Refusal skills
Saying no can be hard. So can disengaging from an interaction. Programs need to give children the confidence to say no to requests that make them feel uncertain, uncomfortable, or unsafe, and to offer strategies for disengaging. Programs can help students by demonstrating these refusal strategies in online contexts and enabling time to practice approaches that feel right for them. For example, “That might be fun, but I'm not ready for that.”
Help-seeking
Programs should encourage children to talk with a trusted adult when they feel uncertain, uncomfortable, or unsafe online. Help-seeking starts with identifying the people kids can confide in. A good confidant is someone who will listen, has good judgment, and will be sympathetic to you. Some help-seeking requires disclosure to adults, or even to authorities such as teachers and police. Programs should help students challenge barriers to help-seeking, such as:
- They will think I’m to blame
- Someone will be disappointed with me
- My parents or caregivers will take away my phone