I think my husband may have better grasp of how gaming affects our children because he really finds time and patiently teaches them how to play the games. Didn’t even imagine that my little girl (age 5) can quickly understand and have fun playing these games. I watched her play and witnessed how video games (and daddy) gave her these:
The liberty to decide and be creative
Decision starts with choosing their characters. Some games allow changing of characters – color, hair, and even clothes. It somehow shows their personality with their choices. Other games allow them to choose the playing theme/background, or sometimes they construct their own before the game. Now, this one is pure creativity.
The chance to lead and try
The moment you introduce a new game, you give them the decision to try. There will be small hurdles or challenges with the game that they will have to overcome. This gives them the will and the determination to proceed. On team up games, there are moments when they will have to step up and lead. This gives them confidence and allows them to develop strategies at a young age.
The time for easy conversation
No video game time is quiet, at least not in our house. The kids always talk about how they are feeling, what they plan to do next, ask help when they are stucked on stage, etc. And my favorite part is when they shout when they completed a stage, or a milestone in the game. It teaches to share the joy and the accomplishment. I just love watching them.
There’s no escaping in this the digital world we live in. We parents are here to guide our children on how to use these technologies responsibly and be with them as they adapt to these to maximize benefits of learning and fun. Cheers to all parents!