Feb 9, 2010

Should You Warn Your Children About "The Choking Game"?

Dear Expert Mom,

I am the mother of two boys, ages 10 and 15. Lately, I have been hearing a lot about something that kids are doing now called "the choking game", where kids get high by cutting off their air supply until they pass out. Apparently, many kids have died from this game.

I am very worried about this new "game", and I am debating whether or not to talk to my kids about it. They are both good kids and they do not hang out with a bad crowd. I don't even think they have heard of this game, so I am scared of making them aware of it myself.

What if I talk to them about this game and they get it into their heads to try it? But what if I don't tell them and they hear about it at school and decide to try it? What should I do?

-Scared in Montana

Dear Scared,

You are right to be scared. All parents should be scared. It is just impossible these days to anticipate all of the stupid things our kids will do. Who would have thought that "don't let your friends strangle you to death" would be one of the things we would have to put on our list of things not to do?

That being said, when you are lucky enough to actually gain knowledge of something dangerous that kids are doing, I say jump on it like it's a matter of life and death - because it just might be. Think about it - if something the kids are doing is so pervasive that we parents have heard about it, I guarantee your kids already have too. If by some chance they haven't, they probably will in the near future. I think it is best if the first information that our kids get about this "game" comes from us, the parents, so that we can lay the foundation that this is a terrible, dangerous game that in more cases than not leads to brain damage and/or death. That way, the first time they hear about this game won't be from their friends telling them how great it is.

Here is a good video/news report talking about this game. It may be good to sit down with your kids and watch it together: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=712438n.

Bottom Line: I have said it before and I will say it again: I am not a big fan of the "stick your head in the sand" method of parenting. If you know that something bad is going on that could seriously injure or kill your child, I say arm them with as much good information and facts as possible. Otherwise, when they are faced with a decision between right and wrong, the only voices they will hear in their head will be that of their friends. Good luck.

~Expert Mom

2 comments:

  1. Your child could and very well may be in a situation where he is invited to or egged on by peer pressure to take part in this activity, kids all over the country and world know about it. Educate your boys on the risks of brain damage (do they want to be vegetables, have to be spoon fed, have their diapers changed?) and the great possibility of death which comes quickly and unexpectedly if they do this alone. Have you talked with them about drinking and driving, cocaine, pot, inhalents? Well this activity is worse than pot, it can kill you the first time. Educate your boys and hope they make the correct informed decision when they are encouraged to take part in this "fun game" by their peers. Kids as young as kindergarten have heard of this game and some as young as 6 have died from it, they hear about it from the older kids, a fun game, and put their heads through nooses and hang themselves. I know too much about this "game", my 14 year old son died from it. He was a good boy, smart! and never ran around with kids on his own, in cars or anywhere else.......I thought I knew EVERYTHING he did. I found him almost dead hanging from the top side rail of his bunkbed, he had passed out and slid off his bottom bunk and his rear end was a few inches off the floor, he was hanging sitting down. My precious beautiful loved more than anything in my life son, was beyond saving. My life has been lived under a gray cloud since then, you go through hell when you lose a child and even though you learn to live with it, it never goes away. My son died in 1999 and I will never be the same. Teach your boys, chances are the wrong people will if you don't. If only I had had that chance with my son, he would be alive today, he was so against drugs and would never have done anything to harm his brain. Teach your boys. ~Dianna Brendle in Pa jasonsmom285@yahoo.com
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  2. Everyone, please listen to 'expert mom'. My son died from a fall while playing the game. Mike was a good kid, and so were his friends with whom he played the game. And about NOT saying anything to your child for fear of giving him or her ideas... I would bet my own life that if we could put that question to Mike, he would surely say, 'If I'd only known what could happen...'
    No way was he ready to die. And no way was I ready to say goodbye to my beautiful son.
    I agree. We may appear to be getting on with our lives, but that deep pain never ever goes away.
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