How can parents rebuild confidence in a child who was mocked publicly in gaming lobbies or live streams? 

Parenting Perspective 

Being mocked in a public online space, like a gaming lobby or a live stream, can be a deeply humiliating experience for a child, especially when many other people witness the incident. It is a form of public shaming that can severely damage their confidence. The role of a parent is to respond with immediate empathy, helping the child to process their feelings and rebuild their sense of self-worth. 

Acknowledge and Validate Their Hurt 

Your first priority should be to validate your child’s feelings. Acknowledge that the experience was unfair and painful, rather than telling them to ‘just ignore it.’ This approach makes your child feel seen and reassures them that their emotional response is a valid and understandable one. 

Help Them to Process the Experience 

Encourage your child to share what happened in as much detail as they are comfortable with, and listen patiently without interruption. You can talk through why some people choose to mock others online, often because of their own insecurities, and explain that the anonymity of the internet can make people cruel. This helps to reframe the behaviour as a reflection of the bully’s character, not the victim’s worth. 

Restore Their Confidence Through Positive Action 

Gently guide your child to separate their gaming skills or online presence from the cruel comments of strangers. Make a point of praising their genuine efforts and talents in areas that are important to them, whether in gaming or other parts of their life. You can also teach them the practical steps of muting, blocking, and reporting abusive users, which empowers them to protect themselves. 

Reinforce Their Identity Beyond the Screen 

Help your child to cultivate their confidence in areas outside of their online life. Encouraging them to pursue hobbies, family activities, and offline friendships helps to build an identity that affirms their worth in a much deeper way. The more they experience validation in safe, positive environments, the less power online mockery will have over their self-image. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam strictly forbids mockery and teaches that a person’s true value is determined by their character and their standing with Allah, not by the words of others. Parents can use this spiritual lens to reassure a child that being ridiculed says nothing about their real worth. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Hujuraat (49), Verses 11: 

‘ Those of you who are believers, do not let a nation ridicule another nation, as perhaps it may be that they are better than them…’ 

This verse is a direct condemnation of mockery. It reminds us that such behaviour is forbidden, as we can never know who holds a greater and more noble status in the sight of Allah. 

It is recorded in Riyadh Al Saliheen, Hadith 1574, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘It is enough evil for a man to look down upon his Muslim brother.’ 

This teaching clarifies that the act of belittling another person is in itself a grave sin. True honour is found in treating others with the dignity and respect they deserve as fellow human beings. 

By anchoring their self-worth in their faith, good character, and the love of Allah, children can learn to rise above the pain of public humiliation. This helps them to regain the confidence to continue engaging with the world, not with fear, but with a deep and resilient sense of their own God-given dignity.