Video games are alluring to kids. Why? Because, if you ask me, they show a fake goal being achieved-giving your child the feeling that they really accomplished an amazing goal-beating a hard level or winning the game. I myself don’t have any super modern video game consoles like a wii or x-box. The best I have is a DS, or double screen, but even I still find myself sucked into these electronic games.
Many kids suffer from obesity-it doesn’t help that they sit around all day, inside, face glued to a TV or computer chowing down on snacks that they never burn off. If this is your child, find some way that they can accomplish goals-real goals. Some ideas are sports, volunteering (in many towns there are many community service options like cleaning up forest trails), and even calming activities like yoga.
There are also vast quantities of bloody, gory, games encouraging violence. These games are not appropriate for children; at least until they are old enough to understand that it is not the way that you act in real life. Through friends I have been exposed to a couple of these games that personally gave me nightmares that night. Even though this probably doesn’t need to be mentioned the way you identify a gory game is that the cover has guns on it, while your child is playing it you see heads being blown off, limbs torn off, and people being tortured. I find that the makers of these games work very hard to include as much gore as possible and as much detail in it as possible.
Computer games and games that run with a console are different. It is harder to control the computer games your child plays than other video games. You can control the rights of buying video games and consoles that your child may exercise, by simply looking at the case the game is in and telling them that it is not an appropriate game.
A great way to keep your child from wasting away in front of a screen is to limit your child’s screen time. My parents have set restrictions on computer time-30 minutes each day, broken into 2 fifteen minute periods. This helps me get outside more, read more, and in general, be more productive. Another thing that helps me get out of the house is that I have pet chickens in my backyard. I have to take care of my chickens every day: feeding, giving them fresh water, and fluffing up their hay (not to mention collecting eggs). Once I am done with these chores I give them green leaves that I find and other treats, play with them, and in general have fun with them.
Update: Here’s some information on video game research that everybody should see.