If you have been following the latest news reports, you may heard about the incident in Mumbai where a teen flung himself to death, not because of any stress or worry in life, but, as part of an online gaming challenge, known as the Blue Whale Death game.
As if parents don’t already have enough reasons to worry about when it comes to keeping their children safe online, the new game has suddenly caused a wave of panic among parents, teachers and mental health professionals alike.
In a bid to keep children safe, Sion hospital in Mumbai is starting up volunteer squads at various schools around the city. These teams will comprise of counsellors, teachers, parents and even students, who will specifically be trained by the hospital staff.
Some schools already have regular sessions with students that talk about online dangers and safety concerns, along with societal and peer danger issues such as drug abuse, alcohol and so on. The Blue Whale game epidemic will now be treated as a priority, along with online safety concerns and awareness.
Danger signs in your child you should watch out for
As a parent, here are some of the danger signs you should watch out for. These will warn you if your child is in any threat through an online source, or is at any risk.
- If your child spends less time sleeping and is always glued to a screen, it is a sign of addiction.
- Children who are sleep-deprived are often not able to make the right decisions. In such a situation, they may end up sharing information with strangers online, or do things encouraged by online communities or peers that can be harmful for their mental, physical or emotional health.
- If your child is always going out for sleep-overs, it could be a warning sign. Instead of refusing completely, invite the friend over to your place and monitor them regularly through the night.
- Talk to your child openly about current topics that are a threat to the children and youngsters in general. When they see you talking about it normally, it will help them feel at ease and they may start to speak to you about what they know already.
- Being irritable, upset, scared, too quiet, aloof, agitated, confused or unsocial are also danger signs.
- Set up data jammers on the phones and switch off any Wifi connection during the late evening till morning hours. This will prevent your child from logging in at night.
At present, Sion hospital is also planning to collaborate with IITians to help develop a suicide prevention app that parents can set up on their phones, and have exclusive access to the password.
In the end, all we will say is TALK TALK TALK to your kids and show them your unconditional love and support. ALWAYS AND THROUGH EVERYTHING. Moms and dads, please share your tips on how you are keeping your children safe online, so that it helps other parents as well!
Also Read Just how much hate speech are children exposed to online?
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