Have your kids ever come home from school to tell you about a stunt another kid pulled on a dare? Or maybe you remember doing something yourself which didn’t end too well. I once drank a mini bottle of hot sauce on a dare. I still regret that decision almost twenty years later! While these dares are often harmless games (like chugging hot sauce), sometimes they aren’t. These online trends can be dangerous. From bullying to bodily harm to theft, there’s a lot to be wary of. Let’s take a look at some of the current trends and how to keep your kids safe and still have fun!
Fun and Games
Why might kids take part in these online challenges? Kids intuitively love to play. Not only is it important for kids (and adults) to have fun as a stress relief, but it also helps cognitively. While we might find out about new games or stress relieving activities from our phones, not all apps are created with your kid’s health and hobbies in mind. Keep your kids safe at their potential first point of contact with these trends and make sure you’re working with your child to ensure technology is used as a tool, not becoming a tyrant. Troomi’s KidSmart Apps provide entertainment that is safe, fun, and some even help your kids learn new skills. There are no addictive apps or games and no social media so your kids can develop a healthy relationship with technology.
Trends To Be Aware Of
A few years ago, I remember my friend’s younger brother posting a video online of himself doing the cinnamon challenge. This meant he took a big spoonful of ground cinnamon and swallowed it. While lots of kids his age were doing it, that didn’t make it safe. Doctors started reporting the number of cases they were seeing of kids coming in with breathing problems due to inhaling the cinnamon into their lungs. What first seemed like a harmless challenge proved to be more serious, and it wouldn’t be the last case of dangerous eating trends.
Unfortunately, a new fad emerged which many of you probably have heard about already. Maybe your coworker mentioned the Tide Pods challenge and you immediately asked Siri, “what is the deal with Tide Pods?” She answered, “the Tide Pod challenge is swallowing or consuming Tide detergent Pods.” Then you probably asked yourself why are people eating Tide Pods? We asked ourselves the same question. According to Forbes, the challenge became popular among kids and teens looking to get subscribers to their YouTube channels. It’s possible the idea originated from a satire piece by the Onion about a toddler wanting to eat them. Like with the cinnamon challenge, this spread around but without any of the safety warnings attached. Tide Pods, and all laundry detergents, are poisonous for consumption. If you think anyone in your family has consumed Tide Pods (or even tried) make sure to contact poison control.
Cross Words
Today, hot topics are leading into new trends. Kids pick up on what the adults around them say, and this can turn into divisive slang trends at school. It’s important to keep up with not just what is trending on YouTube or TikTok videos but culturally as well to help our kids learn to be safe and kind.
Why are people eating tide pods (especially kids)?
These types of trends can be concerning as parents and communities. They raise a lot of questions. Talking with your kids and having open communication between you will always help keep your kids safe. This will also help your kids have a healthy self-confidence that will help them make better choices not influenced by their peers. Why our kids and teens make dangerous decisions usually comes down to peer pressure and a desire for some notoriety. Here’s how you can help grow some confidence within your kiddos:
- Let them complete a task on their own, such as loading the dishwasher. Try not to hover and be ok with them not doing it your way.
- Make room for self-expression by letting your kids dress themselves (if younger) or decorate their room the way they want.
- Model confidence in yourself. And if you have to, fake it till you make it!
- Let them fail and let them see you fail.
- Point out their accomplishments more often than correcting them or sandwich a correction between two compliments.
Next time your kids come home with a thrilling tale about the kid who dared to jump off the swing set today, remember to talk with them about the importance of not following the crowd when they don’t want to, are in a dangerous situation, or have a chance to be kind instead.
We’ll see you back here on the blog for more tips on how to keep your family safe and empowered with Troomi!