(Credits: Verywellmind)
Skibidi Toilet Rizz, Gyatt, Shooketh, Delulu?
What do those words even mean? Are they even speaking English? What is my child even saying…
Those words you’ve just read are some of this generation’s slang terms.
“Oh, so it’s just how they speak. Alright then. My parents didn’t understand how my generation spoke either.”
But not so fast!
Parents, it might just seem like a few silly-sounding words. But the internet culture that gave birth to these terms can sink its roots deep into your child’s brain, and it might be scarier than you think.
It might just seem like a simple case of the words your children choose to use with their friends, but brain rot can impact your child’s abilities!
Wait. What’s ‘Brain Rot’?
(Credits: Fortnite)
Brain rot is what it sounds like. Your brain is rotting. But not literally. Let me explain.
Brainrot actually has two meanings.
Firstly, it’s an internet term for content (videos, memes, etc.) that’s of low quality, which refers to what it offers the viewer.
So an informational video of a Ted-X talk about icebergs would be high-quality content, while a video of a crocodile farting would be of low quality.
But it also refers to the bad consequences that low-quality content, and always being on the internet in general, has on your child’s brain.
The Hidden Dangers of Brain Rot for Your Child.
It’s usually children who watch brain rot, as… why would an adult be watching a video of a crocodile farting?
It might seem like a harmless laugh, but your child’s brain will absorb all of this low-quality information.
Let’s compare this situation to the ‘Sand, Rocks, and Pebbles’ story.
Take the sand for the low-quality videos and content, and the pebbles for the high-quality content. If your child fills their brain with sand at a young age, there won’t be much space left for them to put the pebbles in, right?
Brainrot content has also been linked to making its viewers lose intelligence.
But How?!
It Reduces Their Attention Span
A lot of brain-rot videos are short. A couple of minutes at most.
Your attention span is like a rubber band. If you train it by focusing for a long time, you’ll have a longer attention span. But if you never pull on the rubber band, it never stretches.
And a short attention span isn’t good. How will they focus on anything long enough?
How will they focus in class, read a book, or hold a conversation with eye contact?
Fantasy Vs Reality
Your child is still young and impressionable. This would make it hard for them to discern between fantasy and reality, which brain rot usually isn’t. So they might grow up to have unrealistic ideas of the world around them.
It’s often said too that fantasy is more exciting than reality, right?
So an unexpected side effect is that your child might become addicted to watching brain rot videos, as it excites them. This will also increase their addiction to electronics and up their screen time.
But if they’re exposed to too much blue light that electronics give, they’ll find it hard to sleep at night.
It’s all a chain effect.
They’ll Find It Hard to Think Critically.
Watching a lot of fast-paced videos can be a pretty intense experience, so binge-watching brain-rot videos can cause mental burnout.
It’s like binge-eating snacks before dinner. If your child always binges on packets of chips and candy, it might feel good for them while they’re doing it. But when they’re full of the wrong stuff, they won’t want to eat the healthy dinner you cooked afterwards.
So how would your child behave if they’re burnt out?
They won’t want to use their brain to think, so they won’t want to do anything meaningful.
Say goodbye to deep conversations, hobbies, and self-control, and welcome tantrums, bad grades, and never having enough energy.
And if you’re tired, you wouldn’t want to meet anyone, right? This might have a bigger impact on your child than you expect!
What Will Happen if My Child Doesn’t Socialise Enough?
It could affect their grades if they don’t know how to work with other students on group projects.
In the long run, your child won’t have many friends. Not because they choose to be a lone wolf but because they don’t know how to make friends.
And humans are social creatures! We need human contact and relationships to survive. So make sure your child learns their social skills!
How Do I Know If My Child is Watching Brain Rot Content?
The easiest way would be to check their Google, YouTube, or TikTok history.
But other lesser recognised signs would be if they spit out brain rot slang, with ‘Skibidi Toilet’, ‘Rizz’, ‘Gyatt’, or ‘Sigma’ being some of the most infamous ones.
However, if they’re also exhibiting signs of mental burnout and they’re always tired and never interested in the world around them, then it might be a sign too. Unless they’re a moody teenager…
What Should You Do if Your Child Is Watching Brainrot?
As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure your child grows up well-adjusted to society. So do not let brain rot take over your child’s life. Put your foot down, firm!
Set Limits On the Electronics
(Credits: IMOM)
They can’t watch brain-rot content if they’re not on a screen!
So limit their iPad or computer time. Experts advise just 1-2 hours a day.
And use your parental rights by putting parental controls on the electronics and viewing platforms as well. If your child watches content that’s appropriate for their age, it can limit their chances of watching brain-rot videos.
The rest of their day should be spent doing something that matters! Like homework, their hobbies, or exercising.
And when it’s 1-2 hours before bedtime, electronics are off-limits. So the blue light won’t be keeping them up all night!
Tell Them To Get Out (Of the House)
This will be helpful for both their mind and body. They get to exercise their body and receive fresh air and sunlight in nature, which has been shown to improve their mood and brain functions.
It also gives them a chance to socialise with their friends and neighbours, which will take their minds off the internet and keep them in touch with reality.
One bonus after another!
Talk To Them
Lastly, having conversations with them will help them develop their thinking.
As their parent, you’re probably the person your child feels the most comfortable talking to, opening up and sharing their views with, and asking questions about the world.
When your child has deep and meaningful conversations, it opens their minds up to the world beyond the internet, which they might then find to be more interesting than brain rot.
Conclusion
Brain rot content is a silent pandemic that’s slowly taking over the minds of children everywhere in the world today.
The effects of brain rot can be horrible for your child right now and in the future.
So knowing the problem and being able to recognise if your child is consuming brain rot can save their brain from rotting.
But if your child fortunately has not come across brain rot content yet, it could just be a matter of time.
So take the first step today to prevent that from happening!
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