“I heard my son saying inappropriate things while playing a video game. He says it’s just part of gaming culture—I’m not so sure.”

Video games can be a source of stress relief, bonding time, and just good-natured fun! But sometimes there are aspects of gaming culture that don’t mesh well with parents’ household rules. This week’s Tips OTeens question comes from a parent unsure how to respond to their teen’s gaming:

“Yesterday I overheard my son yelling some really inappropriate things into his headset as he was playing a video game. Swearing once or twice is fine in our house, but he was going beyond that. We didn’t raise him to talk like that and it made me really angry and sad to hear him say such hurtful things out loud! When I talked to him about it he brushed me off and said everyone says that stuff while playing and that it’s not a big deal. Am I overreacting?”