If you find yourself
arguing with your youngster about video games, you're not
alone. The first annual MediaWise-Harris Video Game Report
Card Poll® showed that you have lots of company. The
poll is a collaboration between the National Institute on
Media and the Family and Harris Interactive, one of the
world's leading polling organizations. We announced the
results of the poll as part of the annual video game report
card that I recently released in Washington, DC with a cadre
of senators and congressional representatives.
Among other findings, the poll showed that almost four out
of 10 parents say they argue with their kids about how much
time youngsters spend playing games. The younger the child,
the more frequent the arguments. Disputes about when games
should be played and which games are appropriate are common
as well.
The biggest bone of contention, however, is the amount of
time kids spend playing. It's probably tempting for some
parents to let the issue slide and avoid family friction.
The showdowns over game time, however, are worth the aggravation.
As recent reports have shown, too much time spent playing
video games might affect study habits, and could lead to
video game addiction and other serious problems.
As the games become more realistic and online games become
more popular, limiting game time will become an even greater
challenge. That's why an ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure. Once game play is out of control, the arguments
are more frequent and more heated. But, you can take steps
to keep video game playing fun and in its proper place
First, be clear about the rules for when and how much time
kids spend playing. Technology can help. The new Microsoft
Xbox 360 has a time limit feature that parents can use.
Second, let your kids know ahead of time what the consequences
will be if they don't follow the rules. Limiting or eliminating
game play for a period of time can be effective.
Third, don't be afraid to put the console or the games in
the closet for a while if the battles are constant or if
the young player's protests cross over the line into disrespect.
Our poll also found that kids know more about the video
game ratings than parents do. In fact, parents know much
more about the TV ratings than they do about the ratings
for video games. This knowledge gap might be explained by
another of the poll's findings: few parents play video games
with their kids. A fourth step we can take as parents is
to play the games our kids love so much. After all, we need
to know what all the fuss is about.
Video games are fun and exciting, and they can be a very
positive part of a boy or girl's activity diet. We just
have to make sure our kids play age-appropriate games and
don't overdo it. Then we can keep our young ones safe and
avoid arguments in the future.
David Walsh, Ph.D. is the founder of the
MediaWise Movement, a program of the National Institute
on Media and the Family (www.mediawise.org).
His latest book, No: Why Kids - of All Ages - Need to
Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It (Free Press) is
available in bookstores.
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