Viral Internet Challenges Parents should Warn Kids about

In this age of Twitter,Instagram and Facebook , you never know when a trend becomes a challenge and eventually sweeps the whole globe. Take for instance the Kiki challenge, where the driver gets out of the moving car and breaks into dance. Though on the face of it , it looks fun but there are also reports of various incidents where people ended up hurting themselves . Before it becomes dangerous for your kids, it’s always prudent to know which viral internet challenges are doing rounds these days so you can warn the kids at the right time.

1. Dragon breath challenge : This new fad is catching up fast on Internet these days. The challenge is to make a video of the cold smoke which blows out of your mouth and nose simultaneously. The challenge is accomplished by dipping meringue kiss candy in liquid nitrogen and immediately putting it in the mouth enabling you to smoke like a dragon.

Though the foggy appearance looks exciting, but according to an expert ‘Liquid nitrogen rapidly cools whatever it comes in contact with and is used in medical practice to destroy tissues. When it directly comes in contact with tissues or is consumed in the liquid state, it can cause damage’

Or to describe in simple terms, can cause swelling in your mouth or injure the internal organs,if swallowed accidentally.

Definitely , not a cool challenge and requires you to keep your kids away from this dessert.

2. Zoom challenge: It’s another quirky challenge based on the song Mickey by Lil Yachty. Here sitting on the floor , people film themselves listening to the song , the lyrics of which are“Trappin’ out the back streets, runnin’ through the packs like a track meet–ZOOM!” The moment it says zoom , the person who is listening to the song is pulled out of the frame through legs by someone (who is off-camera). In the process though, the person can get seriously injured by hurting the head (in some videos you can actually hear the hard-hitting sound of the head).

According to the experts “Smaller bodies, and even unprepared larger ones can be grabbed and moved too quickly, increasing the risk of neck injuries, whiplash, and concussion.” Some people are crazy enough to film this challenge using their babies and even pets.

Its better to stay away from this viral craze which people now are terming as “child abuse” ( in case its filmed on a child).

3. Barbie feet: Scroll through your Instagram feed and you will  find that this one is fast gaining popularity on this social media, where one pose for picture standing tall on toes only, just like Barbie doll.

The fashion blog Who What Wear even offers up advice on how to “master” the pose:

“Act like you’re wearing an invisible pair of high heels, even though there’s nothing but air under your arches. From the front, it can be hard to tell you’re doing anything at all, but from the side, you can see that you’re balanced solely on the ball of your foot.”

But what one fails to see is that a Barbie doll is made out of plastic and have this “manufacturing defect” where its feet are moulded in pointed position. So this trend is  pretty ridiculous and our girls need to be educated that they should feel comfortable in their own skin and need not imitate anyone.

4. Hot water challenge: I won’t call it a challenge ; I would call it a crime ; because how can throwing boiling water at your friend fits as a challenge? In this challenge you have to  pour boiling water or drink it through a straw and film it. According to a report a 15-year-old kid from Indianapolis named Kyland Clark got second-degree burns all over his face, neck, and chest when a friend dumped hot water on him while he was asleep.

Why people take challenges

There could be only two plausible reasons to follow these viral challenges,as mentioned above. First,to seek attention by showing-off; wherein even if one gets a minute of fame (by getting likes and views), he/she doesn’t want to lose it. Secondly, to feel the need to belong to a community,least one isn’t sidelined. This is true, especially among the teenagers and young adults where they imitate their other friends who are a part of challenge.

What can Parents do?

For starters , Parents need to keep a tab on the online sites which kids are accessing, least they fall into the trap of these challenges .They can  also calmly explain the repercussions of such dangerous challenges to their kids. And if you find your child playing any challenge,immediately stop him/her and if required, consult a child psychologist.