There is an evolution in the understanding of video games for parents – with a large majority of kids playing games what have we learned?
“Are games bad for my kids”, is the question I am most often asked. This well written and researched article outlines the effects of an outright video game ban on the author’s son. It is an interesting look into the perspective of a well meaning parent who came to understand that not all games are created equal.
“It took a while for Eddie to make friends at school. Now, in fourth grade, he’s finally forged some bonds, mostly through sports. But in their free time, all his pals play video games, and my son does not. He felt like an outsider before finding these friends, and now my ban is inadvertently keeping him isolated — not just from his classmates but from the rest of modern society, it seems”.
For the first 20 years, studies were focused on the potential harms, like addiction and aggression. Today, games are viewed for their art, their teaching potential and their ability to make people feel things. It’s not that video games have no ill effects. But the myopic focus on those ill effects now seems overblown and out dated…”
There is an amazing amount of focus and progress being made to better understand video games. What is already clear is the power of play to teach and heal. Every day, the thoughtful inquiry of so many different researchers and creators brings us closer to learning exactly what makes a good game, and how to best use this media to delivery therapy.
