The Momo Challenge is back in full force—making the viral internet rounds with its usual dark and twisted content for children. So, it’s no surprise that we have recently seen the effects of Momo on children—as well as their parents who are searching for answers in our counseling office.
Here’s what you should know about Momo’s message and four things you can do about it.
What is the Momo Challenge?
The Momo Challenge is a video challenge that has been reportedly inserted into children’s videos on YouTube and delivered through social messaging apps. This zombie-looking character is asking children to do a series of extremely dangerous tasks—from turning on stovetops to committing suicide. If a task is not completed, the child is told that he or she will be cursed and instructed to not tell their parents. What makes this different than other dark content that has circled the web is the focus on accessing younger children.
Who is Momo?
Momo is a piece of art from a horror exhibit in Japan. The images of this sculpture have made it online and have been referred to as the character “Momo” in online circles.
Is this just a hoax?
It depends on who you ask. News outlets have reported the Momo Challenge is real (click here) and others say it is not (click here). The difficulty with viral internet content is that it can change so rapidly. Maybe it is just a hoax, but with all the press it has received, there could be copycat creators who are now making it a reality.
Real or not, we are seeing children and families in our practice that have engaged in damaging behavior they are attributing to the Momo Challenge.
Here are 4 things you can do today:
Stop talking
This challenge has such devastating consequences that it is at the forefront of many parents minds. Many times we cope with “heavy content” by talking about it with our friends and family. We want to know more, make sure everyone is aware to keep their kids safe, and try to identify what to do. The problem is that we quickly forget our kids are listening to us as we’re sharing it with others.
Take this common scenario: You call your sister to talk about the Momo Challenge. She doesn’t answer so you leave a voicemail for her. She calls you back after your children get in the car from school and you tell her all about the Momo Challenge.
Well—your children are hearing you, too!
The fears, the dangers, the potential suicides are all being heard loud and clear by little ears. Don’t let this secondary conversation be the primary way your kids are informed of something they feel they should be afraid of encountering. It is likely they were talking about it at school today, so the chance of misinformation before they get in the car is high. If they sense panic from you, that will decrease the likelihood of them coming to you with their questions.
Start talking
Though you need to dial back the conversation about Momo with others in front of your children, you do need to find the right time to talk directly with them about this issue. Ask open-ended, non-confrontational questions. If asked with phrases and tones that could be perceived as they might get in trouble, then you may not get the clearest of answers. This conversation is less about the Momo Challenge and more about taking time to learn about the impact of their online content consumption.
Sample question prompts for talking with your kids:
- Tell me about a time online when you saw something that scared you.
- Describe a scary dream you have had that made it hard to fall asleep.
- Talk to me about something on the computer that you wish you would not have seen.
Your first option should not be pulling up the Momo picture on your phone and asking them if they have seen it before. However, you may want to start the conversation and keep the focus on your kids rather than on what they may have viewed.
Focus on what your children feel more than what they have done. You can set clear boundaries with technology during future conversations you have with them.
Even if the videos are not real, it is possible your children have seen the image on the news or online. That in itself is pretty creepy and can easily incite fear. Be assured, there are several things you can do to help calm down younger children who are scared.
In my home, one thing we have done with each of my four children when they are frightened of characters from images they have seen or imagined is to sing a simple song made famous by VeggieTales® called “God is Bigger Than the Boogie Man” (watch it here). It talks about the way God is taking care of them and how He is bigger than the monsters on TV. It gives them (and you) something to do instead of just waiting in the scary silence of the night.
Install safeguards
No one likes a fence until you see one between you and a ferocious dog. When you choose to use tools that help children manage their time online (Apple Screen time) and control what content they are able to access (Disney Circle), they may complain about these digital boundaries. Just know that the inconvenience of your internet filters and managed screen time is a lot less painful than weeks of nightmares and harmful choices suggested by a dark character online.
Don’t forget
This isn’t the first time the Momo Challenge has made its rounds online and probably won’t be the last. The danger in content like this is that though it may fade from our immediate attention, it will live on each time a person chooses to make something like it again.
Remember 13 Reasons Why—the Netflix® series that glorifies suicide from the perspective of a teenager who had taken her life? It’s still there, teenagers are still watching it, but parents have long forgotten about it (with season 3 coming out this year).
Regardless of the reality of the Momo Challenge, it does remind all of us that technology is not a “one and done” conversation. It is a lifestyle of safety and communication between parents and children. A choice to make sure you are aware of the content your children are consuming and spending the time to help them navigate it well when things go wrong.