So! The video gaming bug has bitten your youngster or kids. The desire for a video game comes from a variety of sources, including friends, television, or some unidentified airborne pathogen. The most likely scenario is that they’re willing to resort to any and all manipulative tactics in order to win your trust. Consider your options before deciding whether to give them free reign, or if you’ll ground them until college if they mention “Nintendo” or “Mario.” Patience.
There’s a way out of this jam. When it comes to raising a child with a video gaming system in the house, all it takes is a little work and a lot of trust.
Distraction and allure caused by today’s video games are tough to fathom for elementary school students. The most exciting games of my youth couldn’t retain my attention for more than an afternoon on the NES or Sega Genesis. When we weren’t sprinting through the streets, we were throwing pine cones at each other or playing about with a worn-out football.
I’m astonished that our kids aren’t lazy vampires, afraid of the sun and afraid of sweat, because of the power and potential of this generation’s games, the huge worlds they conjure, the immersion and multitude of activities, and all the games-within-the-games. It’s because we’re better parents than we give ourselves credit for, which is one of the reasons. Two, by following our example, children can learn about moderation.
Playing games with your child is the best method to instil a sense of moderation in them. Playing instructional video games with your children is a great way to spend time together.
Because of the prevalence of online gaming, it’s critical that we teach our children that “cookies are a sometimes snack” and “video games are a sometimes activity.” When we’re “Player 2,” either competing or assisting in both traditional and instructional video games, they’re learning first-hand from their parents about the value and fun in moderation from their parents’ perspective.
And the greatest approach to control both play time and dubious content is to partake in the game. You can still be around even if they want to play alone, or if they have reached a point in their lives where gaming with their father is no longer cool.
Allowing children to “cheat” on an instructional video game is another option. When the one-hour time limit comes and goes, I’ll turn my back on anything that teaches math or language skills in a fun, engaging way. The Wii’s “Brain” games are generally easy for my 5-year-old to play for long periods of time.
When it comes to raising children, it’s essential to set boundaries and guidelines and then demonstrate the consequences of disobeying those rules. Dismantling a prized possession, like the Nintendo Wii, and hiding it in a closet as a punishment for breaking the rules leaves an impression on kids. I was really aback by the enthusiasm for the Wii’s small collection of kid-friendly educational games.