Recommendations for Raising Children in the Realm of Video Games

Guest Post* for your enjoyment….

Parents need proper information and guidance when it comes to video gaming. It is inevitable that our children will at some point become immersed in the realm of video games and online gaming as the influence of media makes it more uncontrollable.

According to the 2003 US Census Bureau, in America alone, about 75% of households owned computers and 63% of those have access to the Internet and play video games. About 35% of children have their own computer, laptop, or both with 20% of them having Internet access. The Kaiser Family Foundation carried out a national survey and found that the amount of time that young people aged 8-18 years old spent accessing entertainment media has dramatically risen to an average of 53 hours a week (average of 7 hours and 38 minutes per day).

As a parent, it is crucial that there is a balance on how much freedom and how much control you should maintain when it comes to allowing your children to play video games. Here are some recommendations for fellow parents:

• The recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is to discourage media exposure to children less than 2 years of age.
• Always review the nature of the online games before allowing your child to access them. You should also check whether these games are helpful for the developmental growth of your child. One example is that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have better development when allowed to play role-playing video games.
• Choose games that support a good cause. One example is Helen Skelton, former TV presenter of Blue Peter – a BBC children’s program that aired between 2008 and 2013. She was married to Richie Myler, a player in Rugby Super League, which was recently sponsored by UK’s top online bingo site Foxy Bingo – as announced by Foxy on Twitter.
• Be strict on the amount of time a child can spend playing video games. The AAP recommendation is no more than 2 hours per day.
• Allow your child to have other forms of educational distractions aside from video games.
• It is a big no-no to allow your child to have a laptop in the bedroom. It is highly recommended that laptops or video game consoles are in open spaces where you can have easy access and control.

It may be difficult at first, especially when your children have been exposed to these digital distractions early on. But, you have to be strict when it comes to enforcing these, and any digital restrictions – to help counter the effects of too much video game exposure, such as sleep issues, obesity, aggressive behaviors, and attention issues especially for school-aged children.

*Provided by Kira ~