Making Pink Shirt Day matter all year long

Every February, millions of people wear pink shirts to stand against bullying. Pink Shirt Day has become a powerful symbol of solidarity and kindness, but what happens on the other 364 days of the year? For families navigating an increasingly digital world, transforming this single day of awareness into ongoing conversations about cyberbullying, witness intervention, and online community building is more important than ever.

From hallways to screens

While Pink Shirt Day originated as a response to in-person bullying at a Nova Scotia high school in 2007, today's bullying landscape has expanded far beyond school hallways. Cyberbullying follows young people home, into their bedrooms, and into their pockets through smartphones and social media. Unlike traditional bullying, online harassment can be relentless, anonymous, and visible to unlimited audiences.

The statistics are sobering. Research shows that a significant percentage of young people experience some form of cyberbullying, whether through mean comments, exclusion from online groups, spreading rumours, or sharing embarrassing photos without consent. The digital nature of these attacks means they can happen 24/7, leaving victims feeling like there's no escape.

This is why Pink Shirt Day can't just be about wearing a coloured shirt once a year. It needs to spark ongoing family discussions about digital citizenship, empathy, and action.

Starting the conversation at home

Many parents feel uncertain about how to discuss cyberbullying with their kids. The key is making it a regular, natural part of family dialogue rather than a single awkward talk.

Create regular check-ins: ask open-ended questions about your kids' online experiences: "What was the most interesting thing you saw online today?" or "Have you noticed anyone being mean to others in your group chats?" These casual conversations build trust and make it easier for kids to share concerns.

Share your own experiences: talk about times you've witnessed negativity online or felt uncomfortable with digital interactions. This normalizes the conversation and shows that navigating online spaces can be challenging for everyone.

Discuss real scenarios together: when you see news stories about cyberbullying or encounter situations in shows or movies, use them as teaching moments. Ask your kids what they would do in similar situations and discuss different approaches together.

Empowering witnesses to become allies

One of the most powerful lessons from Pink Shirt Day is that witnesses have the power to change outcomes. In cyberbullying situations, bystanders who choose to intervene can make an enormous difference.

Teach youth, if they witness cyberbullying to:

Lend a hand. Privately reach out to the target and offer support. A simple "I saw what happened and it wasn't okay" or "Are you alright?" can provide crucial emotional support when someone is being targeted.

Take a stand. Report the problematic content or individual being mean to the platform or a trusted adult. If you're friends with the person being mean, take the conversation offline and tell them to cut it out. Sometimes peer accountability is the most effective intervention.

Act with tact. There are several subtle ways to defuse a cyberbullying situation:

• Change the subject and distract the person being mean by asking what people are doing after school or sharing a funny meme.
• Give the target an excuse to get out of the situation by asking them to help with your homework or go for a walk with you.
• Remind the people involved that fighting back could make things worse and escalate the situation.

Walk the talk. Your everyday choices matter:

• Avoid being an accomplice to bullying behaviour.
• Don't like or share hurtful posts online, even if everyone else is doing it.
• Be mindful of how what you say and do online can impact others' feelings.

Leverage the TELUS Wise impact tool, created in partnership with MediaSmarts to role-play scenarios with your kids. Practice what they might say or do, making intervention feel more natural and less intimidating.

Building positive online communities

Prevention is just as important as intervention. Families can work together to create and participate in supportive online spaces.

Model positive digital behaviour: kids learn by watching. Demonstrate kindness, thoughtful commenting, and respectful disagreement in your own online interactions.

Establish family digital agreements: create guidelines together about acceptable online behaviour, privacy settings, and consequences for cyberbullying others. When kids help create these rules, they're more likely to follow them.

Celebrate online kindness: notice and praise when your kids or their friends demonstrate empathy, stand up for others, or contribute positively to online communities. Positive reinforcement encourages more of the same behaviour.

Encourage diverse online connections: help kids find and participate in online communities built around their interests, where positive engagement and shared passions create naturally supportive environments.

Making it last

Pink Shirt Day reminds us that standing against cyberbullying requires collective action. But lasting change happens in the daily choices we make, the conversations we have, and the values we model.

This Pink Shirt Day, commit to more than wearing pink. Commit to regular family discussions about online experiences. Commit to teaching your kids that they have the power to make digital spaces kinder. Commit to being the kind of online community member you want your children to become.

Every day is an opportunity to stand up, speak out, and create the supportive online world our kids deserve. To learn more about recognizing and preventing cyberbullying take this interactive quiz and make it a family affair.