When 12-year-old Harrison Hayes met a 19-year-old “mentor” in an online game, it felt like a friendship—until it turned into manipulation and abuse.In this powerful episode of Parenting Great Kids, Dr. Meg Meeker talks with Harrison about his firsthand experience with online grooming, how his mental health struggles played a role, and the steps his parents took to intervene and help him heal. Now, Harrison is turning his pain into purpose—advocating for digital safety and youth protection.In this episode, you’ll learn:<ul><li>How online grooming begins and escalates</li><li>The emotional vulnerabilities predators target</li><li>How Harrison’s parents recognized the signs and took action</li><li>What legal and emotional challenges followed</li><li>Digital safety tips every parent needs today</li></ul>🎉Join the Parenting Great Kids Community, where you'll find support from like-minded parents who are committed to raising emotionally healthy, spiritually strong, and digitally safe kids. Join today at meekerparenting.com/communityEpisode Breakdown00:00 – Introduction to Harrison’s Story00:35 – Early signs of emotional struggles01:25 – The online “friendship” begins03:06 – How grooming unfolded05:25 – Mental health and manipulation08:49 – The turning point12:34 – Breaking free and getting help16:37 – Parental involvement and intervention18:54 – Reporting and law enforcement18:59 – Family reactions and emotions19:32 – Reflecting on warning signs20:53 – Legal frustrations and realities22:02 – Coping, therapy, and healing23:44 – Advice for today’s digital parents26:42 – Harrison’s advocacy and youth empowerment29:16 – Living life without a smartphone31:20 – 5 practical tech safety strategies35:04 – Community support and personal growthAbout Harrison HayesHarrison Hayes was just 12 years old when he was groomed by a stranger he met through online gaming. Today, he’s a leading voice in digital safety advocacy—raising awareness about the hidden dangers of social media, gaming, and texting. Through his work with survivor-led organizations like The Wired Human Youth Coalition and his independent project, Digitally Intentional, Harrison empowers families and youth to think critically and live intentionally in the digital age.He believes online safety isn’t just about restriction—it’s about awareness, intentionality, and action.👉 Learn more about Harrison’s work at <a href="http://digitallyintentional.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">digitallyintentional.org</a>Our SponsorsHungryroot – 40% off plus a free item in every box at<a href="https://hungryroot.com/drmeg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> hungryroot.com/drmeg</a> with code DRMEGRula – Licensed therapy for as little as $15 per session with insurance. Visit<a href="https://rula.com/drmeg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> rula.com/drmeg</a> to get startedK12-powered schools – Tuition-free, accredited online public education for K–12 at<a href="https://k12.com/DRMEG" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> K12.com/DRMEG</a>Fam Gabs – Spark real conversations with your kids using this therapist-designed card deck. Search Fam Gabs on Amazon and use code DRMEGPOD for 10% offThrive Causemetics – Clean, vegan beauty that gives back. Get 10% off your first order at<a href="https://thrivecausemetics.com/DRMEG" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> ThriveCausemetics.com/DRMEG</a>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

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Ep. 284: The Predator in the Chat: How a 12-Year-Old Was Groomed—and Fought Back

Parenting Great Kids with Dr. Meg Meeker

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