Signs Your Child Is a Video Game Addict
Some people are wired to become addicted to the unique stimuli provided by video games. See checklist of signs parents should watch for.
Does your child …
- Play almost every day?
- Play for extended periods (more than three or four hours at a time)?
- Play for excitement?
- Get restless and irritable if he or she can’t play?
- Sacrifice social and sporting activities to play?
- Play instead of doing homework?
- Try in vain to limit playing time?
- Seem to be losing interest in real-life activities?
If your child exhibits some or all of these signs of addiction, or you just want to help prevent them, consider the safeguards for video game play. In order to diminish the adverse effects that video games may have on your child, consider the following safeguards:
- Set time limits.
- Make sure your child completes his chores and homework before play.
- Be intimately involved in choosing the games your child plays.
- Remember: you are the grown-up! Model good viewing and gaming habits yourself.
- Suspend play if your child is having difficulty with self-control.
- Monitor attitudes and behaviors with your child when he plays with friends or siblings.
- Encourage your child’s friends to play at your house.
- Watch for signs of addiction to video game play, particularly with boys.
