WOMANSDAYMAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2019 79
FAMILY WELLNESS/ Health
W
hat would
my kid do for
the chance
to go viral?
That’s what
many parents are asking now after
hearing about challenge videos
sweeping the Internet. Some are
benign: Flip a bottle so that it lands
upright. Some are gross: Eat a
couple of bananas with lemon-
lime soda for a, ahem, vomitous
explosion. And others are
downright dangerous: Blindfold
yourself and cross the street; ingest
a detergent pod; light yourself on
fire. (Yes, these are real.)
All involve recording the
stunt and sharing the video with
peers for a reaction. Teens and
late preteens may be the most
likely to join in, but w ith access to
smartphones and tablets, younger
kids are v ulnerable too, says Free
N. Hess, D.O., emergency medicine
pediatrician and founder of
PediMom.com. Here’s how to help
your kids make smart choices:Keep Kids Safe on
Social Media
Risky dares spread like wildfire online as kids join in to rack up
likes, comments, and followers. Empower your teen to take a pass.
BY JESSICA MIGALACouncil on Communications and
Media. For instance, with the Kylie
Jenner lip challenge—involving
sucking in a shot glass or bottle to
create a vacuum to plump lips—
the worst outcome may be scarring
and long-term damage to lips, but
the likely one is pain, swelling, and
bruising. Is even the less awful result
worth it for an Instagram post?GI V E HER
A NEW OUTLET
Part of being a teen is doing activities
that deliver an adrenaline rush. “Find
things that appeal to this desire, like
zip lining, rock climbing, or roller
coasters,” says Dr. Hess. And say yes
to safe stunts, like the Mannequin
Challenge, or charity-driven ones
like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.EX PLA IN
HER BRAIN
While these challenges (legitimately)
may seem nuts to you, your child’s
mind doesn’t work like yours. An
adolescent’s brain is still maturing,
says Dr. Hess, and areas that control
decision-making and self-regulation
are still in development. Explain
how this may make her do risky
things, but point out that you
understand she may feel excluded
and that it’s tough to make the
right decisions.ASK YOUR CHILD
TO PREDICT
Have him work out both the worst-
case scenario and the likely (but
still unpleasant) outcome, suggests
the American Academy of PediatricsJUST TALK
“Nothing you say has to be perfect,”
says Dr. Hess. More important is that
you bring it up in the first place.
Your kid will roll his eyes and maybe
even actively ignore you, but
that’s fine. He is listening, though
it may take several (one-sided)
conversations before you break
through. “Say, ‘Hey, I know you think
I don’t know what’s going on, and
you’re right—I don’t. Tell me aboutIN that challenge,’” suggests Dr. Hess.
TI^
ST
.^ C
LA
IR
/G
ET
TY
IM
AG
ES
.