In the past week, your child played in a game where insulting comments were made by both your child and other gamers they were playing with. Here are some recommendations on how to respond to insults without the use of flaming.
Flaming:
1. Let your child know that ProtectMe by Kidas reported that there was trash-talking in the game.
2. Ask whether they experienced or used aggression. Find out what was said and whether they were upset by it.
3. Explain to them that you understand that gamers use insults as part of the game but if you got the alert it is because the insults were aggressive.
4. You can elaborate on some of the reasons kids might engage in trash talking:
5. They may not be thinking about the impact of their words on others.
6. They may put others down in order to feel better about themselves.
7. They may be getting worked up and overly stressed by the game, which can lead to bad choices!
8. Talk with your child about the fine line between mean trash talk and playful comments. “You are such an idiot!” is an insult “That was a bad move” could be playful. Consider role playing with your child demonstrating appropriate language while you make a strong point about your expectations.
9. Remind them the purpose of the game is to have fun with their friends and to learn new skills. Remind them that they should focus on winning and finding the best strategy instead of putting down other gamers.