The Parent’s Guidebook To Handle Dangers Of Social Media Challenges

First there was the Blue Whale Challenge, then the Momo Challenge and now a new challenge called the Bird Box Challenge (inspired from the Netflix movie Bird Box starring Sandra Bullock) is taking over the internet and influencing the impressionable minds. For parents, it adds to the burden of managing their kids’ social media usage as it presents a very clear threat to not just their emotional wellbeing but even their life. We talked to experts to find out how parents can deal with this increasing menace of social media challenges and how to monitor your child’s social media usage.

What Is The Bird Box Challenge?

While the Blue Whale Challenge required you to complete certain tasks including body mutilation and finally committing suicide, the Momo Challenge was another suicide game that concerned schools and parents worldwide. India had its own set of casualties with even 14-year olds killing themselves after taking on it. Now, the thriller movie Bird Box shows the protagonists staying blindfolded to keep themselves safe from villainous creatures so the Bird Box Challenge has people attempting to replicate this by blindfolding themselves while doing everyday tasks. While brushing your teeth blindfolded may or may not be dangerous but crossing the road this way can definitely be! And that’s what has been happening. Things got so way out of hand that Netflix had to plead the viewers not to attempt the Bird Box challenge.

Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 2, 2019

Expert Speak

HerZindagi talked to Rashi Mukhopadhyay, Assistant Professor (Child Development) at Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University about the impact of social media on children and what parents can do to handle such matters and here's what she had to share:

• It is important to have constant dialogue with kids of all ages. This becomes even more important as the kids reach adolescence. This communication should be two-way. 
• Be aware of what they are watching. Teach your kids what is real, what is staged and what may cause harm.
• Help them to manage the factor of fear. While attempting these challenges, kids are usually threatened and fear for their family’s safety and are also scared of being found out. As a parent, it is your duty to allay these fears and always be within reach of your child.

Read More: Crazy Things That Went Viral In 2018

• It is essential to create an environment of trust, have empathy (imagine yourself in your kid’s shoes) and remain genuine while setting rules sternly for your kids. You can’t flip flop on your rules and expect your children to obey you.
• If your child has fortunately managed to survive the challenge but there’s a danger of him/her suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) then get them counselled by a psychiatrist right away and be an active participant in the sessions if required. The requirement of such sessions depends on several factors such as:
• Their level of involvement in social media challenges or dangerous games
• Parent -child relationship 
• Age of child 
• There should be no blame game, rather kids should be assured of how lucky they have been to survive the ordeal and that they will always have their parents’ support.

Want to know how to make your kids smarter? Or celeb tips on how to be a supermom? Then keep reading HerZindagi for the best parenting tips.