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| |    Video Games: Promises and Perils by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. When it comes to children, video games are like candy: A little is fine, but kids might need help limiting the amount they consume. And, like candy, the games are ubiquitous in our society, so even if you prohibit or severely limit video games in your own home, your children are likely to have easy access to them in other environments, such as friends' houses and arcades. Because of these factors, it's a good idea to consider the pros and cons of this form of entertainment and plan a realistic strategy for your children's use. Promises Let's start with the positives: Video games can be effective teachers. They usually start easy and get harder as a player's skill improves. As all educators know, the best way to teach anything is to fine-tune the task so that it is challenging but not overly frustrating. Video games can satisfy children's natural drive to learn new skills and master new challenges. They can help teach math and reading, for example, and foster logical thinking. They also help children hone their hand-eye coordination. Video games also can be important in children's social lives. Being the owner of a "cool" video game can be a ticket to popularity and group acceptance, usually more so for boys than for girls. Kids who don't have the latest game, or at least know about it, are in danger of being left out. Finally, many parents love video games because they keep their children occupied--a real godsend on long car trips and during the hours before dinner when everyone is tired and cranky. And some parents play video games with their children--a fun way to enjoy time together. Perils Despite all these advantages, there are some real risks to consider. Hours spent playing video games are hours that a child is not doing healthier, more rewarding things, such as playing outside, reading, practicing a musical instrument, or helping around the house. The average child spends more than six hours a day as a consumer of media (TV, videos, computer games, pop music, etc.). The recent epidemic of childhood obesity may be due in part to the millions of hours children spend moving nothing more than their thumbs. Another negative is that many video games revolve around violence. They reward children for beating, shooting, or blowing up their digital opponents. Many games gleefully splash gory graphics all over the screen as characters are injured or killed. And the lessons children learn from violent video games tend to cross over into real life. There is no arguing with the thousands of research studies showing that exposure to violence in the media makes children more likely to respond violently, and makes them less uncomfortable with idea of killing people. Media violence also causes nightmares and other stress-related symptoms in some children, particularly younger ones. Video games may be especially damaging because they get children actively involved in the killing, thereby teaching violent behavior even more powerfully. The Columbine school shootings are a famous example of how violent videos can contribute to real-world violence. While it may not be harmful for a child to blow up a few imaginary space robots from time to time, hour after hour of shooting realistic-looking human opponents cannot be a good thing. What you can do
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