It seems that some controversies will never end.
When I was young this very same question loomed in the mind of my parents and
now, a parent myself, I also limit the amount of time that my children are
allowed to play video/computer games. I suspect that previous generations had
the same concerns regarding television and before that, radio.
So is there a definite answer as to how much time a
day a child should be allowed to waste time on such frivolous activities?
Actually, no, but according to most experts there are some concrete benefits
for children that play today’s electronic games. Indeed there are studies that
show certain video games can improve a child’s hand to eye coordination,
enhance their problem solving skills and even improve the mind’s ability to
process information more quickly. This being said, too much time being spent in
this way also has negative side effects.
Obviously, pushing the button of a controller is not
the best physical exercise a young person can get and does nothing to improve
his/her social skills when interacting with other children. And what about time
away from friends? Social interaction is extremely important if young people
are to learn how to get along well with others and no video game is going to
teach this basic life skill. Also, some studies have shown that children that
play violent video games show more aggression towards others than children that
do not.
There is also the obvious fact that more important
activities simply won’t get done if the child wastes too much time playing
their favorite games such as homework, household chores, etc. The bottom line
is that even too much of a good thing can be bad.
Use your common sense and teach your child to have a
proper balance in life. “All things in moderation” is not bad advice and the
sooner that your child learns that there is a time and place for certain
activities, the better prepared he/she will be for the responsibilities that
come with adulthood.
For what it’s worth, no more than 2 hours a day seems to
be a fairly common limit that parents place on video games although some allow
even less time to play. How much time do you allow for your children to play
video games each day?
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