Parents’ Number One Health Concern is Cyberbullying and Microsoft Wants to Help

One of the most widespread issues among teens is cyberbullying. Actually, I’ve seen attacks on babies, little kids and even adults. Unfortunately this sort of harassment has gotten out of control and parents nationwide are hoping to intervene and help find solutions that can stop the madness.

According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, more than one in three teens have been cyberbullied. And of course, we’ve seen its effects on kids from those not wanting to return to school to those who have taken their own lives.

October marks the month for cyber safety and bullying prevention, also known as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and National Bullying Prevention Month. The goal of National Bully Prevention Month is to remind parents, school staff and other adults that we too have a role to play in prevention. By educating our kids on bullying, keeping the lines of communication open, encouraging kids to do what they love and model how to treat others, we can help to reduce the amount of attacks on kids in our community.

Not sure what Cyberbullying is or looks like? It’s okay if you don’t, we’re all learning. I really like this helpful Decision Tree created by Microsoft.

In recognition of National Bullying Prevention Month, Microsoft Stores will offer parents, educators and teens free in-store workshops and online tools to identify and address cyberbullying. Preventing and Combating Cyberbullying” workshops, that help provide guidance and solutions to identify the various forms of cyberbullying while emphasizing actionable advice in a safe and understanding environment, at all Microsoft Stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The one-hour workshops, which run through to the end of October, are designed for parents, educators and students ages 13 and up (all ages welcome).

The workshops were inspired by 11-year-old Nasir Andrews, who courageously detailed her experiences of being bullied at school, in a powerful, now-viral video before starting her own anti-bullying campaign, #BackDownBully.

Register for workshops online or in person at your local Microsoft Store. For more information about the workshops and resources, visit the Microsoft Store events page and Microsoft Store GIPHY page.