#Every day I remember that minecraft three body problem exists and I go a little more insane

[oscargender]

“There’s no good three body problem adaptation” wrong. Minecraft Three Body Problem attack

[lizord-lord]

The Invisible Language

(This is a vent fic. I was struggling with having to dump a friend yesterday and it got me dwelling on my social struggles..and so I tried my hand at actually writing a fic to project all my problems through! XD)

(For anyone who doesn’t know, I have autism-Aspergers specifically, and I totally 100% headcanon Logan as an aspie. I have this post detailing why. So..for those of you who also stan autistuc Logan (and maybe a bit of ADHD Roman) here is this, me basically throwing my entire life story on our poor nerd and I am so sorry but also not XD. Also, the book I mentioned is very real, and I actually own it. It’s really useful, if a bit dated and heteronormative)

Warnings: Descriptions of sensory overload (similar to a panic attack) social struggles, very brief mention of selfharm, mentions of fistfights and minor physical violence.

Ships: none, but you can probably see my logicality heart in there lmao

The Invisible Language.

It was all just so complicated now.

Or rather, now he knew how complicated it was.

Before, Logan had always just thought he was bad with people. That was fine. It fit, with his habit of staying inside with his nose in a book. The socially awkward, introverted nerd who wasn’t good with kids.

It was simple.

But that’s the thing. Life isn’t simple. And neither was Logan. Even as a six year old.

The socially awkward, introverted nerd, from what he’d seen on tv, would have cried or just silently tried to make due when another kid ‘accidentally’ spilled tomato juice all over his copy of Alice in Wonderland. Logan Sanders leapt from his desk, grabbed the kid’s wrist, and yanked him down so his head smashed into the wood.

The socially awkward one was laughed at. Logan was sent to the office.

Time and time again this would happen. Until he turned eight, and his parents pulled him out of school. He was homeschooled after that, and it was simultaneously like a breath of fresh air and entering a stifling hot room. He was free of the children, free to discover on his own, but he found himself itching for more, to ask questions about things his parents could answer, to do projects he’d heard about online but often ended up screaming in his attempts to recreate them because it wasn’t explained, why this, why that, how do I do that, it doesn’t make sense!!

Homeschooling was a blessing and a curse. He made due. He did well in fact, almost all of his online courses were marked complete with a neat 100 for the score. It was enough for them, but not for him.  Eight year old Logan hated it. Ten year old Logan was used to it.

Eleven year old Logan dug his heels into it.

Middle school. His parents wanted to send him back. He understood their reasoning, the rational half of his brain did. Middle school was a big change, adolescence, and the middle ground before high school, which he always knew he would be going to-you can’t get college credit from online courses and library books after all, not the ones he was using. It would give him time to prepare. And yet he was a creature of habit, so used to his solitary life..

Logan has no choice however.

On the first day he stepped inside, armed with only the knowledge of American Girl books he’d skimmed through (who cared if they were meant for girls, they didn’t write helpful guides for boys!) and distant memories of elementary school. The first weeks went by as a blur, and Logan ate it up. The assignments, the grades, the smirk he always found himself wearing when he placed his assignments in the bin. That triumph didn’t even compare to the rush of pride and satisfaction he felt when the teacher told the class that he test they’d been given was apparently too hard, many kids failed and only one student actually got a perfect score, and his paper was handed back with a 100 written on the top.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t hold the paper up a bit and catch the eyes of the numerous people who stared at him with no surprise in their eyes.

Logan even found friends in those first few weeks. A darkly dressed kid who, much like him, never really knew where to go during paired projects and ended up working with him. He found that Virgil was actually very bright, a relief when he looked around the room to see people talking and not doing anything useful. The pale boy was quiet, but listened as Logan chattered away about his  plans for the assignment.

Patton was next, a round-faced boy who seemed to share at least a few words with everyone he saw. Logan didn’t mind that. He wasn’t a lazy student, maybe a bit easily distracted, but when he was sat next to Logan in science his work quality was always at least a solid B, as long as he was shushed every now and again. He seemed better with people too, and Logan found himself enjoying his company.

Then there was Roman. He was introduced to their little trio by Patton, who apparently shared a drama class with the tanned boy. He was..a handful. And yet Logan found himself challenged by him. Their friendship was an unusual one, full of debates that more often than not ended in yelling, but at least they started off with intelligent points and interesting ideas-and if often Patton had to break off their passion so neither of them landed with lunch detention, well that was the price to pay.

He was enjoying himself here.

Then the second month. Logan remembered where he was when a redheaded girl told him he was wrong in that ‘you’re a moron’ tone when he told her that actually, the word for the study of space was astronomy, not astrology. When a boy in a green sweater had blatantly ignored him when he asked him to stop scooting his chair across the hard floors. When an entire group of people had continued to call him Logie even though he’d told them over and over he hated it. Many of them seemed to do it just because it annoyed him. This went on. Every day another simpleton would disrespect him. Every day he’d tell him to stop. Often he’d snap at them, or swear. That always got him snickers in return. And Logan found himself clenching his fists as his whole body burned red hot.

It happened again a week after this started. A boy with a Minecraft t-shirt cut him off in the lunch line, and when Logan told him to go to the end, the boy only scoffed and responded with “Are you in kindergarten?” in a tone that made his blood boil with how fucking snotty it was.

Logan’s hand was fisted in the back of that obnoxious t-shirt and pulling back with all its might before he could think.

The boy ended up on the floor crying, and Logan ended up suspended.

There were more incidents that year. Mostly yelling or swearing, but minor physical violence was not unheard of. It was common even.

Logan didn’t want that. He wanted to be cool, to drop the bullies and idiots with bullets of intelligence from his tongue, but everything he tried a witty comeback they’d give him either confused looks, no acknowledgement as all, or retort with ‘Your mom’ jokes, a sort of ‘insult’ that required barely a single brain cell to perform.

They never listened. They were stupid, childish, disrespectful. Logan stuck only to his three friends and the many teachers he’d grown quite friendly with, They liked him after all, he was precocious and that was something teachers always found fun. with adults, he also found he could make himself actually heard, his theories, ideas, suggestions, it was a glorious freedom he had previously only had with Patton, Roman, and Virgil.

But things didn’t get that much better.

In fact, in seventh grade Logan found his outbursts getting worse. They were farther and fewer between, but the eventual rage that would explode was far worse than before. It was like the dam that held back his rage had grown stronger, but that meant it took more water to barrel it over, and that sent far more devastating floods down the peaceful valley of his mind.

In eighth grade, he got into a fistfight with a boy who had called Roman gay as an insult, not knowing that it was true or that the word should not be used in such a manner. When the boy refused to listen to Logan’s explanation of what the word meant and instead switched tracks to scoffing every time he said it was a normal and perfectly acceptable, beautiful thing. And by the time the midget of a bigot tossed in the dreaded f-slur Logan’s mind was so crimson he only felt a rush of relief when his fist connected with the boy’s head.

It was two weeks of suspension for that. And it was during that time that Logan’s mother revealed something to him that he had never expected.

Tales of his childhood-or babyhood rather, where he had exhibited strange behaviors no other parent seemed to have seems.

“I think you might have Aspergers,” she had said.

And now, here he was. He couldn’t believe it had taken her this long to tell him of her suspicions. But now Logan was sitting on his bed, the blanket covered with constellations, staring at the cover of a book.

It was a familiar scene.

But this wasn’t a book chosen by Logan’s own hand, or by the school, or even a recommendation from his parents or a loan from his younger sister Abby.

It had been gifted to him by the man at the Autism Center.

The Asperkid’s Secret Guide to Social Rules.

He’d read the whole thing.

Before, he’d thought he was just awkward.

But no. Of course it couldn’t be that simple. It wasn’t that he just didn’t know that w to say. He was. missing an entire way of communicating that people his mind now knew as ‘neurotypicals’ spoke in without realizing it.

The secret language. Body language, facial expressions, tone, he knew that all existed yes..but he’d never seen it. At least not in the subtleties the book described. And all these double meanings of phrases? So the dark-skinned girl who had asked him what he was reading during math class didn’t want to just read the back and learn Sherlock Holmes’ latest mystery? She’ wanted to get to know him?

Why didn’t she just say so!

It was so much more complicated now. The vague, yet simple term of ‘weird’ was replaced by the vast, yet specific, confusing, and multifaceted word that was autistic. A word he’d never have expected to apply to him. Mental health went really a subject he’d looked into, feelings were too wound into it.. and feelings had always been his greatest vice.

So now, with that book in his hand, he thought.

There was a whole other world he couldn’t see..that’s what he had been missing all this time? was the specific shifts in tone in posture people made-what he’d always thought to be absently-something his parents expected him to understand and that was why he always seemed to have to be elbowed when running his mouth?

It was like….like telepathy. Yes, to Logan, the cues he now found himself putting extra effort into finding; his sister’s slightly hunched shoulders at the dinner table, his dad’s slightly turned up nose when he mentioned his history teacher, were a sort of telepathy that the ‘normal’ population all shared. But it wasn’t as if it was that simple. Of course, it was tauntingly, agonizingly complicated. You see, these people were all telepaths, sharing cues in an invisible tongue-and yet, none of them knew they were telepathic. And yet still, they all expected everyone else to be.

So that was why he was strange. Logan had looked up how much of communication was non-verbal - he felt his eyes go wide when he saw the percentage dedicated to ‘body language’.

Fifty-eight percent.

Fifty-eight percent.

What else could he have missed?

Logan was both happy and uncomfortable with the diagnosis. He now knew terms, words, blessed reasons for his little ticks, why he felt like something was terribly wrong for at least an hour just because he’d had to take an alternate route to school (routine disruption), why was such a picky eater (finickiness caused by sensitivity to textures and certain flavors/smells), why people always responded with confusion whenever they saw him pepper the science teacher with question after question, challenge after challenge like he was trying to understand how the universe wove itself in the span of five minutes, and looked surprised when Roman asked him if he knew why Patton was being quiet. Logan had responded with a simple no, informing the other that Patton hadn’t told him-and when the slightly taller boy had suggested that he ask, Logan realized the thought had never occurred to him.

Most importantly, it explained what Roman had dubbed ‘The Fitness Fiasco’. To sum it up, Logan had thought of a new game for their groups to play in gym class—something besides basketball for once in their lives, and yet as he tried to explain, the girl who seemed to have taken charge of the group he was trying to explain the idea to kept talking over him, ignoring him, challenging what he said—and the noise. The noise, how all the chattering and the sound of balls bouncing on the floor, the rage he felt at being slighted in this way, how it had attacked him. How he’d suddenly found himself tensing, wanting to run or to yell, unsure which, how the sound turned solid and pressed in-his muscles going taut, his hands twitching with every word from the students mouths,  how his arm violently jerked away as Patton tried to comfort him- And then the scream. He’d screamed at the top of his lungs for quiet, falling to the ground and sobbing in the fetal position—eyes screwed shut behind his glasses and hands clamped tight to his ears, unsure of what was even falling from his mouth aside from the fact that he was begging, begging for silence. It had only quieted a bit as people turned to stare, and then he’d felt hands on his shoulders, ones he jerked away from—but no one knew what to do. Virgil’s low whispers for him to breathe, to use the 4-7-8 method that the emo always used to calm his own panic attacks, was only met with more incoherent begging for silence. It had been Patton who rescued him, who brought the teacher over and ended up guiding the sobbing Logan to an empty classroom. There he had been met with silence. There he felt his terrified bawling turn to weeping with relief. In the silence, he’d recovered, his muscles lost the tension, and he allowed the freckled boy to wrap him in a hug.

He’d only been able to call it a panic attack before. But now he knew the term. Sensory overload, brought on my the noise and the stress.

It had been a relief just to know that. To know that in moments when he stood among too many people, feeling his muscles clench as their shoulders brushed his, that his hands should not go out to push them away, but to his ears, to block out the trigger.

It became a cue, when debates with Roman got heated—they were friends after all, if rivals as well, and it was understood that if Logan’s jaw suddenly clenched and his hands went up to cover his ears, they had to pause for at least a minute.

But of course, knowing where the holes in his social skills were led to Logan compensating, and it didn’t..always feel natural. He found himself staring at people, trying to read their faces, for a little too long on many an occasion, or overreacting to something because he’d overanalyzed the tone. He found himself having to bite his tongue on many an occasion to keep himself from simply explaining why he did what he did to his parents, who would only take it as making excuses.

It was a balance of the good, the bad, and the ugly. He understood now that his all-or-nothing attitude was why he found himself simply not doing projects if he couldn’t grasp the material—and this led to him having to more often than not, swallow his pride and ask for help when he was getting frustrated. Yet the same black-and-white philosophy got him gasps of shock from Roman when he explained that, in the story Roman had been iterating to him, the whole second half of the plot could have been avoided if Leealli had simply decapitated Sorcerer Kai while they were trapped in her dungeon. Roman had protested, saying it would make her just as terrible as they, but Logan had frowned, explaining that yes, the act was cruel, but if a single act of evil by her direct hand was all it took to stop countless others by her indirect hand, wasn’t it worth it?

But he had also been the one to convince Patton not to remain friends with Oliver, when one day, sitting on the cotton candy clouds that patterned Patton’s quilt, the smaller boy had confided in him that Oliver had vented about his habits of self-harm to the kind soul for three hours the night previous, yet refused any help Patton gave, shot down any attempt at saying he was worth more than he thought.

It was Logan who had took Patton’s hand and told him that people like that could only be helped by themselves and a therapist, that he should not take it upon himself to bear others’ problems in that way. Who had given him a hesitant hug and told him that his mental health was just as important as theirs.

His friends were his lifeline. Maybe they tripped him up—well, they definitely did, yet as much as he found himself apologizing to Virgil for seeming angry when he was simply tired and being a bit blunter and more insensitive with his words than usual (not that he usually was tactful or sensitive when it came to criticism, even constructive criticism) he found himself sighing in relief as the anxious boy shared with him his own experiences in worrying about the negative undertones in the words of others too much to be considered healthy. They would sit and talk about it, the same experience for two different reasons, one of them due to the irrational fear of people disliking him or being angry, and the other due to worrying he was doing something incorrectly that he was not aware of, failing to pick up on a crucial piece of information.

As much as Logan found himself and Roman butting heads, even shouting at each other during friendly debates gone sour, name-calling and snapping fault after fault, he reflected fondly on the time he had been ecstatic to discover that Roman’s own ADHD-riddled brain hyperfixated on Disney just as his own did on Sherlock, and they would both go on for hours about their obsessions while sadly recalling how old interests had faded.

As much as he often found himself hurting Patton unintentionally, and even worse, learning that Patton had been hiding that fact from him for weeks as to spare his feelings, as difficult as it was to convince (well, more plead with) Patton to tell him these things, as he wouldn’t be offended much and he had no other way of knowing what he was doing wrong, he found himself sitting by his side, all attention completely fixated on what to him were mindblowing truths about people and yet seemed common, boring knowledge to Patton, as the freckled boy explained cues and rules, that invisible language Logan did not speak.

Those friends stuck by him, even though others did not. With all the walls Logan had built up around his emotions, to protect himself and others, few could breach the fortifications—except for those who had already been on the inside as he built them. And he was fine with that.

Going to a therapist was...awkward at first, but it helped. Mr. Picani understood his aversion to talking of his feelings, and instead cleverly tricked him every time, asking questions about events until Logan was off on an angry rant. With that expelled, they’d talk through possible solutions.

He kept the book. And most of the other books he was given on the topic, eager to learn and understand more things about himself, knowing the reasons behind behaviors, quirks in things had always been one of his favorite things, and now he found it was possible in people.

As Logan worked through his discovery during the last semester of eighth grade and through that summer, with his Virgil, Patton, Roman, his parents, Mr. Picani, and occasionally even his rainbow-haired little sister, he found his mind shifting. He was truly calm now more often than not, able to express his rationale...well, rationally, rather than through insults. His debates grew calmer, and while he certainly had his slip-ups..he was improving. Slowly. Steadily.

His viewpoint of the world was unusual, like an outsider, and while that could be isolating, if he explained it well, people were often interested to hear it. It was different, his own; the metaphor Logan found himself using was that everyone else was a Macintosh computer, and he and his fellow spectrumites were PCs, capable of all the same things, though in ways the world was not wired to accommodate. Also, clearly superior in many a way.

His core programming was different, even if his exterior seemed the same, and Logan was okay with that. He’d never know the invisible language, not as a native would, but he could learn it—the same way he learned slang, through help, a lot of online research, his friends, and some study notes here and there.

It was complicated, they way he figured things out, the systems he’d devised. But complicated problems would never be solved with simple solutions.

And he still had plenty of time left to learn.

(Thanks to @poisonedapples for betaing this and basically screaming RELATABLE every two second, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear!)

(...I don’t really have a general fic taglist so imma just- y e a here)

Tags: @royallyanxious @whatwashernameagain @sandersmarvel @the-incedible-sulk @supremestoverlord @hanramz-the-fander @childhood-wishes-and-dreams @ultimate-queen-of-fandoms2 @madly-handsome @galaxy-warping @extremist-water-agenda @ierindoodles @princeanxious

[xtisumi]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Hope you enjoy the long journey that is reading ur bday msg mwhahahaha @aoutd 

*Sorry for this super long post, but this is for you so I know you’re going to appreciate it! Anyways I’m splitting this msg into three parts just because there’s a lot that I have to say and I want to organize it a bit so you could understand it easier! With that being said...

- Part One - 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY dude I’m going to say this a lot throughout the post so sorry if it loses value but IDC I FUCKING LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH. You’re one of the best gifts life could have ever given me. You’re one of the greatest human beings, dude to me you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met and I’m just so fucking grateful that in less than a year we managed to become best friends. You’ve been so amazing to me and sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve you :( However I’ve enjoyed every single second that we’ve hung out. Whether it was watching Haikyuu!! or trolling you in ToS, teaching you how to play golf and later minecraft. Our random playful fights on discord or sitting in a call with you till 5 am just talking. Our first time rocket riding or when you first showed me BTS. I’ve enjoyed every single second being in your comforting presence. I fucking mean it when I say you make me the happiest person alive!!! Hopefully you enjoyed having me in your life :3 DUDE everything about you MAN HOLY FUCKING SHIT just I love everything about you like you truly are one of the most stunning, amazing, dorkiest, prettiest, smartest, strongest people that I know. You deserve the fucking universe and I just like fuck I just wanna wrap my arms around you and bury my head in your shoulders and just cry to you about how much I love you. I wanna feel the warmth of your body and be comforted by your energy and just be there hugging you and not wanting to let go :( I’m so happy we were able to meet and I hope you have the greatest birthday you’ve ever had!!! One day I’ll be there in person for your birthday. 

- Part Two - 

So I want to change the tone up a bit and kind of reflect on some things. If some parts are more serious than gay, I’m sorry but I wanna address some things. First thing I want to mention is that so far we’ve had an amazing friendship, everything about it seems perfect but we’re both mature enough to know even our friendship has flaws. If we want this to last then we both need to be mature about future complications. So far we never really fought or got genuinely mad at each other and I really hope it stays that way but like I said we’re both mature enough to understand that there will be times where we fight or argue and may cause problems. I’m bringing this up because the easy part was getting to that bff level while now the hard part is ensuring we last forever. I have faith that if fights occur we both will act like adults and own up to our actions and we get through any altercations that can cause turmoil between us. Dude ily and this friendship too much to see it end over pity shit so here’s to us working any trouble out together as adults <3 Now I wanna just talk about what you and your presence have meant to me. Kelly you’re by far one of the best things to ever happen to me. In every aspect you’re just too amazing and stunning and it’s just sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve you in my life. You’re one of the best humans on this planet and you’re fr a God. I love everything that you and your friendship has bestowed onto my life. You have no idea how grateful I am to have met you and how lucky I am to be living at the same time as you. Dude I’m serious you have made me cry in private because of just all the feelings I have for you. I love you so fucking much that it pains my heart and at times at night I cry because you simply exist. Not to get emo but I fear not death itself but what follows death... The earth is 4.5 billion years old and I only lived 20 years of that and I don’t remember the moment when I took my first breath. So when I die will I even remember my life? Will everything be blank and my existence transcend beyond this realm and into an empty void? This scares me because when I die I might forget you and my own life. I only have one life to live and I just so happened to have fallen in love with you. Now I know you just want to be friends and I respect that but the reason I’m saying all of this is because even as friends please let us make lifetime memories that I can cherish even in my final moments. I don’t want to ever forget you but if death causes us to forget each other and the life we lived then please let me have more memories with you. For about one year worth of being friends, we made some amazing personal memories and I really want to continue making new ones. You became a big aspect of my life now so I don’t want to feel like there’s things that we weren’t able to do. Another thing is we really got to meet up soon. Before 2018 I asked if you saw us meeting irl and you said probably. I never brought it up the subject that we should meet especially throughout the summer since tbh I’m not ready to meet you and also the vibes you give off rn makes it seem that you would see it more of a drag. Hopefully in 2019 we do meet up and you feel so excited to the point you’re running through people just to get to me :3 Seriously I want you to show me Chicago because I hardly explored it myself. Also I promised your little angel of a sister that when I meet you I was going to give you the painting I made for her ^~^ speaking of your siblings (you should feel more happier than I should) but I’m glad CoolGuy and your sister actually love me. It fr warms my heart knowing that they like me and even though I don’t know your other brother, I hope he sees me in the same way that your other siblings do :D I wanna meet your little sister one day and give her the warmest hug ever dude she fr an angel and I love her so much and even though she already knows... I want to tell her in person how much I love her older sibling Kel

- Part 3 -  

Okay sorry switching the tone a bit or whatever. Part One being that standard gay msg you’re familiar with and Part Two being some weird shit idek. So for this final part, I wanna just make this something that can bring the biggest smile on your face!!! What better way to approach it by stating that I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH IT ACTUALLY HURTS MY HEART ON GOD. I love that you’re a dork, I love your stupid giggle when we talk, I love making you smile, that damn fucking smile is something I will see with my own two eyes, I love your cheesy jokes/remarks, I love your personality, I love the fact we’re so similar and how we can relate to each other. You’re seriously the best fucking friend I could ever ask for and I’ll always cherish this bond that I was able to make with you dude. I’m never going to find someone else like you. Okay time for some cheesy lines to make you do that damn adorable giggle 

- If you were a flower, you’d be a sunflower (my fav flower and it shows that you’re my sun ^~^)

- If you were a book, I’d never put u down jk I’ll slam u on my desk and read u all night long LMFAO jkjk

- If you were a restaurant, you’re ass would fr be a 5 star one cause GODDAMN you’re a whole ass meal. Like the gods fr ain’t have to go all out on creating u :p the fact ur single is fr the 8th wonder of the world

- If I was able to listen to your voice at night, I’d finally be able to sleep with your monotone ass voice LMFAO jkjk I love hearing that warming and comforting voice. Not to be thirsty on main but like I’d fr would love to be in your arms and have you talk with that lovely voice and help me sleep :( 

Dude I’m fr so blessed to have met you and I’m just the happiest when I’m with you. Being fr posts like these could never fully grasp how much I actually love you and I just wish for the best for you! I fucking can’t wait to see how successful you’re going to become. You work so damn hard and I’m so fucking proud of everything you’ve achieved so far dude I know this is a weird request but please let me, if possible, be invited to your college graduation :( Like I want you to come to mines as well dude but yeah I want to be there in person and just see your little ass walk on that stage and get the diploma and degree that you’ve spent hours busting ur ass off for. I would fr cry dude being serious like that’s my little Kells, everyone look at them look at how amazing they are :’) Hopefully you love this message and also I hope you do have an amazing birthday <333333 One day I will fill that void in your life and tell you in person how much I love you

Believe it ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️     

*U call me Naruto from time to time so here’s a perfect gif of how I would actually be irl smiling at ur beautiful ass <3

[dorothyd89]

A Nerd&rsquo;s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

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[fitnetpro]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids published first on http://ift.tt/2kRppy7

[ruthellisneda]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

[albertcaldwellne]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

[johnclapperne]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

[neilmillerne]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

[joshuabradleyn]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

[almajonesnjna]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

[sportsandfitnessinfo]

New Post has been published on http://fitnessandhealthpros.com/fitness/a-nerds-guide-to-gaming-with-kids/

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

Originally at :Blog – Nerd Fitness Written By : Dan

[dorothyd89]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

http://ift.tt/2mSI3EQ

http://ift.tt/2nmxfS0

http://ift.tt/2npsVS4

[dorothyd89]

A Nerd&rsquo;s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

http://ift.tt/2m4LVW7

http://ift.tt/2mSI3EQ

http://ift.tt/2nmxfS0 http://ift.tt/2npF89k

[dorothyd89]

A Nerd&amp;rsquo;s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

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[dorothyd89]

A Nerd’s Guide to Gaming with Kids

This is an article from Rebel Correspondent and Parenting and Mental Health Wizard, Dan.

Back in the early 90’s my older brother and I were playing Dragster on the Atari 2600 when our father walked in and looked over our shoulders for a minute. We expected the typical, “Alrighty boys, time to do something else,” but to our surprise, for the first time we got, “It’s my turn next.”

I remember him fumbling with the controller, blowing the Dragster’s engine several times, and explaining to us the best timing for gear changes.

The reason this sticks in my memory so clearly is because we were spending time together, learning and enjoying something different that we all loved.

Because home video games were so foreign to my father’s generation, gaming with your children was never seen as an acceptable pastime and way to spend with your kids.

However, those of us who grew up playing the Atari, NES and Genesis have come to see videogames, if facilitated properly, as another way to bring together generations and create some quality bonding time.

Like a lot of Rebels, I have always loved video games, and now that I’m a father to three, I’m beginning to see the wonderful benefits, along with the dangerous pitfalls, that gaming with my children has to offer.

Gaming and kids can be a controversial topic for parents – some are all for it, while others are dead against it. So today we’re going to weigh up benefits and problems on this issue, to help you make your own educated decisions with when it comes to your own kids, nephews and nieces, or any other children, be it now or in the future.

GOOD GAMING

If we believe what we’ve heard from the media since the release of Mortal Kombat (wow, was it really 1992?), video games are literally the worst thing ever for anyone under the age of 21. However, when we dig a little deeper, lots of actual research indicates that it may not all be gloom and DOOM (get it?).

Research has established that under the right circumstances, video games can be very beneficial to your child’s developmental, educational, social and emotional needs.

Now, whether it’s beneficial will depend on certain factors:

how much time your child spends gaming

what type of games your child plays

why your child is playing games

if they are playing alone or with someone

Developmentally, video games can improve your child’s:

hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

problem-solving, strategy and planning, decision-making and logic skills

ability to set and achieve goals and time management skills

Emotionally, video games may help them feel:

less stressed – video games can be a way to manage mood or ‘let off steam’

capable of doing something well – their self-esteem can grow as their skills as a gamer does

connected to other people – particularly with online play (more about that later)

Socially, games may help a child:

strengthen existing friendships and make new ones – both online and IRL

learn to play fairly and take turns – (a concept my kids have yet to learn, unfortunately)

feel closer to family and friends – especially when you all play games together.

Video games can have some educational benefits too. These include helping your child get better at:

remembering things and critical thinking – I know the power of memory and video games personally; the Konami Code has been etched in my brain for decades

recognizing and understanding visual information

understanding concepts like mathematics, learning new words, navigation, and more.

All these things aside, the reason I, and many other parents, play video games with their children is because it’s an awesome bonding experience.

Researchers from Arizona State University explain,“Parents miss a huge opportunity when they walk away from playing video games with their kids….often parents don’t understand that many video games are meant to be shared and can teach young people about science, literacy and problem solving.

Gaming with their children also offers parents countless ways to insert their own ‘teaching moment’.”

Gaming with kids certainly has its benefits in terms of development and creating some special time between you and the kids. There’s nothing like multiplayer Mario Kart family nights, coaching your child through a level you learnt at their age, seeing their face light up as they conquer a difficult challenge, or just absolutely schooling them in NBA 2K, but there are certainly some downsides when it comes to mixing kids and gaming, so be sure to do so wisely.

BAD GAMING

Like anything, particularly with developing little minds and bodies, gaming should be done in moderation. Issues can certainly arise when kids are spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough time playing outside, getting some exercise, hanging with friends in real life, and just doing regular kid stuff.

We want our children to live their life, not a second life!

Along with the issues that come with inactivity playing video games too much can lead to:

stress

poor performance at school

poor sleep or not enough sleep

mental health problems

and square eyes (according to my mum, an expert in this field who still calls a PS4 ‘The Sega’)

Excessive gaming can be detrimental to developing minds, and we all know how easy it is to get lost in a great game. Who else has ever said ‘I’ll just play for an hour’ and then suddenly it’s next Tuesday? So be sure to supervise younger children and keep tabs of how long older children are gaming.

To avoid this trap, it’s important is being able to provide your child with alternatives to gaming that they find stimulating and engaging that you can do together.

For starters, try:

Board Games

Live Action Role Play

Sports – Take 2K to the driveway

Explore the outdoors

Catch up with families with similar aged children together

Get active – Play, Swim, Jump, Chase, Hide, Seek. Just spend some time being a kid with your kid, you don’t need to overthink it.

Moderation and supervision are the ultimate tools needed here. I’m not going to try and answer the classic ‘how much should my X year old be playing games a week?’ question, because each child is totally different.

There are a range of (widely varying) guidelines available by ‘experts’ on the topic, but I’ve worked with children who play Minecraft for hours on end each day with zero impact on their development or wellbeing whatsoever, and also seen some children’s mental health and school grades deteriorate due to some very casual tablet gaming.

As a rule of thumb, if any aspect of your child’s wellbeing or regular routine is becoming disrupted as a result of gaming, start implementing strategies with them to address these behaviors.

This could be simply setting a gaming schedule or working on a contract together, disabling the wifi after a certain hour, or seeking professional help.

UGLY GAMING

Even as video game lovers and supporters, we can’t deny that there is a really dark side to gaming, and this force can be especially strong on our younger rebels. 

As we gamers know, the media loves to talk about violence in video games. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of violent video games and violence in general, I agree that violent video games are not appropriate for younger children. This is because at a young age, many kids find it hard to tell the difference between fantasy and real-life, and witnessing violent content can not only upset younger children, but impact on their perceptions towards violence in reality.

But for older children…it’s not so clear cut. Once again, our mates ‘The Experts’ can’t seem to all agree on whether violent video games lead to aggression in real life, but I think the vast majority of us who have played a violent video game aren’t planning on shooting up the neighborhood any time soon.

If you’re in doubt about whether a game may be appropriate for your child:

Read some reviews – our favorite source is IGN.com

Watch some Twitch or YouTube gameplay

Even play the game yourself (Any excuse will do, right? After 87 hours of gameplay and selfless research, I have now concluded that Grand Theft Auto V is probably not suitable for my 3 and 5 year olds).

You know your child the best, so do your research and before calling the shots. As with every aspect of parenting, you’re not always going to make the right decision, but that’s all part of the fun (and also why I got to play Mortal Kombat at the age of 7).

If you’re having concerns about the types of games your child is playing, have a talk with them about it. Share your own values, and ask for theirs. Speak with them about how to properly deal with anger, respectful relationships with the opposite sex, and what they’re gaining from gaming.

By showing an interest in their gaming, you can keep a line of communication open, which can be vitally important throughout the adolescent years.

Online Gaming

In addition to violence, in recent years online game play has opened up a whole new can of worms with younger gamers.

As with any social situation bullying can happen online. (Feel free to join any Call of Duty match if you don’t believe me. According to my competitors, my mother has become quite fond of many 14-year old American boys).

Jokes aside, bullying is a real issue with many children and adolescents and if left unnoticed and not dealt with, in extreme circumstances, the consequences can be devastating. Our children can also be taken advantage of in online games via the world of microtransactions and shady game developers deliberately exploiting our children for cash.

I know parents who have installed “Free to Download and Play” children’s’ apps on their tablets, only to receive huge credit card bills the next month because they left their password saved on the device and their child had unknowingly been paying for DLC every few minutes of gameplay. So also be sure to protect yourself in these instances.

As with any online activities, when your child is gaming online, they are interacting with strangers. So ensure your child knows how to stay safe online, and knows they can speak to you about anything they see or hear without getting in trouble.

Finally, we get to the really ugly beast of Gaming Addiction. Games have always been enjoyable and rewarding, they provide us with clear goals, measures of success and achievement.

We as humans love this kind of stuff, but since the instant feedback nature of games works at such a faster time scale than our choices in real life, gaming can also contribute to players (particularly young players) developing addictions if they become the only ways in which a person experiences these rewards and achievements in their life.

Recognizing when the gaming has changed from a form of enjoyment way to meet some or all of these psychological needs is difficult, but if you feel that gaming may be impacting aspects of your child’s (or your) life, start by questioning why this is so and exploring what is missing from their life that is contributing to this.

Yes, there are pitfalls and a big dark side when it comes to mixing games and children, but if we educate ourselves and our children and communicate well, most of this can be counteracted with supervision and moderation.

For starters, try keeping all consoles or devices in a common area of the house. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on the game content and time spent gaming, but it will give you an opportunity to game and interact with each other.

START, PAUSE OR EXIT, IT’S UP TO YOU.

So there we have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now it’s time for you to make your own decisions. Nobody knows your child better than you, and what works for one child may not always work for another.

Educate yourselves, try a few different approaches, know the risks and how to avoid these.  Like a lot of aspects of raising kids, when it comes to video games, the healthiest approach is moderation.

Playing video games in moderation and balancing video games with other activities are the keys to avoiding most problems that can come with gaming.

Any parent quickly realises how little time their kids stay kids, so it’s vital to spend some special time with them doing things you both love. Whether that be gaming or something else, make sure your child is safe and enjoying themselves.

And as a parent to three younger rebels just starting to game, I want to hear from you:

Gaming with kids, yay or nay?

What games do you love playing with your children?

What alternatives to gaming work well for you?

What challenges have you found with kids gaming, and how did you work through it?

Did anyone actually get square eyes in the 90’s?

Let us know in the comments!

-Dan

photo credit: clement127: Sweet family, kid with controller, ps4 controller, greyscale xbox controller, Dan Schmidt.

###

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