Nowadays, there are very rare children who don’t play video games, and parents are really concerned if they should let their child play video games or not. Several researchers have worked to understand the effects of video games on the development of children. There are various types of video games made for different purposes – some are for entertainment purposes, some for relaxation while others can be a bit challenging and good for learning and brain development. However, not all types of video games are good for children and their effects can be adverse. It is really important. Some of them can have disadvantages if a child gets addicted. Following are some of the negative effects of playing video games that every parent should know:
1. Health Issues
If your child spends a lot of time playing video games, it can affect their health in several negative ways. Their cognitive development may get affected if they don’t get out and socialize in the real world. Children who constantly sit at one place playing video games for hours can face several dangerous health issues. It can increase the chances of obesity, weaken the joints & muscles, and make hands and fingers numb due to over-exertion. Various studies suggest that it can also make their eyesight weak. So, parents need to ensure that their child is more involved in physical activities than in video games.
2. Poor Academic Performance
Some children enjoy playing video games far more than studying at school. Hence, they start preferring such games over everything else, which can affect their academic performance & they can lose interest in studies. They may even skip their homework, assignments, and studies for exams just to play video games. All these things can result in poor performance and also affect their emotional intelligence.
3. Exposure to Wrong Values
There are many video games in the market that contain excessive violence, over-the-top sexuality, racism, profanity, and many other things. Kids cannot perceive such things in the right manner. They can be inspired by these games and can try to do such things in real life. They may end up trying to emulate the same behaviour as shown in the games. Children’s brain is still developing and they won’t be able to differentiate right and wrong. So, it is essential for them to be exposed in the real world.
4. Disconnect Them From Societey
However, multiplayer video games exist, most children them by themselves inside their own rooms. This can limit their interpersonal skills in real life. Such children may prefer being alone and interact digitally. They also fail to strike up conversations and feel bored at social gatherings. As a result, chances of adjustment disorder, anxiety, depression, stress gets high in their working, school as well as personal life.
5. Aggressive Behaviour
If there is some violent content in video games your child is playing, it causes them to be impatient and aggressive in their behaviour. When they see things not going according to their plan, they may start harbouring aggressive thoughts that can manifest in troublesome behaviour.
Playing video games is not a bad thing, but as a parent, you need to choose the right video games for your children. Also, you need to make sure that they don’t get addicted to games. Keep these things in mind to avoid your child from the above negative effects of video games.
Also Read: 9 things your kids learn from gaming
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