It is not unusual for parents to despair of their video-game-playing children. They have to fight to get their attention and fight again to drag them away from the screen at mealtimes. They also worry about what the games are doing to their offspring’s development, especially as some (often ill-informed) journalists delight in drawing attention to the rare suspicion of connections between gaming and anti-social behavior.
What Are the Fears?
There are a number of fears that parents have about gaming. They may, for instance, believe that:
• It fosters an unhealthy interest in violence
• It becomes an obsession which interferes with normal family life, exercise, and school work
• It replaces normal social interaction with peers
• It takes young people into a fantasy world to which their parents cannot relate
• It is bad for their eyes
Research Sheds Light
It may be time to re-think our assumptions. It has long been known that video games improve hand-to-eye co-ordination, and also improve the skill of visual attention, an aspect of concentration.
A recent piece of research from Columbia Mailman School of Public Health in association with Paris Descartes University is one of several that have come to the conclusion that, far from being a danger to young people, gaming may well have a positive effect.
The research studied data on children from 6 – 11. It looked at the amount of time they spent gaming and compared assessments by parents and teachers of their mental health and academic ability. The conclusion was that gaming appears to improve intellectual function and academic achievement. Young gamers also tend to have better relationships with their peers, perhaps because gaming is more collaborative than most parents realize.
Everything in Moderation
The researchers do not come to the conclusion that more is necessarily better when it comes to video games. Family life cannot revolve around the children’s games and limits need to be set on gaming activities.
Children need plenty of time in the fresh air, and need to develop their own games and imaginative play. If video games are taking over completely from these activities, children should agree on where the limits must lie.
Long periods in front of a screen are no better for a child than for an adult. Screen light can give headaches, blurry vision, and eye irritation, so it is important to take regular breaks. The better the quality of the screen, the less stress on the eyes, so it is well worth researching the best monitor for gaming, as all the family may benefit from a better screen.
Hope for All
Parents have always worried about what their children are up to, and they have always been aware that their offspring will grow through changing times that they (the parents) cannot fully recognize. But video gaming, it seems, is no more dangerous an environment than any other for growing minds, and can provide significant benefits. Perhaps with a little confidence parents can even find a way to gain entry to this world.
Bio: Jacob Simpson is a young Dad who works for a software company. In his free time, once his son is asleep, he enjoys coding (currently working on some secret projects!) and gaming. Read his technology focused articles around the web.