Children And Gaming, How Do You Take It?

Many parents will find it more pleasant when their child reads a book two hours a day than when their child is gaming. I myself was regularly guilty of this value judgment about books and games. Of course, I make agreements about how long games can be played per day (not about how long they can read, by the way …), but I do realize that gaming is also very valuable for the relaxation and development of my children. And then I have the ‘normal’ games that serve as relaxation, but what about the many games with an educational character!

The Multiple Effects of Video Games on Children’s Health & Wellness

I raise the topic of ‘Children and gaming’ during a parent’s evening, I always first show the video ‘If books came after games’. The message of this video is about how parents would react if, after a long tradition of gaming, books were suddenly invented and children wanted to read books for hours? The articles in the newspaper would not be tender, for example, that children isolate themselves from reading books and that books do not stimulate the brain enough. Unlike games in which children work together and create worlds themselves.

But despite the fact that we can take a more relaxed look at gaming, here too you have to pay attention to a number of things. Parents are often afraid that gaming is addictive and that it makes children violent. But is that really so? We know that fear is a bad counselor. With the knowledge and tips below, gaming is and remains fun for parents and children.

Addictive?

Although game addiction among children has grown in recent years, it only concerns 1.5% of young people between 13 and 16 years old ( source: NOS ). The enthusiasm of children when it comes to games is often labeled as addiction.

Remember those game builders organize the games in such a way that it is difficult to stop. You always have to reach new levels and if you have to stop prematurely, you will often lose your progress again. Warn children five minutes before they have to stop the game so that they can finish the game in peace.

Even though it is rare, it is, of course, important to keep an eye on the signs of game addiction. Children up to the age of 18 can take a test on gameadviesopmaat.nl to see if gaming is a fun hobby or an addiction for them.

Violent?

In some studies about ‘children and gaming,’ a link is made between violent games (or the competitive element thereof) and the behavior of some children after playing these games. But there are also studies that do not show this connection. So pay close attention to the effect that games have on your child. Also keep an eye on whether the game that your child wants to play is appropriate for his or her age, development and character.PEGI advice games

Many games have a PEGI designation on the packaging that gives parents an indication of whether a game is suitable for the age of a child. In addition to age advice, it is also stated whether there is violence, coarse language or sexual images in the games.

Where games make money

Games can earn money in different ways. It is wise to discuss this with your child. For example, many games have a ‘freemium’ model. Freemium is a contraction of the words free and premium. The basis of the game is free, but as soon as you want to go to higher levels or want to use more features, you have to pay.

In addition, games are used to advertise. This could be that an advertisement is shown between levels or, in the case of in-game advertising, that advertisements are shown in the game.

For adults who want to play and earn money, check out result Singapore.

Note ‘in-app’ purchases

Finally, it is good to know that with gaming apps it is possible to buy virtual goods. This is called in-app purchases. I am not talking about virtual money with which you can make purchases in the game, but purchases with real money (via the credit card that is linked to your Google Play or Appstore account or via calling credit).

In general, in-app purchases prompt you for the account password. A point of attention here is that if the password is entered the default setting of your tablet or phone is that this password will not be needed again for the next 15 minutes. In this way, many parents (and children) have lost tens to hundreds of euros on smurf berries and virtual furniture.

Therefore, turn off the option for in-app purchases on the iPhone, Ipad and/or iPod and return the 15 minutes to ‘immediately’. With Android smartphones and Android tablets, you can set to secure in-app purchases with the password of your Google account. Completely switching off in-app purchases is not yet possible on these devices. On the website of the Consumer Association is described how in-app purchases can be blocked.