A story from Distortion Detective
Carlos: not wanting to stop a game to do chores
It's Saturday morning. Carlos is in the middle of a game when his dad reminds him that the lawn needs mowing before lunch. The yard is pretty big, and it usually takes him about forty minutes. He sits there holding the controller, feeling like the whole day just got ruined.
“Mowing the lawn is going to wreck my whole Saturday. It's a huge, boring job, and by the time I'm done the day will basically be over.”
In the game
Which thinking trap caught Carlos? Name the trap, then check whether the thought holds up.
Free. Kids never need an account. Therapists and parents can guide from their own screen.
🖨️ Print the take-home sheet · the story, three questions to talk over, free
About Distortion Detective
Noticing a thought like "Nobody likes me" or "I always mess up." Naming the trap behind it, then checking whether the thought holds up.
Helpful for: negative self-talk, assuming the worst, black-and-white thinking, jumping to conclusions. More in the glossary
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