Prompt
For two years, you have babysat for family friends whose daughter, Maya, is now 13. While her parents are out one evening, Maya shows you messages from a boy she met in an online game. He says he is 16, and he has asked her to meet him at the mall on Saturday. She has never seen him in person or on video. Maya says he is kind and funny, that her parents would ban the game if they knew, and that she has no one else to talk to about it. She begs you not to tell them and says that if you do, she will never trust you again. What would you do?
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Ethical reasoning
- Communication
- Empathy and compassion
How to approach this question
This MMI station tests whether you'll break a young teenager's trust to protect her safety, and how you'd do it while keeping the relationship intact. Name what's at stake: Maya's safety, her loneliness and need for someone to confide in, her parents' right and duty to know, and your role as a trusted adult in their home. Point out the warning signs in plain terms, like a stranger she's never seen asking to meet in person, without lecturing her. Talk through how you'd respond to Maya first, listening and explaining why you can't keep this secret, and then how you'd involve her parents. Weigh her trust against her safety and land on a clear decision. When she offers a compromise that sounds reasonable, test it honestly against the risk and explain your answer to her with care.
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