Can Video Games Have A Positive Influence On Your Child?
We’ve all read about the negative influence video games can have on our children, but are there any positive aspects to the art of gaming? Let’s set the record straight and find out.
The media in general loves to paint a stereotypical picture of an obese, hollow-eyed, and slack-jawed child sat motionless in a darkened room with their thumbs frantically twitching. Quite naturally, the fragile attention span of the aforesaid kid is always solely occupied by the garish violence and fantastic flicker emitting from the TV screen as they push buttons and indulge in mindless orgies of death and destruction courtesy of the latest video game.
We’ve all heard the arguments. Video games rot the brain, lead to pathetic addiction, social isolation, the retardation of the imagination and in some cases extreme anti-social behavior. Obviously there is a strong case for not allowing your child to play adult-themed games such as any in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, and no-one wants their little one to turn into a video game junkie incapable of separating reality from fantasy. However, ruling out video games completely from your child’s cultural diet can do more harm than good. And here’s why.
Games for Brains
According to a growing number of scientists and psychologists, video games can help boost your child’s intellect. Sounds crazy right? But look at it this way. The brain is a muscle and anything capable of giving it a strenuous workout is a positive thing. The popularity of educational games has soared in both the children and adult’s market in recent years as more and more people become wise to the fact that gaming makes you brainy. cfvdey6rde4
The Skill Factor
Let’s face it, how many of us have watched our kids playing games and thought, “How did they just do that?” Games have come a long way since Space Invaders and Pac-man. These days, games for kids are really complicated and take a lot of skill to master. If your problem solving skills and logical reasoning is a little rusty or your hand-eye coordination, and motor and spatial skills are out of whack then your chances of survival in the world of the young gamer are pretty remote.
A Basic Education
Through on screen instructions and scoring systems, video games can help your child brush up on their reading and math skills. Other basic skills that games can teach your child are the importance of having long-term goals, perseverance, pattern recognition, strategical planning, navigation and memory skills. When played online or with friends, the value of teamwork and cooperation are also readily absorbed by your child.
Where will it Lead?
Only a fool would doubt that certain games sharpen your child’s reactions and refine their eye-hand coordination. Video games train the brain to make quick decisions, react quickly and cope cooly in stressful and unexpected situations. Many games require flexibility, fast analysis and a change of tactics to meet ever-changing scenarios. Sounds almost like the requirements for a professional and challenging career doesn’t it?
Get in on the Action
Rather than frown upon the time your child spends playing video games, show an interest and try to join in. Sharing this experience with your child will give you a better understanding of their skills and talents and will reinforce the natural bond that the two of you share. Always remember, if learning is fun then learning is effective. Video games can teach your child a myriad of skills in an effortless way because they manage the cool and enviable trick of keeping them both entertained and motivated. Which of course encourages your child to keep on practicing until they can be the best that they can be.
The Game of Life
Believe it or not, video games can give your child a solid start in life by equipping them with self-confidence and self-esteem. With every challenge overcome in a game, their confidence will grow and they can easily adapt this approach to real life. The opportunity video games give your child to make decisions which decide their fate in the game universe can also not be underestimated.
Cause for Concern
Many parents are concerned that when their child plays games they are inactive for long periods of time. Yet as long as you monitor the games your child plays and the hours spent doing so, and ensure they spend more time interacting with other children, reading books and playing sports, then there should be no real cause for concern and your child can continue to enjoy a healthy relationship with video games.
[Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images]
