If
you
were
to
ask
me
what
I
consider
to
be
the
most
attractive
attribute
in
a
person,
it
would
be
kindness
but
only
closely
followed
by
a
sense
of
humour.
There’s
something
about
somebody
who
can
tell
a
funny
story
that
I
just
love.
And
humour
can
be
a
great
bonding
experience
for
us
humans.
Laughing
over
a
funny
video
or
sharing
a
hilarious
story
is
pure
friendship
gold!
But
humour
can
often
be
murky
territory
online.
Kids
Love
Humour
One
of
my
favourite
things
about
being
a
mum
of
boys
is
the
jokes.
My
boys
can
make
me
laugh
till
I
cry.
And
the
jokes
and
banter
they
share
amongst
themselves
warms
my
heart.
Sometimes
it
feels
like
slapstick
comedy
other
times
its
brutal
and
direct
and
often
a
little
cheeky.
Over
the
years,
‘safe’
boundaries
have
been
developed
for
their
banter
so
that
no-one
gets
hurt.
But
it
hasn’t
always
been
perfect.
It
takes
a
certain
level
of
maturity
and
a
healthy
dose
of
empathy
to
know
where
to
draw
the
line
with
your
humour
and,
unfortunately,
not
everyone
gets
this
right.
When
Is
a
Joke
Just
a
Joke
All
friends
will
joke
around
with
each
other,
and
our
tweens
and
teens
are
no
exception.
Whether
it’s
sharing
comments
on
funny
memes
or
TikTok’s
or
leaving
witty
comments
on
each
other’s
online
posts,
online
banter
can
be
quite
the
demonstration
of
friendship
and
connection.
But
sometimes
it
is
hard
to
tell
if
someone
is
just
having
fun
or
trying
to
ridicule
or
make
fun
of
another
online.
Without
being
able
to
see
someone’s
face
and
read
their
body
language
in
person,
the
joker’s
intention
can
often
be
ambiguous.
It
may
be
laughed
off
with
a
‘just
kidding’
or
‘relax,
you’re
too
serious’.
And
so,
here
we
are
in
the
grey
area.
One
of
the
most
common
questions
I
am
asked
by
parents
is
how
to
differentiate
between
jokes
and
cyberbullying
online.
And
my
answer
is
simple.
If
you
feel
hurt
by
a
joke
or
think
others
are
laughing
at
you
(instead
of
with
you)
then
the
joke
has
gone
too
far.
Yes,
we
all
have
different
levels
of
sensitivity
but
if
you
are
offended
then
it’s
time
to
take
some
action.
Now,
if
it
continues
after
asking
for
it
to
stop
and
you
are
still
feeling
upset
then
this
is
bullying.
It
really
is
simple
–
a
joke
is
intended
to
be
humorous
without
causing
harm
whereas
bullying
is
intended
to
cause
harm
to
others.
And,
of
course
jokes
can
sometimes
go
too
far
but
in
most
cases
an
apology
and
an
explanation
can
remedy
any
hurt.
When
To
Take
A
Stand
Navigating
friendships
when
you’re
in
thick
of
being
a
teenager
can
be
really
tough
for
some
kids
particularly
those
who
aren’t
as
mature
or
worldly
as
others.
Kids
who
are
a
little
younger
or
less
experienced
with
life
may
feel
that
they
are
on
the
outskirts
of
their
social
group.
And
in
my
experience,
this
can
be
a
tough
place
to
be.
Regardless
of
how
many
times
we
tell
our
kids
that
being
popular
or
accepted
doesn’t
matter,
when
you’re
15
it
really
can.
So,
if
your
shy
15-year-old
receives
a
joking
message
from
a
kid
at
school
(who
he’d
like
to
be
friends
with)
that
upsets
him,
do
you
need
to
take
action?
Or
will
it
jeopardise
any
chance
your
child
might
have
to
be
friends
with
this
child?
I
always
like
to
give
a
person
the
benefit
of
the
doubt.
So,
my
advice
here
would
be
to
continue
to
monitor
the
situation.
If
your
child
receives
additional
messages
that
upset
him,
then
he
needs
to
ask
the
‘joker’
to
stop.
Some
kids
would
be
OK
to
manage
this
themselves
while
others
might
need
some
help.
If
they
need
help,
I
suggest
contacting
the
school
or
sporting
club
that
your
kids
have
in
common
and
asking
them
to
intervene.
Do
not
contact
the
child
directly
yourself.
Teach
Your
Kids
What
To
Do
If
They
Are
Cyberbullied
One
of
the
best
things
you
can
do
for
your
kids
is
ensure
they
know
what
to
do
if
they
are
on
the
receiving
end
of
behaviour
online
that
they
find
upsetting.
Even
if
it
doesn’t
qualify
as
cyberbullying,
having
an
action
plan
can
empower
them.
Here’s
what
I
suggest:
-
If
appropriate,
ask
the
bully
or
‘joker’
to
stop.
If
the
behaviour
continues,
then
proceed
to
next
step. -
Collect
evidence
–
take
screen
shots
of
all
communication. -
Block
the
perpetrator
–
show
your
kids
how
to
use
these
features. -
Talk
to
a
trusted
adult
–
parent,
teacher
or
family
member. -
Involve
the
school
or
sporting
club,
if
appropriate. -
If
no
luck
with
the
school,
report
the
incident
to
The
Office
of
the
eSafety
Commissioner.
They
can
work
to
have
offensive
material
and
cyberbullying
situations
addressed.
It’s
often
hard
to
know
when
to
get
involved
in
your
teens’
battles.
At
the
end
of
the
day,
our
job
is
to
help
our
kids
grow
into
independent
adults.
But
when
your
gut
tells
you
things
are
not
right
then
it’s
time
to
start
investigating.
Insomnia,
anxiety,
refusing
to
go
to
school
and
a
change
in
the
way
they
use
their
devices,
are
all
signs
they
maybe
on
the
receiving
end
of
aggressive
online
behaviour.
And
remember,
you
know
your
kids
better
than
anyone!
Till
Next
Time
Stay
Safe
Online
Alex
🙂
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