The Internet gaming industry has seen phenomenal growth in the past 10 years and will continue to do so. As game graphics and imagery get more life-like, the games become more realistic, exciting and attractive to young players.
The obsessive nature of game playing eliminates the need for social interaction. As children get drawn into their own "game world" marked only by rapid, repetitive hand actions, no creative thinking can possibly take place. Thus, uncontrolled playing will impair both physical and emotional development. Very often, the sex and violence that underscore the essence of these games are glamorized. Frequent exposure to such games will inevitably desensitize children and raise their acceptance level for violence and sex in real life.
As electronic gaming increasingly becomes an integral part of our lives, there is an urgent need for parental guidance and supervision to make sure that the negative effects are minimized. The key to controlling Internet gaming is management and not an out-right ban. The latter will only make the 'forbidden fruit' seem more attractive and children will end up seeking play outside the house without the parents' knowledge. This is a 'lose-lose' situation that we must avoid.
How do we manage Internet game-playing at home?
Get involved. It is a fact that many parents are not aware of what their children are playing as they rarely and do not play these games with them. Start taking an interest in these games. Start choosing games for your children when they are still young. Shop around or speak to other parents to find out what's available and what's suitable on the market. Always check the game rating before buying any game. The best thing to do with older children who may purchase their own titles or borrow from friends, is to invest some time to play the games with them. By showing an interest in what they like shows your respect for your teenager's choice and helps the bonding process. Besides, it's the only way to find out exactly what they are playing.
Communicate. Talk to your children and let them know the negative aspects of sex and violence. Explain your position on these issues and hopefully inculcate good values in them, which will enable them to make good decisions on their choice of games.
Restrict. Control the time they spend on Internet games. You should limit the time spent on each session as prolonged gaming can consume them and lead to obsessive behaviour. Also, you may allow gaming only on weekends or after homework, etc. Reward good behaviour or work with some free time for gaming. It's a win-win solution.
Restrict the location of game playing to open areas in the house where you can monitor what is being played. Never allow game playing in the bedroom especially behind closed doors.
Encourage. Encourage your children to take an interest in other things other than Internet games. If they show interest in a sport or any other activities encourage and help them to pursue these interests.
At the end of the day, we have to remember and accept the fact that game playing has already entrenched itself as an important part of our children's social life, particularly for boys. It is impossible to shield our children completely from the detrimental effects of gaming. However, in being aware of the dangers and taking positive actions towards moderating these harmful factors, we can hope to mitigate their negative impact on our children
Sharon Ngoi Peck Yong is the Education Director of ASKnLearn Pte Ltd and PAVE Language Centre Pte Ltd. She lectured in the preschool diploma and certificate courses and was formerly a Head of Department in a Primary School. She has written for several parenting and education magazines and has three school-aged children.
Copyright© 2006 ASKnLearn Pte Ltd.
|
