Let’s All Live By The Golden Rule

If we paid more attention to the people in our lives, how many suicides or over doses do you think we could prevent? Sadly after the event has occurred and the families start a forensic psychiatric investigation, they always find the clues. Cell phone records and computer files are usually very helpful in creating a timeline of a downward spiral. Instead of constantly checking our own emails and text messages, maybe we should monitor our children’s more closely.

In Massachusetts there was a landmark case when six teenagers cyber bullied a beautiful young girl, Phoebe Prince. Phoebe started dating the ex-boyfriend of a malicious young woman who organized a group of classmates to torment her for several months. The outcome was that Phoebe ended up hanging herself. The cyber bullies were tried in court and found guilty. So many lives ruined for nothing. I am hoping to connect with Phoebe’s mother this month for an interview to discuss what we can do in our schools to prevent tragedies like this.

1. Don’t post anything on the web that is detrimental to ones character or their appearance.
2. Understand that you are legally responsible for all content you put on the Internet.
3. Monitor incoming and outgoing communications on all social networks that your children have a presence on. You may identify someone else being abusive to others.
4. Encourage your children to report anyone to you that is posting negative comments about others. It is your responsibility to do something about it.