Build A Bearville protecting children against cyber bullying

October is stop cyberbullying month at the Build A Bear Workshop. Protecting young and old alike from cyberbullying is very important to Build A Bear. The Build A Bear workshop has been awarded 2009 WiredKids Best of the Web Award sponsored by WiredSafety.org and recently the company was included in the WiredSafety’s StopCyberbullying Toolkit for Schools, a free resource sponsored by industry leaders. The company has also earned the Socially
Safe Seal and Socially Safe Kids Seal from SociallySafe.org, for its Web site and virtual world. Teamed up with Wired Safety Build A Bear wants to make their website safe and secure for their users.

We all remember the days of the school house recess. Often during these fun recess bullying would take place. The same sort of bullying has found a new surface to take place. The bullying now is taking place on the Internet. Cyberbullying is the use of digital technology as a weapon by one minor to hurt another minor and can affect children as young as seven and continue into their high school years.

Perhaps you have heard of the news worthy story of the young lady who took her own life believed to be due to Internet messages received online.

There is now a campaign against cyberbullying as it has been termed. Wired Safety is leading this pack and Build A Bear Workshop has taken the challenge to create a fun bully free space on the Internet.

The website Build A Bearville is an interactive site where kids can feel safe and secure. The site is free and fun. One of the wonderful resources located on the Build A Bearville are safety tips. These are great because while young children may not always have an adult present or listen and follow directions. Perhaps when they read the safety tips on a website that they like they will read and follow directions. Because, cyber bullies often are found everywhere there is a possibility that one may be located on the website itself. Build A Bearville helps your child by giving simple instructions on what to do. The process is called Stop, Block and Roll (reminds me of the fire protection instructions that many children may know and be able to recall as stop, drop and roll). The instructions advise the child to (1) Stop talking or replying to the bully (this is often what they are looking for (2) block the person from talking to you and (3) tell an adult what is going on. Hopefully with these simple instructions cyberbullying can be halted from your child.

posted here as well on heads or tails as the theme is causes also posted on The Un Mom for random thoughts