Video Games & Your Kids: How Parents Stay in Control

by Hilarie Cash, Kim McDaniel, Ken Lucas (Editor)

Video games are now firmly embedded in the cultural identity of America s teenagers. It is now estimated that 90 percent of our youth are playing video games. They are using handheld devices or full-fledged, Internet-based, multiplayer games. Most are nonchalant about them, enjoying them as part of the many things they do for pleasurable entertainment, integrating them into their lives without harmful effect. Others, however, have grown so dependent on these games that they are abandoning their lives to pursue this activity, which they seem to prefer above all others. Video Games & Your How Parents Stay in Control is for parents who are worried that their children may be spending too much time playing video games. Based on research and the author s clinical experience, the book explains what gaming addiction is, how much gaming is too much, and the effects gaming has on the body and brain. The authors give gaming advice on each stage of life; birth-2 years, ages 2-6, elementary school years, adolescence, and adult children still living at home. Where there is a problem, the authors provide parents with tools that will help them successfully set limits for their children.

210 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2008

Reviews

[Pandora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful about the effects that video games can have on children. The authors focus was when gaming becomes addictive. Authors try to still neutral but, of course they do have a basis aganist video games since they see the worst aspects of it. Does provide though a lot of food for thought.

What was particularly scary was the comparsion of game addiction to alcholism. They both have the same dophrim rush. The two also have the affect of isloating the addicted and keeping them in a child dependent state.

The authors also mentioned that too much gaming seem to change the brain. Food for thought the military has discovered that violent games helps train soilders to overcome their instinct not to kill.

[Doni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth reading.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting research on how gaming affects different aspects of child development for better and for worse. I wanted to be better informed on this aspect so I could set healthy boundaries and explain why to my kids and this is helping.