Digital technology can have positive impacts on the lives of children. In fact, digital technology is a great way to communicate with each other, stay connected, and is a useful learning tool. Itâs important to know the safe and healthy ways to use digital technology.
Itâs also important to know that too much digital technology, including gaming, can lead to problems.
What are the positives?
Gaming can help your child develop or improve skills, like:
- problem solving
- seeing patterns
- testing their ideas to find out if they work
- memory and thinking
- making decisions
- hand-eye coordination
To keep gaming a good learning experience for your child, think about:
- the content rating of the game and what your child needs to play it
- the number of players in the game â Is the game played alone? If itâs played with others, do you know who they are?
- the type of game â Is the game a competition or do the players work together?
Knowing about the games your child plays can help you guide them and lower the risk of problems.
When does gaming becomes harmful?
Gaming can become a problem when it harms your childâs mental or physical health. Or has unwanted effects on their day-to-day life. This is why itâs important to set limits for the games your child plays online.
Setting limits on your childâs gaming ...
The limits you set for gaming depends on your childâs age, developmental stage, their needs, and your family preferences.
Manage online game time so there is a good balance between it and other activities. Itâs important that youth spend time on other daily activities, like:
- homework
- physical activity
- sports and other healthy hobbies
- family relationships
- being with friends their own age
- household chores
Think about planning parts of the day without screen time. Use this as family time to eat together, read, go for walks, or spend time with pets.
Your child learns best by following what you do. Set healthy limits on gaming time for yourself as well.
Ways to set limits ...
- Turn off games an hour before bed to help with sleep.
- Check what games your child plays and how they interact with others online.
- Remind your child that having access to games is a privilege and there are responsibilities and limits.
- Do what you say youâll do if they donât follow rules. For example, if they donât stop when theyâre supposed to, they lose some screen time the next day.
When to talk to your child about their gaming habits ...
Gaming concerns arenât only related to how much time your child spends playing games. Also think about:
- your childâs gaming and who theyâre playing with
- the type of game theyâre playing
- your childâs developmental age
- your childâs personality
Watch for warning signs, like:
- mood changes (such as being more upset, angry, or frustrated than usual during gaming and when asked to stop)
- not keeping or making plans with family or friends
- staying up late or not getting up late for school
- skipping meals or eating more than usual
- doing less physical activity or playing less sports
- spending more time gaming than they use used to
- spending less time with the family pet or reading less
Talking Tips:
Your child or teen might say:
- âI need more money to buy credits.â
You might say:
- âIâm not comfortable giving you money for these games. Youâll have to find one that doesnât cost money to play.â
Your child or teen might say:
- âYou used to let me play whatever I wanted. Why not now?â
You might say:
- âIâm setting limits now because Iâm more aware of the risks of too much gaming.â
Your child or teen might say:
- âEveryone else gets to play this game. Itâs not fair.â
You might say:
- âItâs hard to feel like youâre missing out on something. Letâs see if we can find other things you can do with your friends.â
Your child or teen might say:
- âMy online friends will be upset. I have to keep playing or weâll lose!â
You might say:
- âI know itâs hard to disconnect, but finding a balance is important to our family. Can we talk about when you can play next and what to tell your friends?â
Your child or teen might say:
- âJust a bit more time. Iâm winning the game and canât stop now, or Iâll lose all my points!â
You might say:
- âWe agreed on what time youâd stop playing. If you canât stop playing at the time we agreed on, youâll lose your screen time tomorrow.â
For help and support with Gaming and Gambling concerns contact the PEI Gambling Support Line at #1-855-255-4255. Help is available 24/7 with Island based health professionals ready to provide confidential support.
Reference for this material: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/growing-up-online/gaming/tips-for-parents