Cyberbullying is repeated, intentional harassment that happens through digital platforms—texts, social media, gaming chats, you name it. It's not just "kids being kids online." We're talking about:

The key word here is repeated. One mean comment sucks, but it's not necessarily bullying. Bullying is a pattern designed to intimidate, humiliate, or harm.

When we were kids, bullying mostly stayed at school. You came home, and there was refuge. Not anymore. Cyberbullying follows kids into their bedrooms, onto their phones at 11 PM, into their weekends. It's:

And here's the thing that makes my blood boil: studies show that cyberbullying victims are at significantly higher risk for anxiety, depression, and self-harm. This isn't just "drama." This is a legitimate safety issue.

When your kid tells you they're being bullied online, your first instinct might be rage. You want to find this little punk and... well, we can't actually do that. So instead:

Do this:

Don't do this:

I know you want to fix it immediately. But your kid just took a huge risk telling you. Don't make them regret it.

This is where you become a detective. Before you do anything else, save evidence:

Why? Because if this escalates to involving school administration, law enforcement, or platform moderation, you'll need proof. "They were mean to my kid" doesn't cut it. "Here are 47 screenshots over three weeks showing a pattern of harassment" does.

Pro tip: Use your phone to take photos of their screen if they're worried about the bully seeing that they screenshotted. Most apps notify users about screenshots these days.

Now we act. For every platform where the bullying is happening:

Block the bully (and any associated accounts)

Report to the platform

Tighten privacy settings

Need help with this? Here's how to set up privacy controls on the major platforms.

Here's what many parents don't realize: schools have a legal obligation to address bullying that affects the school environment, even if it happens off campus. If the bullying involves classmates and is impacting your child's ability to learn safely, the school needs to know.

Schedule a meeting with:

Bring your documentation. Be specific about what you want:

Important: Some schools are amazing at this. Some are useless. If you're not getting anywhere, mention phrases like "Title IX" (if gender-based), "hostile environment," and "documented pattern." Suddenly administrators remember they have policies.

Most cyberbullying doesn't rise to criminal level. But some does. Contact police if there are:

Your local police department should have a juvenile or cyber crimes unit. Bring all your documentation. Get a case number. This creates an official record.

While you're handling the logistics, don't forget: your kid is hurting. They might be:

What helps:

Should you take away their phone or social media access? This is complicated.

Arguments for a break:

Arguments against:

Middle ground that often works:

The right answer depends on your kid, their age, and the severity. There's no one-size-fits-all here.

Yeah, we need to talk about this too. If you discover YOUR child is cyberbullying someone:

Here's more on what to do if your kid is the one doing the bullying.

The best way to stop cyberbullying is to create an environment where it's less likely to happen:

Cyberbullying is brutal, but it's not insurmountable. The fact that you're reading this means you're already doing the right thing: educating yourself and taking it seriously.

Your action plan:

And remember: this is not your kid's fault, and it's not yours either. You're doing the hard work of parenting in an era where the rules are still being written.

You've got this. And more importantly, your kid has you in their corner. That matters more than you know.