Effects of Video Games on Children

No matter what side of the debate you are on, the effects of video games on children are noticeable. Children from five to nine years are most affected by video games because of their inexperience in the real world. It’s possible that they think what goes on in video games is the norm, that what happens in the games is fine to do in the real world, and that since they have control in a virtual world, they can have the same control in reality.

One of the effects of video games on children is a distortion of reality. Getting absorbed in a game is a common occurrence at any age. Children could lose sight of the real world and come out of the game still in "game mode." The child may want to get back to the game at all costs, ignoring homework, food, and sleep just to play the game. Any time away from the game could be spent talking about the game or acting out scenes from the game. A child should have other hobbies other than video games and a child needs to have time constraints in order to reduce those negative aspects. It's typical to offer a child 30 minutes of video games a day as a reward if chores are done or homework is completed.

Video games are often blamed for actions that occur in reality. Children who play violent video games feel that they can perform the same actions in reality without consequence. Why not? The video game gives points and rewards for doing the same thing. Also, a satisfactory feeling rushes over the child. Why not in the real world? If the same feeling happens as they play the game, then they will probably feel the same feeling can happen if they do it outside the game. School shootings and other violent acts have been blamed on video games. Whether that's because communities needed a scapegoat or a video game did spark the violence, it's clear that violence within a video game initiated a desire to cause destruction.

The younger a child starts to play video games, the more likely they are to feel at home in a video game. Controlling how a character moves and the actions they can perform make give the child a false sense of being. If they can't control the outside world the same way, a child may head straight to the video game for that feeling of being in control. As the first effect of video games on children mentioned, this can result in addiction and an escapism that isn't healthy.

So is there anything that you can do to minimize the effects of video games on children? There's plenty you can do:

• First and foremost, you can monitor what your child plays. The Entertainment Review Software Board (ESRB) has a rating system that designates what games are appropriate for certain age groups. They also require a description of what type of content is included in the game. Most often, games rated 'E for Everyone' contain little if any warnings. Just read the back of the game and find out what your child wants to play. If it's not appropriate, then don't let your child play it. It's that simple.
• Second, play the game with your kid. Two reasons you may want to do this. One, you can spend some time with your son or daughter…think of it as a bonding experience. Two, you can watch how your child reacts to the game, either positively or negatively. This can help you determine if the video game is teaching him bad behavior or giving her a learning experience.
• Lastly, you can teach your child what the different ratings mean and why he or she can't play certain games. Giving them the knowledge will give them the confidence to make decisions and creative positive morality when buying games on their own.

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