Sitting at a computer or console for hours on end, seven days a week, whether it's for fun or for work, isn't healthy for anyone. However, experts advise that parents shouldn’t worry excessively about the amount of time their children spend gaming, unless screen time begins to affect their school, health or social life. Parents should be concerned however, about the effects of video content in video games, which has been linked by many studies to aggressive behaviour.
Too much screen time?
These days, screens of multiple sorts including computer and TV screens can occupy tweens and teens for up to fifty hours a week, which is more than a full time job!
Problems in school are relatively easy for parents to fix by limiting screen time. Perhaps, one hour a day could be agreed, after homework has been done.
Violent games and aggression
While it is relatively easy to control how much time your child spends playing video games, it’s much harder to control the content of these video games. Research shows that violent video games can be linked to an increase in aggressive behaviour such as teasing, name-calling, rumour-spreading and fist fights.
Which teens are vulnerable?
Repeated exposure to violence in any environment has a negative effect. Children learn from video games extremely well as players get immediate feedback and rewards.
Most people can handle this media, but certain people who have a select predisposition, these people might be a little more aggressive and more prone to an occasional argument.
