Keep your username and passwords secret – Keep your personal information private so it doesn’t fall into the hands of someone who’ll misuse it.
• If messages are threatening or serious, get in touch with the police – Cyberbullying, if it’s threatening, is illegal and the police may be able to take action.

_____

Information from this article was taken from beyondblue.com.au, parentline.com.au and advice from Kimberley O’Brien Child Psychologist.

Related posts:

1. Cyberbullying Research Presented by senior researchers from the UTS Health Psychology Unit,...
2. Bullying Bullying occurs when someone or a group of people cause...
3. National Cyberbullying Forum Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist,  attended the invitation-only National...

Check Kimberly’s and other experts comments at the Practical Parenting Website

According to Kimberley praise is great but needs to be balanced and given at the right moments or you end up with children who expect everything they do to end in a positive result, which is not reality.

The Quirky Kid runs a workshop called ‘Raise on Praise’ and other great workshops for parents.

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media. View our media appearances to-date.

Related posts:

1. Cotton Wool Kids @ Practical Parenting Magazine Kimberley discussed overprotective parents with reporters at Practical Parenting Magazine....
2. Healthy Kids @ Practical Parenting Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed the ‘Golden rules...
3. Say bye to blankie @ Practical Parenting Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed attachment and comforting...

You can read the full article at  ‘practical parenting website.’

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media. View our media appearances to-date.

Related posts:

1. Cotton Wool Kids @ Practical Parenting Magazine Kimberley discussed overprotective parents with reporters at Practical Parenting Magazine....
2. Spoiling Kids @ Practical Parenting Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed ‘over-praising children’  with...
3. Good Manners @ Pratical Parenting Kimberley discussed how to facilitate children to learn good manner...

View the full article. Go to page 30

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media. View our media appearances to-date.

–

Advertisement.

Visit the New Quirky Kid Shoppe for more assistance in improving your child school experience. Below are some recommended resources

Related posts:

1. Back to School @ Daily Telegraph Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed starting the new...
2. Cotton Wool Kids @ Practical Parenting Magazine Kimberley discussed overprotective parents with reporters at Practical Parenting Magazine....
3. Children and Ipods in School @ Today Tonight Kimberley discussed the use of Ipods in the school setting...

Tips for Parents:

• Instead of trying to force your children to eat vegetables, encourage them to simply try them, individually. If your child doesn’t like a certain vegetable, try to maintain a positive attitude and do not get upset. Consistently encourage your child to try a new vegetable. Through this trial and error process, your child will likely discover some vegetables that they can, at the very least, tolerate.
• Teach your child about the nutritional value of vegetables. While your child may not like them, it is still important that children understand why they are necessary to eat. This may make them more inclined to eat vegetables in the future.
• Try to work around your child’s individual tastes. Most children do not hate ALL vegetables. Experiment with creative recipes using some of your child’s favourites.

Tricks for parents:

• Make vegetables the most easily accessible snack to your child. This may mean keeping pre-cut vegetables in the fridge or on the table. When children are hungriest, they may be inclined to eat the vegetables that they wouldn’t otherwise choose.
• Make your child familiar with vegetables by serving them in some form at every meal.
• Add additional vegetables to ready-made packaged foods. This will add some nutrients to the meal without largely changing the taste.
• Serve vegetables with salad dressing or sauce for dipping. When children can use these sauces to mask the taste of the vegetables, they may be more willing to eat them.
• Cook with vegetable based sauces whenever possible. This way, children consume a serving of vegetables without even realizing it.
• When grocery shopping, let your children choose their favorite vegetables, and get them involved in the meal preparation. When children are given input and their preferences are considered, they may be more willing to eat the meals that are prepared.

Practices to avoid:

Avoid constantly trying to hide vegetables in everyday foods. If your child notices the hidden vegetables, they may feel deceived and distrustful about future meals. Also, children need to recognize that vegetables are part of everyday foods. This way, they can identify the importance of vegetables in daily eating.

Some families may benefit from individualized consultations to work out strategies to deal with severe cases of food avoidance or associated conditions. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.

There are lot’s more fun and practical strategies about helping your children eat vegetables. Why not share some with other parents at our forums?

*Information for this article was gathered from Kimberley O’Brien, Child Psychologist, and the Raising Children Network

Related posts:

1. Childhood Independence It is often said that children seem to be growing...
2. ASD and Repetitive Behaviour Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are lifelong developmental disabilities characterised by...
3. Kids and Veggies @ The Age Kimberley discussed how to get children to eat vegetables with...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG3BCdW7eA0

When Should my Child be Able to:

• Sleep at a Friends House (7+): Sleepovers should only be encouraged if children are in a good night time routine at home. It’s also important for both sets of parents to meet and establish certain ground rules before a sleepover, so that you can be sure that your child is going to be both comfortable and safe in these new surroundings. There is often at least a six-month build up to a sleep over both for the child and the parents. While going to a birthday could be at the start of a friendship, a sleep over is often a step up from that.

• Go out Unchaperoned (14+): That first trip to the movies without Mum or Dad is now almost a rite of passage for children.  On average, children between the ages of 13 to 16 are allowed to go out to a public place, only if they are being dropped off and then picked up. After that, daytime trips to the shops or movies where they make their own way there by themselves, is often determined on the basis of whether it feels safe and reasonable for all family members.

• Get their own Mobile (16+): Parents are not encouraged to purchase a mobile phone for their child under the age of 16. It is important that children are made aware that phones are expensive, and it is recommended that they have a part time job to contribute to the cost of their mobile. This way, children are able to learn the value of money and develop a sense of responsibility.

• Have their own Email (16+): There can be a lot of pressure for parents to give in and allow their children to have their own email account. However, all the media attention that has been given to internet predators isn’t just hype. Experts recommend that children be carefully monitored on the internet up until the age of 16. A good idea is for you to have a shared family account that your children can email their friends from. That way, parents can control the situation and know exactly who their child is communicating with. Installing a ‘Net Nanny’ type device (that blocks certain websites) is also essential if your children are going to be surfing the net.

• Wear Make-up (depends on the occasion): While most parents would agree that wearing a dusting of sparkly eye shadow to a fairy-themed birthday party is perfectly acceptable, plastering on a full face of make-up is an entirely different matter. Also, while make-up may be okay for special celebrations, wearing make-up everyday shouldn’t be allowed while children are still at school.

In general:

Although children need not be given full independence, despite their clear desire at times, it is recommended that children are consulted on major issues that effect their lives. While it is ultimately the parents’ decision, asking your children to give their opinion, helps them feel that their views are valued. This often helps make children feel more comfortable in novel situations. For example, kids may feel less apprehensive about starting a new school if they help choose which school they would be attending.

Parents should become familiar with the Convention on the Rights of the Child available at:  http://www.unicef.org/crc/

If you would like some assistance in establishing independence with your child, please contact us. Some of our resources are very useful for establishing good communication with your child. You can purchase them at our online shop

__

Information for this fact sheet was sourced from Kimberley O’Brien, Child Psychologist, and the Raising Children Network

Related posts:

1. Child Independence @ Today Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG3BCdW7eA0 »...
2. Getting Children to Eat Their Veggies For most parents, getting their children to eat vegetables can...
3. ASD and Repetitive Behaviour Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are lifelong developmental disabilities characterised by...

Kimberley discussed children’s pocket money and associated responsibilities with Caroline Marcus from the Sun Herald. You can find more information about how much pocket money to give your children, and what they should be doing to earn it,  by visiting our resources page or discussing it on our forum.

The full article is available on the Sydney Morning Herald website.

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media. View our media appearances to-date here.

Related posts:

1. Sunrise, Ch 7: Pocket Money – Too Much Too Soon? Kimberley discussed the topic of children and pocket money with...
2. Children and Money Learn practical techniques for teaching your children about the value...
3. Teddy Bear Ban @ Herald Sun Kimberley discussed the teddy bear ban in hospitals with reporter...

The full article is available on the Sydney Morning Herald website.

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media. View our media appearances to-date here.

Related posts:

1. Teddy Bear Ban @ Herald Sun Kimberley discussed the teddy bear ban in hospitals with reporter...
2. Homework @ Herald Sun Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed helping children with...
3. Children’s Pocket Money @ Sun Herald Kimberley discussed children’s pocket money and associated responsibilities with Caroline...

The full interview is available on the Triple J Hack website or below.

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media.

Related posts:

1. Parent-Child Relationships @ Triple J Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed Parent-Child Relationships with...
2. Facts about Tweens @ Sydney Child Kimberley discussed the topic of Tweens with the reporter from...
3. Child Independence @ Today Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG3BCdW7eA0 »...