Your Child and video games

Are you a reluctant parent when it comes to video gaming? Whether you allow your child to play video games or not, gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment today. As the mother of a teen and a technology educator, I am often fighting the battle of “screen time.” This post is not meant to convert you one way or the other, but to educate you on the pervasiveness of video gaming.
 
Beyond Pong: Video Gaming Now
 Video gaming has come a long way from its nascent stages of the 1970’s arcade game, Pong, to Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG), which allow hundreds of thousands of players to concurrently interact in an online game. An article in the Washington Post reported that in 2014 video gaming grew to an industry totaling over $100 billion in sales worldwide. While the motion picture industry pulled in $10.9 billion at the U.S. box office, and the music industry reported $7 billion in sales, video game sales totaled more than both combined, with $21 billion in US sales.
 
Although gaming is assumed to be an activity for teenagers, the statistics indicate that what constitutes a gamer is far from this idea. According to the Entertainment Software Association, the average gamer is 35 years old. Here are some other gaming statistics:

• 67% of US households own a device used to play video games.
• 54% of gamers say that video games connect them with their friends.
• 72% of gamers are 18 or older.
• 18% of gamers play with their parents.
• 52% of gamers are male and 41% are female.
• The average female gamer is 37 years old.
• 45% say it helps their family spend time together.
  
  

How does video gaming fit into the classroom?
There are certain characteristics that video gaming promotes that can be beneficial in an educational setting. Video games generate conditions that encourage players to “stay in the game,” such as enjoyment, interest, and motivation.
 
In Minecraft, one of the most popular games on the market, players build in a "sandbox" environment with 3D cubes. Minecraft's educational site has brought a school version of the game to classrooms that allow educators to connect and to use Minecraft as a platform for learning.
 
Tips for Parents
 The world of video gaming grows exponentially each year. As a parent, remember to set guidelines, be informed, and monitor your child. The following tips will help you determine boundaries:

• Keep screen time to healthy limits, and limit the weekday usage to minimal or weekends only. Use an alarm feature to keep to the allotted time.
• Know your child’s screen name and passwords.

• Offer your child non-gaming suggestions, such as LEGOS, puzzles, graphic novels, art projects, board games, or physical activity. Even better, spend 15 minutes with your child working on a puzzle or building with LEGOs. Set the expectation ahead of time that you will spend 15-20 minutes on an activity with your child; building this connection will go a long way.
• Model the behavior you desire—if you are constantly looking at your phone or tablet, you are setting the expectation that this behavior is acceptable. You also need to learn when it is time to unplug.
• Set up a “free screen zone” area, such as the dinner table. Have this rule apply to everyone in the family.
• “Park” the tablet/phone/computer long before bedtime so your child has non-screen time before sleeping and the temptation to play is removed.
• And, most importantly, remind your child that gaming, like other forms of entertainment, is a privilege, not a right.