We’re back with another sneak peek at Doctor Hammond’s soon to be titled book on raising emotionally healthy children. This week we’re talking video games and addiction. Controversial to some, nonsense to others and yet, video game addiction can be a real problem to those afflicted by it. Let’s dive in and get the school on gaming.
When it comes to parenting and our children’s video game playing habits, it all comes down to two main questions: How much gaming is too much? And, how do we prevent video game addiction? These are questions that each parent has to face and handle at one point or another. Technological advancements in the video gaming industry have increased the affinity for these games in our children worsening the situation.
Sometimes, balancing between our children’s happiness and their mental health can be difficult and daunting. Close monitoring and supervision of our children’s gaming activities are crucial from the very beginning.
Although gaming can be a safe and productive activity, overdoing it can have negative social, psychological and physical implications for our child. The problem for most parents, however, is determining whether the child is over playing or not. Here are a three things to look for that may indicate that your children are over doing it:
1. Too much screen time. Is your child over watching the TV or computer screen every moment they aren’t in school? If so, this is clearly too much. Aside from the fact that this long exposure to the screen can cause eye problems, every moment they spend in front of the screen is time away from human interaction.
2. Deteriorating eating habits. Have you noticed your child barely consuming their dinner and/or asking to eat while they play? This could be a pointer that the kid is over gaming. Games can completely take over your child such that he or she even forgets to eat making malnutrition possible.
3. Poor social skills and infrequent involvement in outside activities. If your children’s only friends are online this could cause them to have a difficult time relating “in real life” to their peers. If they aren’t ever playing outside they could become too sedentary which could lead to obesity and/or poor physical fitness.
They’re gaming too much, now what?
1. Engage your child in outdoor activities and games. Get them up, get them moving and get them some vitamin D. Even if it means you have to play outside with them, do it! Encourage extracurricular activities with others too such as baseball, softball, soccer, etc…
2. Regulate gaming time. You’re the parent, this means you set the rules and you can set limits on the amount of time that your child can engage in the video games. Of course don’t be too strict, but don’t be too lenient either. Depriving kids of games may only increase their appetite for them, but that doesn’t mean you should give into their every wish either.
3. Make gaming an earned activity. You could require your children to complete certain chores, maintain a certain grade point average or even require they spend so much time doing something outside to earn their video games.
Remember, gaming itself is not bad, it’s just best to keep it in moderation. Too much of anything can be a problem, including the restriction of gaming – just use your best judgment.
Now, we want to hear from you! How long is too long to allow our kids to play video games? At what point is it too much? Leave a comment below and tell us about it! Then, be sure to keep checking back as we continue our sneak peaks into Doctor Hammond’s book!