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Children, no matter what age, crave attention from their parents. For us parents, that is sometimes hard if their world is so different from ours when we were young.
As from a young age my son Arthur is totally immersed in online gaming. I did not understand this and used to focus more on the potential dangers than on the benefits. But I realise that these games are now a normal part of modern childhood.
A while ago, my son was in the midst of a game, when I entered his room. Of course he could not focus on my question let alone answer it. “I’m in a game” is the standard answer.
This time, I sat next to him and watched. Although I was not allowed to play myself (‘way too embarassing’) he gave me some insights.
And frankly I was pleasantly surprised. The quality of the games, the graphics, the strategy, the team play with his friends, the creativity needed…..
I’m now really convinced that online/video games can be powerful tools to develop certain life skills.
Tip for today
Show some active (and positive!) interest in the video games of your child. Even if it is not your thing, your child will love the attention.
If you do not have kids, you can become the cool relative who does know something about gaming.
How to become a cool parent (when it comes to video gaming)?
Take an interest : What games do they play? Treat their interest in gaming much the same as you would do for a sport or other hobby. Do a little research and watch a few YouTube videos.
Roll up your sleeves and play with them, but if that’s not realistic, at least spend some time watching your child play. It’s not only a great way to just keep informed about the games themselves, but a wonderful excuse to spend some quality time with your child as well.”
Your child is likely to play with other people, so set expectations about when to play and be flexible. That way they can plan when they’re going to spend time with their friends without interruptions. There’s nothing more frustrating to a gamer, than when your parent demands that you stop playing immediately. You can’t pause a competitive online game and if you’re forcing your child to quit at the drop of a hat, they’re having to be very rude to the group of people they’re playing with.
Be aware of the language used in online games. I was actually shocked the first time I heard this. Racial and sexual terms are common, abusive language is the rule instead of the exception, So talk about this to your children.
Lastly, encourage your child to have a balanced lifestyle and try to use games as a way to get your child interested in other things, like sport or history. But don’t do that by pulling down gaming. Gaming has a lot of benefits, but kids should also get out, see the world and most importantly, do some exercise.
Benefits of online gaming I was barely aware of:
- Video games teach problem-solving skills.
- Video games enhance memory, brain’s speed and concentration.
- Video games help kids make friends and promotes teamwork.
- Video games let kids share the joy of competition
- Video games gives kids a chance to lead.
- Video games improve multi tasking skills.