Tanya Howard, a contributor to Parents, encouraged adults, most especially parents, not to scare their children online for views, likes, and shares on social media as it solely harms the children's mental and emotional health.
She admitted that she once convinced her husband that the TiktTok #GhostPrank would make for good views, but after some time, she realized the online trend is a way to traumatize the children and not fun at all.
Parents are using a ghost filter to scare their children. The video showed parents running out of the room and locking their children inside alone with the ghost filter. Some turn their lights off on their way out of the room, making it more terrifying for their children. On the other side, children scream at the top of their lungs as they can see the ghost filter with a creepy laughing sound. You can see the children frantically trying to open the door while hysterically crying.
How can the online TikTok trend traumatize your children?
Many audiences on TikTok call out parents who do such things to their children. They told parents not to be desperate for views and likes as they risk their children's health. Parents are asked not to involve their children in their social media content.
The research, "They're so Little, They Probably won't Remember: Misconceptions About Trauma in Infants and Toddlers," determined that children can recall their trauma as young as infancy. Although they cannot remember what happened, it's already embedded in them.
Howard could not imagine how these children were traumatized as they can be seen being beyond terrified as they are not just crying but screaming. Most of these children have also not been asked for their consent to being filmed and photographed. More than 80 percent of children appear online by the age of two. Howard said she would hate herself if she made her child part of an undesirable TikTok content. She added it is not worth breaking the child's trust.
Child and Family Studies expert Gail Galang, Ph.D., said locking kids in a certain room is already a form of emotional abuse as children can experience intense and extreme panic, fear, and anxiety. It is not advisable for parents to do such pranks as kids can also hurt themselves while trying to get out of the room they were locked in.
According to Rebekah Springs, a traumatic event is any event that causes overwhelming emotions and is perceived as a threat to security. It is stored in the body, and children become powerless as they overcome it.
Scaring or pranking your children brings no good
Howard said many people have different purposes for sharing their life on social media. Many use their social channel to connect and relate to others and treat it as an opportunity or chance. Some people only want to spread joy, but she encouraged parents not to exploit children for fame. Such pranks can only damage the parent-child relationship and are not worth it.
According to Cafe Mom, parents must be mindful of what they share on social media regarding their children, and such actions can have consequences that can nearly last for a long time.
