Your child was exposed to aggressive language.
Recommendations (11-14 years):
1. Explain to your child that you were notified that someone made threatening comments to them or their group of gamers during a game.
2. Let them know they should tell you when this happens, so that you can help them figure out what to do about it and whether to block or report the other player.
3. Find out what was said and whether they know the other gamer. (This makes the threat more real and scarier). Help your child consider what they could say to the other gamer to try to get them to stop. If your child’s response is too aggressive or angry, that may just reward the offender who threatened them, so help them practice what they could say that would be calm and assertive, but does not provoke a negative or angry response.
4. Let them know you understand it can be upsetting and hurtful to have someone make threats against them or other gamers your child plays with. If your child seems more upset than you would expect, consider how much of your child’s social life takes place online. If the majority of their social interactions do occur online/through video games, these relationships might mean more to them than you realized. Be aware that the impact of these negative experiences can be real and emotionally taxing for your child. Keep lines of communication open by validating your child’s feelings about the incident.
Recommendations written by Kidas Experts.