| A review of Video Games & Your Kids - | | | | the brain. This sounds like a benefit but it is not. It |
| How Parents Stay in Control by Hilarie Cash, PhD | | | | leads to the child having difficulty with other types |
| and Kim McDaniel, MA | | | | of learning - the kind that comes from listening |
| Like many parents, I'm concerned about my kids | | | | and discussing and solving problems that take |
| not spending too much time in front of a screen. | | | | more time. |
| Whether that screen is television, computer, or | | | | Secondly, video games have negative effects on |
| video games matters little. One reason for this is | | | | the body and the brain - not only do video games |
| because I have seen how screen time interferes | | | | contribute to a sedentary lifestyle (possibly |
| with other, more important activities. Activities like | | | | contributing to childhood obesity) but they also |
| reading, spending time with family, helping around | | | | retrain the brain and the way it thinks. This has |
| the house, even daydreaming. | | | | deleterious effects on how a child learns and their |
| It seems that boys in particular have a hard time | | | | ability to learn outside the game. |
| accepting limits around video gaming and | | | | Parents sometimes believe that video and |
| computer time. Since I have two sons, I didn't | | | | computer games are "educational" but the |
| want any part of the constant fighting over the | | | | evidence does not support that assessment. In |
| video game system between themselves and | | | | fact, some studies point to the opposite effect |
| refusing to accept boundaries and limits that I see | | | | and have shown a correlation between computer |
| in other families. I've also observed kids missing a | | | | games and decreased vocabulary. |
| lot of sleep and even social interaction with peers | | | | Video games can also lead to a reduced attention |
| because of spending too much in an artificial | | | | span and reduced ability to deal appropriately in |
| world, with detrimental effects both short and | | | | social situations. Video games can also lead to eye |
| long term. | | | | and vision problems, headaches, sleeping |
| Video Games and Your Kids gathers much of the | | | | difficulties, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Kids who |
| current research, science and data about why | | | | spend a lot of time gaming even develop poor |
| parents should be concerned about their kids | | | | posture and shallow breathing. |
| spending excessive time playing video (and | | | | Interestingly, the authors aren't totally opposed to |
| computer) games. Rather than being the greatest | | | | video games but remind parents that they must |
| invention since the baby wipe, video games aren't | | | | be very careful about their use. This book is |
| always just harmless fun. | | | | helpful to a parent as it gives us research to back |
| For one, video games are highly addictive. In fact | | | | up those gut feelings we have. Allowing a child to |
| they are designed to be so - marketers call it the | | | | have unrestricted access to video games is a bad |
| "sticky factor". The longer the child plays, the | | | | thing. It also gives you some pointers from these |
| better in their estimation. Another reason they | | | | experts on how to spot video game addiction and |
| are addictive is because of the fast moving | | | | how to get help for your child - and even yourself |
| images on the screen and the way they stimulate | | | | or a spouse if you are the ones with a problem. |