Smack Cam: Face of Sibling Bullying
Once a rite of passage, sibling bullying is now considered more harmful than schoolyard bullying. Sibling bullying is defined as consistent targeted physical and emotional abuse towards one sibling. According to experts, sibling bullying happens 5 times more than domestic violence.
Social media has intensified sibling bullying through apps such as Vine and Instagram. Videotaping 6 seconds of abuse is enough to solicit laughs and entertainment. Young people are using these apps to create instant America Most Funniest Videos. Nothing demonstrates this more than the new viral craze “smack cam”. Smack cam is where kids record 6 second videos of them slapping another youth or sibling in the face.
Parents need to step up and put an end to sibling bullying. There has to be a change in mindset that sibling bullying is not a right of passage.
1. Label it as bullying- Parents have to identify this behavior as bullying. Let your kids know that bullying will not be allowed in the house
2.Consequence the behavior-Take away the car keys, cell phones, tv, etc to send a message.
3. Get help- If con-sequencing does not work then you need to seek professional help. The perpetrator may be dealing with emotional and mental health issues that need to be addressed.
About the Author
Sedgrid Lewis Sedgrid Lewis is the founder of Spy Parent LLC. He is an internationally recognized safety expert specializing in surveillance equipment, internet monitoring software, and mobile applications for parents and child care professionals. Sedgrid has been highlighted in over 20 major publications. Sedgrid has been covered by Fox News, CBS News, NBC News, Readwrite, Gizmodo, and many more. He is a contributor to Your Teen Magazine.
