Swearing trend exposes children on the internet – 02/19/2024 – Equilíbrio

Recording young children’s reactions on any subject and knowing how much information they hide from the adult world is undoubtedly a temptation for parents and caregivers. However, the “swearing trend”, in which parents “free” their children to record alone in front of the mirror the “ugly words” they know is not a healthy pedagogical or emotional resource.

Posting videos on the internet makes the situation worse, as it exposes children to public judgment. According to experts interviewed by Sheetthe clicks and views generated on these posts are not worth the damage they can cause.

Child psychologist Patrícia Leila dos Santos, professor at USP (University of São Paulo), reinforces that in a training process, little ones still do not have the cognitive or emotional skills to define that the unexpected and momentary situation proposed by their parents is in fact a joke. .

“We have been working a lot on issues of non-violent communication relationships, respect for people, and then you see a situation in which parents encourage children to behave outside of what we socially expect them to have. This already creates confusion in their heads “, says the professor and researcher.

Santos remembers that this content will also reach other children and teenagers, and that often even adults have difficulty dealing with some issues generated by the networks.

Authorization to record a video swearing, therefore, can pave the way for something that harms social, emotional development and relationships with others. “In terms of family education, of parent educators, what [essa proposta] Are you teaching this child? What rule is this that suddenly, when you’re alone, you can pick up your cell phone and record a video swearing and it will stop on a social network?”, evaluates Santos.

The teacher says that using less polite language when you are angry and alone is not necessarily bad, but context and exposure make a difference. “If I’m angry and, to avoid attacking someone else, I go into the corner, I go under the shower, and I scream, I curse at myself, it’s different from exposing this to the world, when I’m swearing at several people at the same time. time”, points out the child psychologist.

The reaction of others, in fact, is something that cannot be controlled and just as some will be indifferent to the video, others will be indignant or laugh, in a reading that the child may receive as mockery.

“What I often see happening is that families, regardless of whether they are recording it or not, laugh when the child says a bad word. It ends up saying that it was cool, reinforcing this type of behavior. And when they take it to school, It becomes a problem that goes back to the family itself, because the school will call to say that they are insulting their classmate, showing the middle finger”, highlights Santos.

And what is cute and funny at one moment will, over time, become a reason for demand. “People will demand that they behave differently and it becomes very difficult for children, who start to be punished for something that, even occasionally, was brought up back there by their parents. That’s why I wouldn’t call this trend a joke, it could be very negative “, alert.

Psychopedagogue and parental advisor Andreia Rossi says that the problem also involves the speed with which trending videos go viral. “It has nothing positive for child development or a child’s skill acquisition. It’s a trend in which adults are using derogatory models and inappropriate resources to increase engagement and viewing,” says Rossi.

Therefore, what seems cute is actually quite derogatory to the faces that appear in the video. “Caregivers must be role models. Having the child swear and filming it is unilateral, pure and exclusive fun for adults, because the child has no idea what is happening”, says the educational psychologist.

The approval of swearing disrupts emotions and can generate insecurity regarding the protection that parents and caregivers should give their children. “Children cannot navigate in an organized way what they can and cannot do. They will be repressed and often punished, so this model is not appropriate, much less productive for child development. We need to offer assertive resources “, points out Rossi.

Psychologist Camila Britto, a specialist in cognitive-behavioral therapy, reminds us that reactions will vary depending on each child’s more extroverted or introverted personality.

“As long as there is no embarrassment, it may not create major repercussions. But I think it is important that we all pay attention to a very important point, which is the use of the child’s image to generate entertainment and likes on social networks. The internet has reached a very open public and the content posted there can end up in undesirable places”, says Britto.

The psychologist also reinforces that the child is a subject of rights and should not be exposed. “As shown in some videos circulating on social media, the child is clearly confused, and some feelings of fear or even excitement may also arise. If we think about the behavioral issue, whenever we reinforce something the child does, whether by praising or laughing, there is a greater probability of her repeating this behavior”, he emphasizes.

Childhood is a very delicate period of formation and will generate the future adults of society, which requires a very ethical attitude from those who care for children.

“What is funny for some may mean a situation for the child in which they feel confused and uncomfortable. And I believe that this is not what caregivers want for their children. Some internet games, trends, however, are repeated without no reflection: ‘if everyone does it, I’m going to do it too, what could be wrong?'”, ponders the specialist.

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