As a parent what do you expect when you get back home from work? May be a tight hug from your children? You might even get the hug you are expecting, but it may not always be for you. Sometimes, it’s for your smartphone too! Children are smarter and they know ways to get your phone. Whether they are at home or travelling, we notice their eyes hooked on to the smartphone screen. A report from the advertising firm TapJoy suggests there are nearly 2 billion mobile gamers around the world and yes, your children are a part of that number. On average, kids spend around two and a half hours playing mobile games every day and this is enough to get you worried.
Being a parent is tough, and it gets tougher when it comes to balancing work and play. Denying a phone to your child may not always go easy as they are likely to get irritated, throw tantrums which can also affect their studies. Sometimes, things escalate so quickly that it ends up affecting parent-child bonding. As a parent, you must have considered playing outdoors beneficial for your children – in terms of social interaction, gains in physicality and so on. Considering that, mobile gaming might seem to be outright disturbing to some. Who likes kids curled up in a corner and appearing aloof to parental rebukes right?
However, the reality is quite different. Recent studies from Science Daily reveals that mobile gaming has a lot to do with your child’s development. In fact, it can be as good as reading a book or watching a family movie together. Now, this might seem odd but breaking some common perceptions about gaming can be a good thing. Allow us to explain why.
To understand why gaming isn’t as bad as you think, let’s first understand why your child loves playing mobile games. Your children play games because it’s a fun and challenging activity for them. They like to face different situations within the game and make decisions to solve them. They work out different ways to finish the game with limited game resources and characters. At the end of the game, what your child wants is to feel the excitement, positivity and a sense of achievement.
Now, as a parent you may think of mobile gaming as bad or something that can adversely affect your child’s behaviour. You might think it could make your child aggressive, especially when playing action games. Some parents even think that mobile games make children introverted, especially teenagers as they try to relate themselves more with the animated characters. Sometimes kids get so involved in games that they even avoid their lunch or dinner!
Some of these thoughts are true, but not all of them. This is largely because your assumptions about mobile gaming are based on your own experiences or others opinions. Connecting the dots and making a conclusion without understanding gaming may not be fair. Perhaps, this is a reason to look at the positive side of gaming.
Reports from Science Daily suggest it has a lot to do with your child’s mental development. These are just some of the facts from the report.
Gaming improves focus and attention
When a child plays a game, he or she is constantly analysing situations in the game. They try to observe patterns and details to attain certain objectives within the game. They focus on every instruction provided so they can advance to the next level. In fact, reports suggest children involved in gaming are more efficient and require less attention to focus on demanding tasks.
Gaming improves brain efficiency
Playing games also improves the efficiency of regions of the brain, making children more responsive. While gaming, new information is constantly display on the screen to which they need to adapt quickly. They must make decisions in a fraction of a second to advance to the next level. This stimulates their brain to act faster and think more to solve critical problems.
Gaming improves cooperation
Some multiplayer mobile games help children to develop qualities such as collaboration and cooperation. It can improve their social connections, develop bonds, trust and teach them to play with morals that can stay with them forever.
Gaming teaches starting over again
Failures are hard to accept, but what’s harder is starting again. When your child plays games, he or she must face multiple failures. Often, they must start over and try again which develops a quality of never giving up. Gaming also teaches them patience, to think more and develop the spirit of completing tasks successfully.
So does this mean you allow your kids to play mobile games endlessly? Well, definitely not! You don’t want your kids to stay up all night. Of course, you may have to limit their gaming hours and the one of the best ways to start off might be to start playing with them. There are some easy ones such as Ludo King, Uno, Subway Surfer, Air Hockey. Maybe, cheer each other, compare your scores, work together and try to find out what your kids expects. As a parent, this might give you a glimpse and an understanding of your child’s imagination.
As a parent, you may be missing out on an opportunity by walking away from playing games with your children. If you understand your child’s love for games, it can help enrich your relationship with them. Moreover, you as a parent can experience a lot of untapped fun. When families can have cricket Sundays or movie evenings, why not a gaming evening?
