As I was researching Cyberbullying for my paper, I was stunned at how many people actually think there isn't a problem. I don't understand how it isn't an epidemic. Just this morning I saw on the news 2 of the girls who bullied the 12 year old in Florida are being criminally charged after one girl posted on her Facebook account that it was her that did the bullying and the girl killed herself. She finished it with "IDGAF <3". How does a 12 or 14 year old NOT care about being so mean that another girl took her own life to get away from constant mental torture???? I'm simply baffled.
    Parents are the best defense against cyberbullying and bullying in general. In my opinion, parents are to removed from their kids lives. Not all parents obviously, but I have seen time after time at my school, kids not willing to work hard and just expect things handed to them. Then when they don't get the expected outcome, they throw a raging tantrum. The real world is going to be a harsh reality if that's how they act in the job setting.
     The internet and social media do have some very positive advantages and I'm not saying that kids should be offline until they are 35 (although that's a thought for my own kids) I'm saying it's ok to have limits. I would be HORRIFIED if my child ever did anything like that. I have all passwords to all sites and the main passwords to the phone. We try and live by the Golden Rule and if a problem arises I say "how would you feel if that happened to you?" And we discuss anything they might see at school. I have a very open relationship with my children as their mother, NOT their friend. They have enough friends.