The Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network (VHAN) supports its patients’ physical, mental and emotional health needs by providing helpful resources for patients, families and caregivers. Last fall, the network received positive feedback about an October 2020 behavioral health webinar for parents and garnered ideas for future learning opportunities.
One of the most requested health and wellness topics concerned the growing threat of cyberbullying and ensuring children’s safety on the internet. Whether they’re using social media, attending school online, or playing on gaming websites, children and teens are using phones and computers now more than ever before. Many parents and guardians are having to learn how to protect their children from the significant emotional and psychological distress caused by online bullying and harassment.
VHAN is supporting families by hosting an internet safety webinar on Feb. 11 at 12 p.m. CST. Danielle McDonough, LMSW, VHAN Pediatric Behavioral Health partner, will offer tips for how parents should talk with their children about cyber safety and share resources that parents can use to support healthy internet use. She will help parents and families learn:
- Internet safety risks, including cyberbullying, predatory grooming and sexting
- How cyber safety risks can impact children and adolescents’ mental health
- Rules to follow and tools to support parents
- How to engage your child in cyber safety discussions
- When and where to report inappropriate content and concerns
It’s never too early in a child’s life to discuss internet safety and cyberbullying. In fact, one-third of children ages 2-4 access the internet using a computer and have used mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
The webinar is open to everyone. Share this registration link with family, friends and anyone who would benefit from learning more about the topic.
