BeamLight Foundation Coaching/Mentoring Class for preteens and teens held on 6th April 2024 focused solely on two key areas:
(i) X-raying Cyberbullying and,
(ii) Dealing with Mindlessness in Teens.
Cyberbullying involves the act of using technology such as the internet to harass, intimidate, embarass, or demean others. It is a pervasive issue among teenagers. Examples include spreading rumours, sending threatening messages, or sharing embarrassing photos or videos without consent, flaming or roasting, trolling, cyber stalking. A person who bullies via cyberspace is called a cyberbully while the one being bullied is a cyber victim.
Cyberbullying occurs across various digital platforms, including social media, messaging apps, online forums, and gaming platforms. Different platforms may exhibit distinct patterns of cyberbullying behaviour due to differences in user demographics, features, and anonymity levels. People cyberbully others as a result of loneliness or isolation, boredom, result of conflicts or breakups, victims of bullying, mental health issues, peer pressure, social hierarchies, anonymity online, a lack of empathy or digital literacy skills, et cetera. Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying incidents often follow predictable patterns or cycles, including initiation, escalation, and dissemination of harmful content, followed by potential retaliation or further harassment. Understanding these cycles can inform intervention strategies to disrupt the cycle and support victims effectively.
Cyberbullying can have profound emotional and psychological effects on victims, including increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, feelings of isolation, difficulties in concentrating at school, disruptions in sleep patterns, and a loss of self-esteem and confidence.
To prevent cyberbullying:
1. Never post personal information;
2. Don’t respond to an angry message with anger;
3. Never open messages from strangers;
4. Beware of certain topics;
5. Think twice before posting or sharing anything on digital platforms;
6. Don’t cyberbully others;
7. Set up privacy controls on your social networks;
8. Cultivate the culture of unplugging from social media;
9. Raise awareness about responsible digital citizenship, online etiquette, and the importance of treating others with kindness and respect online;
10. Promote empathy, tolerance, and inclusivity in online interactions.
Furthermore, participants were made to realised the importance of dealing with mindlessness. Mindlessness is acting without full attention. It is an act of doing things without thinking them through in a careful way. Performing a task with less concentration and awareness is a form of mindlessness. A mindless teen is one without conscious awareness of what he or she is doing, thinking, or feeling. Most teenagers experience mindlessness mainly because they are absorbed in their own thoughts, worries etc. Other potential causes of mindlessness in teenagers are: lack of attention, distractions, tiredness or fatigue, certain habits or behaviour, stress and sleepiness.
Some of the consequences of constant mindlessness include: loss of opportunity, communication breakdown, trouble prioritising, mistakes, poor academic performance, strained relationship with friends, family members et cetera.
The following are tips on how to be mindful:
1. Do one task at a time;
2. Train your mind to focus on one thing at a time;
3. Focus on the moment;
4. Listen and make eye contact with people when they talk to you;
5. Turn off your phone/electronics during study time;
6. Get plenty of sleep;
7. Get involved in discussion;
8. Eliminate distractions;
9. Study in a quiet place for maximum concentration.
Thanks to all who made this coaching/mentoring class worthwhile. All thanks to God for sustaining the vision of BeamLight Foundation (BLF) in keeping young people focused. Please see below some pictures from the class.
#joyobehi, #beamlightfoundation, #pfconsultd, #helpmissionary, #hopedealer, #teens, #preteens
