Should Parents Allow Kids to Play Games?

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My son spends most of his time playing games except school; I am really worried about it. I often think if he can decrease his game time to half and use the time to study his school work, he definitely can achieve better grades. My friend told me that both her teenager daughter and son like playing games; they were playing games even on the family vacation trip. I recently also read some articles about kids gaming. Some parents hate games because their kids, especially boys addict to games, they warn parents that game addiction is very dangerous, even more dangerous than drugs, because it is fully legal. In addition, those “Violence” games are hot topic from parents all over the world.

I read some research papers as well. They are talking about strategy games, which are mainly based around strategic principles. These games require analytical skills, could improve children’s logical thinking ability and problem solving skills. In addition, it is found by educational researchers that using computer games in math education is superior to traditional classroom instruction for improving math achievement.

Today’s kids are surrounded by and using computers, games, video cameras, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age. Games are parts of their life. What should parents do to help them to balance study and game and prevent them from game addiction? Let’s think about it and sharing ideas together. I would like to talk about kids and games in the following several posts.

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6 Responses to “Should Parents Allow Kids to Play Games?”

  1. riyang Says:
    学生应以学为主,以出色地完成学校的功课为荣……
    业余时间,可以精选一些有利于立志和增进智慧的游戏,但必须要控制好时间,绝对不能影响功课(作业和实验)和正常的生活(包括体育锻练和分担的家务劳动).

    For Students, learning should be their main task, should be proud of it, if they did well at school……
    In the spare time, can select some games helping kids improve their intelligence, but must control the playing time, can not affect homework (and experimental work) and the daily life (including exercise and sports, sharing of the house work).
  2. xuyu Says:
    必须与孩子一同摆正学习与游戏的关系,游戏不能代替功课的学习!

    Parents must teach kids that study should be their primary task; games are entertainment, which can not replace learning!
  3. yingyu Says:
    一定要把孩子引入适合中小学生暑假看的节目中,培养浓厚的科学趋味和管理好自己的能力.

    Parents must introduce kids some good programs for elementary or middle school or high school students in the summer, inspire them to love science and improve their self-management capability.
  4. yhon Says:
    学生应以学为主,以出色地完成学校的功课为荣……同意

    For Students, learning should be their main task, should be proud of it, if they did well at school……I totally agree.
  5. Kevin Says:
    这里说的游戏好像都是指电子/电脑游戏.

    游戏本身没有问题,如果能把一个游戏玩得深入的话,能学到许多的东西,包括分析研究解决问题的能力,背景知识,能够和这个游戏相关的群体建立关系…

    沉迷却是这类游戏带来的问题。 其他游戏也同样会让人沉迷,只是,电脑游戏需要的体力很低,即使精力不够也能够继续,难以因为身体的疲倦而放弃,玩得深入就不可不勉陷入沉迷的情绪。 这里就有一个如何自我控制的问题,更是孩子的弱点。 作为家长就需要给与更多的引导。

    如何引导大概有好多办法吧,比如
    培养严格的生活习惯
    吸引孩子从事其他的有趣的事情
    夸张一点,吸引孩子从玩游戏本身转到研究游戏(技战术什么的)本身,对于一个优秀的游戏,那也是一个很大的课题,不过会不会让孩子更深入的沉迷,我就不知道了,呵呵

    It looks like the games you are talking about is electronic and PC games.

    Games themselves are not bad at all, if the kids can enjoy the games, they can learn a lot of things, including problem analyzing and solving skills, background information, and making friends…

    However, game addition is the problem that the games may bring the kids. Like other games, they still can lead to addiction, however, since electronic and PC games need less energy compared with other games, e.g. sports games, the kids can play these kinds of games for a longer time, which is easier to let the kids addict to the games. Therefore, in order to avoid game addiction, need self-control, which kids are usually weak in this point. Parents do need guide kids to play games.

    How to guide kids to play games? I think there are many ways. For example
    Help kids to form good habits
    Encourage to do some other fun stuff
    Even, let the kids’ interest shift to how the games are designed, what’s the strategy? Actually, how to design a good game is still a big research topic. However, in this way, whether can further to lead to kids’ game addiction? I do not know, ha ha …

  6. cana Says:
    Kevin,高见。我完全赞成你的说法。对特别喜欢电子或网上游戏的孩子来说,引导他们怎样设计好的游戏也许是个好方法,但是好像更容易让他们沉迷游戏了。教孩子提高自我控制力很重要,你有什么高见吗?

    Kevin, great point! I fully agree with you. For those kids who electronic or online games very much, parents need guide them in how to design a good game, might be a good way, but it seems more easily let them indulge in the games. Teach kids to improve self-control is very important, what is your opinion?

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