In the modern era, most parents feel that it is important to have their children well exposed to technology. The manner in which children are brought up in the modern world has really changed. Technological advancements have led to the evolution of the videogames, some of which target the young children. Eventually, the children start interacting with the higher technology which involves computer games and online games.
There is a major risk associated with this development. Research indicates that the child’s brain develops massively during these formative years. Therefore, if the parents do not regulate the time that the child is exposed to the games, there is likelihood that the child can develop an addiction. Children are at higher risks of developing addiction as compared to the adults. This is mainly because the adults have more control over their emotions and cravings, and they also have other commitments that they have to tale care of. They can prioritize effectively. However, this is not the case with children; children will more often than not fail to fight the urge to do something (Brown-Miller, 2009).
There is a controversy that exists on the playing of online games since there are some that are disadvantageous while others are not. For instance, it can be said that online games help in the development of proper coordination between the eyes and the hands (Blurt it, 2012). However, the danger in this is that the muscles are inactive as the individual plays the game. As such, the muscle development is not synchronized with the eye-hand coordination. This leads to poor development in children. On a similar note, there is the possibility that an individual addicted to the games stays glued to the screen for a long time, thereby leading to eye problems. Another major problem with the games is that excessive exposure can lead to the alteration of an individual’s behavior. For instance, Blurt It (2012) indicates that addiction to violent games can lead to the adoption of a violent behavior. There are also some games that are meant for people aged 18 and above. Exposing children to these games can alter their language acquisition as well as their behaviors.
Looking at the above explanation, there is the need to understand when a game can be said to be harmful to an individual, or when an individual can be said to be addicted. This is the demarcation that many people do not have an idea about. It cannot be denied that online games are at times advantageous. For instance, research shows that playing games with crossword puzzles and other word games have the ability to bring down the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, there are other games such as the trivia games, word and puzzles help in developing the speech of the young. Other games such as the Tetris help the child’s brain in focusing, analyzing, thinking and planning ahead. Others help the children to acquire thinking skills. All these are important (Rivers, 2007). However, there comes a time when playing the games can be said to be harmful as explained below.
It is said that too much of anything is poisonous. In as much as the games are beneficial, addiction makes the individual loose the touch of reality or practicality. As such, the mind is cocooned in the idea of the game (Rivers, 2007). Another disadvantage is that the individual addicted to the games spends so much time on the screen. As such, they tend to lose out on their personal relationships since they do not have time to spend with the family, friends and other people close to them. In essence, addicted individuals lose the touch of real relationships. It is true that some online games are interactive and can be played by many individuals. Nevertheless, there is a limit as to the number of the people that an individual interacts with through the games.
So much has been said about addiction so far but for many people, it is not clear as to when a game can be said to be addictive. This being an elusive detail, Rivers (2012) explains how a parent or any other individual can tell when there is a problem of addiction. The indicators of addiction are as follows. First of all, an individual can spend too much time with at the screen such that an individual wastes valuable time at the expense of work, school or even family obligations. It can also manifest in that when an individual is on the game there is no time for other beneficial activities. For instance, food burns on the stove; one cannot answer a call and so on. As already stated, the disadvantages of addiction can include back problems, getting a distorted sense of reality, damaged eyesight and lost opportunities.
Sclafani (2012) observes that technology has both good and negative effects, and it only depends on how an individual utilizes these technologies. Online games can have a positive impact on the parent-child relationship, but only when controlled. This can happen at specific times when the parent and the child play a game together or compete at a given game. This is healthy for their relationship since it helps in ensuring that they bond and even grow closer to each other.
On such a front, it emerges that parents should be extra careful on how they interact with the current technologies as this has an impact on their children. A parent who exercises no control is likely to loose the control of his children. This breeds a generation that has no control, and one that cannot prioritize effectively. However, if the parents exercise control in these issues, they are likely to influence their children on the positive as well.
Education is a major factor in life. It is no wonder that communities and governments around the world are always concerned with ensuring that the children get quality education so that they can steer the future generations to the positive direction. In a bid to offer quality education, various technologies have been employed, which is good. However, the technologies also come with a disadvantage which if not addressed can compromise the quality of education that the children get. Such a technology is the online games.
Subrahmanyam and Smahel (2010) posit that the digital youth are at a risk of reaping negative effects from the technological advancements. This happens because at an early age, the children are introduced to the video and computer games, some of which are accessed online. When these children get to school, they cannot fight off the urge to play these games. As such, instead of investing their time in a worthwhile course, they use the computers intended for educational purposes to access the online games.
Brown-Miller, A. (2009). The Praeger International Collection on Addictions: Faces of Addiction, Then and Now. ABC-CLIO.
Blurt It. (2012). What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Games? retrieved on 19th June 2012 from http://www.blurtit.com/q2261746.html
Rivers, S. (2007). The Disadvantages of the Internet in General and Online Gaming. Retrieved on 19th June 2012 from http://www.content-articles.com/articles/71904/1/Article-By-Saul-Rivers-The-disadvantages-of-the-internet-in-general-and-online
Sclafani, J.D. (2012). The Education Parent 2: Child Rearing in the 21st Century. ABC-CLIO.
Subrahmanyam, K. & Smahel, D. (2010). Digital Youth: The Role of Media in Development. New York: Springer.
