Do you worry about what your kids are doing online? Even though my children are young I can’t help but worry at times what they are going to be exposed to as soon as they start dipping into the online social world. Today’s post is special because it is something that I feel really passionate about. Being a mom I feel like I realize more then ever before that our voice matters and what values we instil in our kids will shape the people they become. Last week I had the pleasure of attending WE Day in Halifax and let me just say, it was so inspiring and the emotion and energy in that arena was just a phenomenal thing to be apart of.
For those of you that may not know, WE Day is an event where change and positivity is encouraged and celebrated. Youth earn a ticket to go through a good deed of helping others and making a difference within their communities and beyond. The goal is to support positive social change and reward and empower youth to become leaders both locally and globally. It also doesn’t hurt that it has incredible musical talent performing and inspiring speakers sharing their stories with the audience. I attended the event with Teluswho has been a sponsor of WE Day for the past 6 years and this year I was there supporting their #RiseAbove cyberbullying campaign and the goal to help bring awareness to this ongoing issue.
As someone who works online cyberbullying is not something that affects only youth. Being kind to one another and standing up for what we believe in is so important in this social media age we live in. Hurtful words are said behind screens and as a mom to two little boys that are growing up in a tech focused world, I strive to raise kind humans that will treat everyone with respect both in person and online. Telus Wise has some great tips for helping youth and parents with cyberbullying and ways to hopefully prevent it and also what to be aware of:
Cyberbullying intervention tips for youth:
- If you see someone bullied, comfort them privately and offer to help.
- Tell an adult, parent, or friend who can help you handle the situation.
- Save the evidence so you can show a trusted adult or report it.
Cyberbullying intervention tips for parents:
- Learn online slang and acronyms to understand what your kids are really saying on social media or in text conversations.
- Recognize the personal nature of the online world.
- Have open conversations and make it known that you’re there for support.
- Remember that the law applies. Stay accountable, and keep accounts.
I am such an advocate for spreading online kindness and I think this is an amazing campaign with a wonderful and super important message. Click the following links if you want more information about WE Day or the Telus Rise Above campaign.
Kind thoughts,
Lauren Elizabeth
This post is sponsored by Telus. Thank you for supporting this blog and the brands that I choose to work with.