It’s fair to say that gaming is a popular hobby for many people across the world, and it’s even a good way to connect with your kids if they’re invested into it also. However, it’s always important to remember that gaming is not real life, even if the real world can sometimes feel like a game with the various systems and processes we need to manage.
For this reason, teaching your kids to appreciate this medium while also practicing self-restraint as necessary can only be a good thing. But being able to do that is also a somewhat tough parenting task. After all, a child might love their gaming time and feel unhappy when they need to go and do chores, or perhaps you just don’t want them to waste time and not attend to their real-life duties like homework.
Either way, you may find some value in the following advice below. This way, you can more easily instill healthier gaming habits in your children, to make sure it’s a net positive as opposed to a net negative in your life.
With that in mind, please consider:
The Types Of Games You Recommend
Games come in every flavor these days, with some treaining problem-solving and collaboration. Others are mostly about fast reaction times or the thrill of competition, be that through sports or some kind of battle. But it’s also true that many are now creative tools disguised as games, such as crafting experiences, city builders and more. Those are certainly a great set of games to recommend, even if you do like your war campaigns.
It’s worth taking a look at what kinds of games your child is drawn to and why. If they love stories, there are narrative-driven games that are worthwhile, such as those released by Naughty Dog. If they’re more focused on tactics then wider games or city planners can be helpful.
There are many excellent publications out there like IGN or Gamespot that offer yearly breakdowns of the best titles released that year, so don’t be afraid to check them out and see what would be most conducive to healthy gaming time!
Shared Gaming Time
Playing together now and then is an easy way to stay involved with the hobby instead of having it as only something “your kids do.”. You don’t have to be good at it, of course, you just need to be present.
Letting your child teach you a game they love can healthily show you’re interested, and that way they don’t need to feel like it’s an indulgence to feel bad about. In other words, their gaming time will become a shared space, rather than a siloed activity that only happens behind closed doors. You can keep a closer eye on the material they’re experiencing that way!
Puzzles & Brain Teasers
Not every game needs to be played on a console or a gaming PC, but it feels like in the modern marketplace that’s what “gaming” now means. But there are other options that remain worthwhile such as board games, puzzles, brain teasers and card games that all offer a slower, more tactile way to play.
These can be especially useful for children who tend to race through digital games or get frustrated after long sessions. A fun game of solitaire, taking it in turns with your kids, can be a great time, and by that metric, more than enough.
Parental Controls & Time Allotments
It’s easier to relax when you know there’s already a structure in place and that your children have a routine you’ve approved for them to follow. Setting up parental controls can help manage how long your child plays, when they play, and what kind of games they have access to. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gives you a foundation, and most modern consoles have these systems baked in for parents.
Setting those helpful boundaries around game time helps take the emotion out of the moment and if a child has a tough time moderating themselves, you can be sure these systems are more likely to do it for you. This way, if a session ends because the agreed timer goes off, there’s less room for negotiation or tension. It becomes part of the routine, not a punishment.
Earning Game Time & Saving For New Titles
When gaming becomes a reward, it gains a different kind of value. Linking screen time to daily tasks can help build better habits around responsibility and shows that fun comes after the daily tasks are done, which is generally a lesson we need to learn as we get older, because no adult who has to pay their way can avoid going to work to play games no matter how much they want to, unless they want to get that eviction notice later in the month.
A bit of extra effort on homework, chores finished without needing to be asked twice, kindness to siblings, all of this can contribute if you think it’s helpful. Just make sure the effort was sincere, of course. Whatever makes sense for your household.
Being Shown That Wonderful World By Your Kids
Children are often proud of the games they love, and as such when you show interest, they light up, and they explain the mechanics or walk you through the characters. They want to share the things that made them laugh or the parts they found tough, or how they finally won a difficult level. It’s nice to engage with this because after all, while gaming is recreation,it can give us great experiences we want to share with others. So, let them share it! It makes the hobby feel a lot healthier when you know it’s being truly enjoyed.
With this advice, you’ll no doubt inspire healthier gaming habits in your children. It all begins with your values and the measures and practices you deem to be most important. If you’re measured and don’t make gaming a point of contention in your house, you’ll have allowed it to remain a healthier pastime for all.
