Health Update: What Every Mom Needs to Know About Video Games
By Lauren Wiener
Just how bad is your kid's go-to after-school activity? Here, a new study's surprising findings.
You cook homemade meals at least a few nights a week, never (well, hardly ever) miss a school play, and are first in line to grab your kid the newest Harry Potter, but you still feel a twinge of bad-mommy guilt when you see him parked in front of the PlayStation night after night. Don't worry. While video games may not top any amazing-activities-for-the-kids lists, a new study from the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine reveals that they may not be as bad as you think:
Your kid's probably not an addict. "Everyone assumes that kids are using them all the time, but that's just not true," says study author Elizabeth A. Vandewater, PhD, an associate professor of human development at the University of Texas at Austin. In this study of nearly 1,500 students ages 10-19, only 36 percent of kids played at all. And of those who did, they only did so for about an hour on weekdays -- about one-third the time the average teen spends tuned in to TV.
He's still squeezing in time for soccer. Researchers found that both gamers and non-gamers spent comparable amounts of time engaging in physical activities and after-school sports, as well as with family and friends. "This dispels the idea that video games make children socially isolated or less active," says Vandewater.
Don't assume grades will plummet. The study found that gamers did spend about 30 percent less time hitting the books than those who don't play -- "a warning, sure -- but not a definite predictor of school struggles," she says. In fact, past research has shown that head-of-the-class types tend to zip through their homework faster than other students, so your mini gamer may just be efficient at tackling his assignments more quickly, explains Vandewater.
Bottom line: As long as your child has a balanced social life and report card results stay steady, playing up to an hour a night is probably not doing any harm, Vandewater believes. When in doubt, just follow Parenting 101, she says. "It sounds like common sense, but make sure your child does his homework, chores, and anything else important first -- and treat the games as a reward rather than a right."
As seen in the January issue of Family Circle, here are three additional games that were popular with our testers.
Genre #1: Get Up off the Couch
This game requires your kids to move more than just their fingers.
The game: Dance Factory
Why it's fun: In a house full of Dance Dance Revolution addicts, we eventually grew weary of the song collection. Enter Dance Factory, which lets kids boogie to their personal music collection by choreographing a dance to go with the beat of any song. To prepare for their recitals, kids pick their favorite music CDs, follow on-screen directions, and wait for it to create your groovy moves. (Rated E for everyone; PlayStation2; $40; Codemasters; ).
Why you'll like it: Another great workout for game-crazed kids. Burn an entire CD of dances using your own music collection.
The fate of the world -- or at least a small part of it -- lies in your child's hands.
The game: The Sims 2 Pet
Why it's fun: Funny and surprisingly addictive, The Sims 2 of 2004 was a hit because it allowed kids to control family life, including relationships and events. They made their Sims go to work, pay their bills, and clean the house. Now, the Sims 2 Pet expansion pack -- which adds new features to Sims 2 -- lets kids' Sims adopt pets of their own. Take in stray cats or dogs or employ an adoption service; or even design your own breed of animal. It's fun watching the Sims frolic with their pets, cuddle them, teach them, and even get mad at them. But, just like in real life, caring for a pet is work: A neglected and untrained pet will shred the furniture -- or worse. (T for Teen, so 13 and up; rude humor, suggestive themes; PlayStation2, GameCube™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP, and as a PC expansion pack; $30-$40 depending on platform; Electronic Arts;
Why you'll like it: Harmless, creative, and fun, The Sims 2 Pet also teaches lessons about responsibility, since these pets need care and training much like actual animals do.
Your child is the main character in an adventure that unfolds as she travels through the landscape.
The game: Sid Meier's Pirates!
Why it's fun: A player's family is taken from home and sold into slavery, but she manages to escape -- and vows to win back their freedom. Take to the seven seas with the goal of becoming a famous pirate and garnering enough riches to be free of tyranny. Along the way, look for clues, find romance, engage in naval battles, hire new pirate crews, outfit your ship, encounter famous pirates, and navigate the oceans -- and ports -- of the day. (Rated E for everyone; PC, and rated T of teen on XBox; $50; 2K Games; .)
Why you'll like it: A fairly accurate depiction of life in the 17th century -- and the role of pirates in history -- Sid Meier's Pirates! also hones map skills and requires considerable reading.
