Gonna blow like a mentos and coke.

Now think of that visual.

Got it?

Now think about the last time your preteen/teenager blew a gasket in your direction.

See any similarities?

In the generation of smart phones, multi server role play games, and x-boxes kids aren’t getting the experience of face to face communication. Fewer kids are regularly interacting in situations where they have to compromise and work with others in person. Sure, plenty of kids are working together online in a multi server game, role playing with a group of “kids”, if they ARE EVEN kids. But, if someone doesn’t like what someone else is doing in the game, they can just leave the game. Or as my daughter says “rage quit” lo l.

Nothing is talked about. No understanding of another persons thoughts or feelings. Or EVEN if there was an issue between kids in the game, it could have been all assumed and not correct.

In these games characters interact by typing in a chat room with each other or with message balloons above each character’s head in the game. We all KNOW how misunderstandings happen from only the written word. We all tend to put our own meaning to typed words using our own experiences to put our own tone on how that word or sentence is being said.

The role play world all what ever you decide it to be. My son is a leader of a group in his role play game. He makes the rules, decides who is in the group, and what the group is going to do that game. Once he gets off the role play game he has to adjust to real life, where someone else is in charge, like his parents! That adjustment can be difficult most the time. Hence the blow ups like a Mentos in the coke bottle visual.

Putting time limits on role play games and have a very direct discussion about the dangers sometimes in these role play games  is very important.  Keep an open dialogue and know what games you kids are playing. Even check the chat history in these games.

You can’t be too careful or vigilant when it comes to their safety.