Kids Are Our Future

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.

Games have been very popular among children and teenagers at age of seven to sixteen-year-old. In the earlier days, when there were no or fewer computers, kids used to visit arcades with pockets full of change to play those big game machines, and nowadays they play games on the Internet, computers, or electronic game systems. The gaming industry has become one of the biggest industries with the release of game systems, such as Wii, X-box 360, and PS3.

By the law of nature, every aspect has its pros and cons; games are not exceptional.

Pros

• Researchers have found that frequent game players score better at vision tests as compared to non players. It has also been found that playing those strategy games, which use the brain efficiently, could improve children’s analytic skills and decision making skills.
• Games built with the vivid graphics, the quality of sound, and the interactivity, are attractive to kids more than traditional instructional contents. Educational games help kids to improve their communication and problem solving skills, alertness, locating things easily and so on. It also has been found that by playing educational games, kids improved in their mathematics, spelling and reading grades. Some schools are planning and researching ways to integrate such games into the academic curriculum.

Cons

• Playing games too much will affect kids’ health. Medical specialists have confirmed that kids who spend too much time playing games not only are easily affected to long terms problems like bad posture and RSI (repetitive strain injury), but it also causes a disequilibrium in their daily routine. Common problems found among kids who play too many games are eye strains, headaches, wrist, neck and back pains, etc.
• A controversial new research has proved that excessive playing of games can actually affect the growth of a human brain. Because some games stimulate activity only use parts of the brain associated with vision and movement. As we know, the brain, which is associated with learning, memory and emotion, continues to develop till the age of 20.
• In addition, spending lot of time just sitting makes a child less active compared with outdoor activity, which leads to childhood obesity.
• Some games are very violent in nature, which has negative effects on young minds causing kids have a tendency to lose control and become more aggressive.
• Spending too many hours on game machines could also cause social problems, resulting in kids becoming shy and introvert, and low social skills, such as on making friends.

Games can be extremely fun for kids and do provide certain benefits, but too much will cause opposite effect. Parents need to keep track of how much time their kids spend in playing games and also check what type of games they play. As parents, we should teach and help kids to try to maintain a balance and get the best of what games offer while limit the side effects.

If kids play games too much would lead to game addition, which damages kids physically and mentally. Parents should watch out for it.

Some warning signs

1. Play games most of the time?
2. Dive into games right after getting up?
3. Play for long periods?
4. Play games and forgot to do homework?
5. Get restless if can not play?
6. Does not like to play outdoors?
7. Sacrifice friends and social activities?
8. Play Games in stead of watching his or her favorite TV programs like before?
9. School report shows lower grades?

If the answer to most of these questions is “yes”, the kid may be playing games too much and limits should be applied. Because games are so attractive to them, kids even can not control themselves, that’s why they need parents’ help.