If your little girl is while away the evenings at the computer, and deprivation of the console is the worst punishment for him, we have news for you.
It is believed that video games negatively affect the development and psychological state of the child, develop bad inclinations and aggression. But is it really so? A child-gambling addict is not yet a reason for deep feelings, sometimes such a tendency can be called quite positive. Of course, if we are not talking about a deep dependence (which is unlikely to have a younger or middle school student), but about a hobby that you consider excessive. Together with PlayStation specialists and child psychologist Natalya Shamaeva, we decided to figure out whether the devil is as terrible as he is painted.
Play is a creative process. Educators and psychologists have long said: the best way to teach a child something is to present information through play. After all, games contribute to the development of cognitive and creative abilities, improve memory, teach to reasonably assess the situation and make the right decisions, increase reading skills and concentration. Parents who want to get the most out of their child’s hobby need to make sure that their child does not spend all of their free time playing. If you spend no more than one hour a day on games, alternate them with active activities, you can not worry about negative consequences.
The game is a development tool. Any game has certain age restrictions, and it is important to remember that not all of them are suitable for immature minds. However, making sure that children do not have access to inappropriate content, and that the game itself is acceptable for children and is delimited in accordance with the specified rating, you can be sure that it not only does not threaten the risk of injuring the child’s psyche, but can also perform a developmental function. Often, as part of the game, children have to solve riddles, make decisions, build logical chains, and so on. In addition, you can help your child develop through games by starting to fantasize and come up with new game themes. For example, drawing characters and their adventures on paper or sand can be an interesting activity; modeling fantasy worlds from paper, plasticine, fabric, wood, etc.
Play is a way of self-realization. The passion for games in the future can develop into a professional hobby that will open up opportunities for your child in a career in the field of game development. Today he plays with enthusiasm – tomorrow he creates the game himself and conquers new horizons, drawing inspiration from his favorite stories and their creators. The main task of parents is to find the optimal balance and not ignore the ideas and dreams of the child. Try to diversify his free time by providing an opportunity to express yourself not only in the game, but also in more serious activities, whether it be sports circles or art and music schools.
Play is a way to improve family relationships. Contrary to popular belief, play does not provoke violence in children. The real culprits are communication with bad company or family problems. Often the reason for excessive exposure to gambling addiction is the child’s desire to escape from reality, from any existing problems, feelings of anxiety or guilt. If you notice that your hobby for games begins to develop into an addiction – do not rush to immediately burden your child with strict prohibitions and restrictions, do not rush to blame his hobby for all the troubles. Better talk to him and find out what exactly is the real problem: maybe he just lacks basic attention from your side.
With the help of games, you can quickly improve relations in the family: arrange a joint tournament, for example. Choose the game all together – from this you can even arrange a show with a presentation by each family member of the entertainment that he likes. At the same time, the ability to formulate thoughts and confidently speak in public will be improved.
Come up with a reward for the winner. Maybe a pie? Chocolate cup? A certificate for a bookstore or new videos? It all depends on what is most valuable to most of you. Provide consolation prizes. In a word, you just have to get involved, and the whole family is busy with one thing. And isn’t that sometimes so lacking?
Play doesn’t mean lack of control. Thanks to modern technologies, today it is possible to minimize the risks associated with the child’s hobby for games. For example, consoles such as the PlayStation have a useful parental control feature that lets you customize your entertainment experience to suit your individual needs and the needs of your kids. Here you can choose the level of severity of restrictions depending on age, restrict access to the Internet, set a limit on the time a child can spend in the game, and a limit on the amount of money that a child can spend in the process.