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WORDS: Manatee County School Social Workers and Psychologists
Video games are popular with both kids and adults. A typical
American child will play a video game with some regularity
in their daily lives. Research supports that over 90% of children
engage in gaming. Ever since video games came onto the
markets in the second half of the 20th century, they have been
surrounded by controversy.
Just like television before it, parents thought that video games
were a bad inuence on children and got in the way of other more
worthwhile activities, such as academics and playing with friends.
Since these games can play such a big part in our children’s lives,
the student services department wishes to provide parents with
a guide of Dos and Don’ts for gaming when it comes to children.
In no order, here are some suggestions:
• DO: Let your child experience a variety of video
games
• DO NOT: Write off video games as something that is
not productive
There are several benets to playing video games. Video games
have been found to increase problem solving and social skills,
sharpen hand-eye coordination, enhance critical thinking skills,
and heighten concentration. In games like Minecraft, for example,
playing the game increases a child’s creativity to explore
architectural feats that they have created.
Some children even code their own modications in Minecraft
or produce their own video games. These “indie games” have
been ourishing in the last few years, and there are even
conferences to allow players to experience each other’s games
and receive feedback.
• DO: Play video games with your child
• DO NOT: Ignore your child while they are playing
video games
Parents engaging in gaming with their children has been found
to be benecial to family bonding. For example, nding out more
about their child’s interests or discussing aspects of the game
can enhance a parent’s relationship with their child. However,
one thing parents should not do is ignore their children while
they play. Having video games in a room where parents can
supervise and monitor their behavior while playing should be
considered. This also avoids the child being isolated for long
periods of time from their family.
• DO: Limit their playing time
• DO NOT: Let them play all night
Just like television before them, video games tend to sometimes
become a pseudo babysitter. Many times at school, children
can be heard talking with their friends about how much they
play during all hours of the day and night. Limits need to be set
to help them balance gaming with other daily life activities, such
as playing outside and nishing their homework.
Most studies suggest that kids under ve-years-old should have
an hour or less of screen time per day. As children get older, strict