What profession / interests is your son or daughter in now cosidering they play videos as a child?
Gathering research on the affects of childhood games. SERIOUS REPLIES only Plz.
What profession / interests is your son or daughter in now cosidering they play videos as a child?
Gathering research on the affects of childhood games. SERIOUS REPLIES only Plz.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
My name is Daniel Crawford.
I started playing video games when I was about 6 years old – the Atari. I have been playing ever since then. During my childhood I played all of the time. I am now a child therapist. I work with emotionally disturbed and behavioral kids. I mainly played sports games though. I played some fighting games growing up however the games werent as violent when I was a child as they are now. I guess mortal combat was the worst back in my childhood days and that is VERY mild compared to now. I still play today but not as much. I am 29 now. Recently I’ve become somewhat bored of video games. Every new game that comes out seems like the old ones with just a little bit better graphics.
As for video games and child development, I really dont see a problem with kids playing as long as they are playing age appropriate ones and also participate in other hands on social activities with other kids. I dont agree with the experts that state that playing video games does not teach social skills. There are many games in which two people can play together. Social skills such as good sportsmanship, learning how to lose, learning how to win without humiliating your opponent is a couple of skills kids can learn while playing. Also research has shown that kids who play video games have better hand/eye coordination.
As for the experts and their negative research, I usually dont put that much weight on people’s opinions who are older than my generation in regards to video game play. Most of these individuals have never given video games a chance and are not technologically advanced as our youth are today. Also, I havent read a research article yet that studied video game play with children that had parents that provided proper boundries in regards to when and what they played and behavioral development. Until that happens, the research is too broad and is useless if you ask me. Sure if you give a kid a video game system without boundries, which most parents do, kids can have problems – thats common sense.
Personally, I believe in balance. There needs to be balance in one’s life. Meaning doing anything in excess is bad in most cases. If a kid plays video games all of the time, it could be harmful in regards to social development, however, moderate play shouldnt be a problem – especially if the games are age appropriate. I think that is the main factor in regards to abnormal child development.
CounselorDan (Child Therapist)
My children are not grown. They are 7 and 9. We got a Play Station in December. We no longer have it. They became like little dug addicted zombies. All they could talk about and think about was coming home to play video games. They became very distant, and if they were told to cut it off for any reason, they became combative. The Play Station was treated as a reward not a right, so when it was taken away for punishment, they would go through some sort of withdrawls. They began fighting constantly. Since we have taken it away, our boys spend more time reading, playing outside, interested in family board games, and interacting with each other in a more healthy way.
Dr. Rosemond has done a lot of research into the effects of children and video games and I’m sure you could get a lot of great info from him.
As for the benefits from playing video games. My children have learned about good sportsmanship and hand eye coordination through baseball, basketball, and other physical sports. They have learned to lose gracefully and be supportive of others through playing group sports and from simply playing games with us.
Although past reasearch has been done by older researchers who did not play video games as children, I find that to be more useful than research done by those that did grow up with them. They aren’t biasised or defensive when it comes to games. They also can look at the differences in children that have played them and those that have not through years of experience.
Too many parents use video games as a babysitter or as a tool to stay uninvolved with their children. And too many people without children will tell you of the benefits, no matter what their professions happen to be. You never truely know how children develop in certain situations until you’ve had children of your own. No text book can teach you how to be a parent or how each child will react.
Good luck in your research!!!
I do not let my 7 year old play video games. I don’t think it’s an appropriate use of time for such a young child.
My boy is 7 and he’s only been playing computer games for a year or two, and he only occasionally plays on a friend’s PlayStation.
I won’t be getting a PlayStation/Wii/whatever for a couple of years as I don’t think they’re appropriate for younger kids… I’d much rather see kids out playing than sitting on the couch.
At this point my boy sort of self-regulates his time on the computer, he’s interested for an hour or so every once in a while, and that’s about it. (When he goes over to his friend’s house, though, they will play as long as they are allowed to, for hours!)
If he was more into it, I’d probably have to regulate it and set time limits. As it is, he still likes playing with Lego and Matchbox cars and other stuff too. I guess I’m lucky!
Well my son is 6 he has had a playstation since he was 4 but never really showed an interest in it until now. But I only let him play for about an hour every day & that’s after he has done his homework & cleaned his room. But I never let him get consumed with it…but when he’s on punishment & I take it away he really don’t care all that much. So it hasn’t affected him at all. My son is an only child so its part of him entertaining himself. He also has a Vsmile & a PSP…u can get fun educational games for ur kids too so video games aren’t all that bad.
Oh & as far as a profession or interest… he’s 6…so right now he wants to be a Soccer Ball player.