Custom «Videogames and Your Children» Essay Paper Sample

Introduction

Video games have charmed people. On the other hand, parents, doctors, legislatures, and even educators among other parties, have argued over whether video games bad to children. It has been estimated that, enough video games have been sold to each homestead to own around two in last year alone. This estimate does not include online games that are much accessible to any homestead computer. Available statistics in America have shown that every child has in one way or the other exposed to video games some where in there life, but, exactly what does that imply?

Video games are in their depth and density much amazing, graphics that are online, have on their own taken a life. However, is it really a good idea for children to concentrate much time sitting indoor, other than running ups and downs in streets and other places? In my opinion, I oppose the question that video games are bad for children and support the debate that video games are good for the children.

Following all academic studies that have been conducted, playing video games not is all that bad for kids. It has been stated that, "educational games can be effective assisting tools in the educational areas of management, medicine and science." (Holly par 4) If one chooses video games that are much educational, children might end up learning better problem solving techniques and eye hand coordination. Through educational video games, kids might also get the capability of not only thinking fast but also thinking multiple things simultaneously. Skills and knowledge children get from playing video games may one day help children learn things quickly when coming to study issues. If a kid struggles in one of subjects in school, the better way of assisting him/her is to look for educational video games for him. There are even mathematic video games that might help them boost their skills. Such like games might be of great fun and much educational for most kids.

Video games also provide kids' minds a real workout. Skills needed in winning most of these video games, need much abstract and high-level thinking. Some of these skills learnt are never taught even in class. Amongst the mental skills learnt through video games include; following instructions to the later, logic and problem solving, and lastly, coordination of hand-eye, fine motor and spatial skills. In video games that contain shooting scenes, characters simultaneously shoot and run. This needs a player of high class, so that he can manage to maintain position tracking of the character, where they are heading to, their speed, the gun point direction, and even coordinate the interpretation of their brains and reactions with the their fingertips and hands' movements. The research has also suggested that, through video games, children have the capability of developing iconic and skills of visual attention. Through playing video games, children at their early stages get to learn resource management and logistics. Kids as players get to learn to take care of limited resources, as they know how to decide the best alternative that those resources could be used, in similar ways as in the realistic life. Such like skills are honed in some strategy games like for instance Railroad Tycoon and SimCity.

Video games enable individuals to learn about simultaneous tracing of several changing parameters and managing multiple goals. In video games, for example, when the player is trying to develop a city, enemies might appear unexpectedly. This will call for the player to be much flexible and quick in altering available tactics. These games also enable players to be first in thinking, making analysis decisions very first. At a time, players at around every minute or even second, exercise this habit, hence giving the brain a really workout. According to the research carried out by researchers in Rochester University, it was found that, video games simulates events that are much stressful, for instance these found in either battle or even actions video games, can act as training school for real life conditions. The study recommended that children playing action video games, ends up brimming the brains to enable them make quicker decisions.

Video games in one way or the other allow children to play together which can act as a very good activity of making friendship and bonding them very strongly. To both adults and kids, might be very attractive and could be something shared in common. When children comes to know more than their parents, they can end up teaching them on how to play, hence creating room for parents to know their children's talents and skills, hence assisting them to develop them.

Through video games, children are introduced to computer technology and the online world. It should be noted that, people currently are living in a world of high-tech, and the world has become so much sophisticated. Video games enable children to adapt and much comfortable with the aspects of computing. This is particularly much important who are actually not interested in high technology as compared to boys.

Through video games, both self-esteem and self-confidence are raised in children as they master these games. Many of these games have their level of difficulty adjustable. Beginners usually start at a level that most essay, and through continues practicing and building skills slowly; they end up gaining much confidence in dealing with more difficult and challenging conditions. Due to lower costs of failure, children end up not fearing making mistake at all. Through taking more risks, they usually end up exploring more. Children can then transfer this good skill to the realistic world.

Some video games involve multiple players, as an effect, they encourage children to work together to attain a certain goal. Through such like games, children learn on how to listen to the ideas brought forward by others. They also learn on hoe to come up with plans together as a group and divide work based on knowledge and skills. Some of these online games are played internationally; this can be able to link children to other players from different nations and cultures. This can be seen as a mean of fostering friendship among different communities and nations. "Raisesmartkid par 24".

Side Effects

Though the idea is good, there are some risks involved. For instance, a child is exposed to violence. Though not all video games, some latest video games really contain extreme violence. Such games are just downplayed because they are just viewed to be games. The connection between violence in media and the real violence in actual life is the one that has been debated for long time. However, one thing that has been made certain is that, it does not do any favor to them. For instance in games like Grand Theft Auto, behaviors that seem to be criminal are even glorified. It has been seen that, children who plays violent games, according to (Anderson & Bushman 345), have higher chances of increasing thoughts that are much aggressive. In most of such games, kids are rewarded when they become more violent, hence repeatedly, violent behaviors are done. Children in most cases are in control of violence, and always experiences violence with their own eyes. This active involvement, reward and repetition, are always effective machinery for behavior learning.

It might also lead to distorted reality sense. When too much time is spent on playing video games, the problem of distorting x distorting individual's reality emanate. The truth of the matter is, as children grow, they get to learn from the world surrounds them, and usually develop a perception of life. As a result, when children's head continuously stuck in playing video games, it usually turns to be their reality, hence, over a period of time, they usually end up distorting what they perceive to be right or wrong, even in some circumstances, what is realistic and what is idealistic.

Sometimes, this habit leads to wastage of time. There are these who keep on complaining about violence and undesirable habits in games. "I personally feel one of the biggest tragedies is how much productive time is wasted."( Druman par 6) All the number of hours spent in playing video games, takes up hours they could spent in the realistic world. For instance, the time they could be concentrating on school works, time they need to get quality sleep, number of hours they could be developing their dancing skills, art or music talents, and even time they could have spent in socialization- all just end up wasted, in playing video games.

In one way or the other, the habit might also lead to some health problems. Some children in one way or the other are carried away with video game playing act. Playing games on computers for longer times lead to health problem. The health of children might be impacted negatively if all the times the child is playing computer games. The habit might lead to the worsening of eyesight, as they are persistently staring at screens. Since playing computer games requires one to sit in a particular position for longer times, it might lead to the risk of gaining extra weight due to lack of regular exercise. As an effect, children need to be encouraged to play or even participate in other activities that promotes physical fitness, and play video games for very little amount of time.

Other side effect of playing video games is lack of social skills. If children spent too much time playing video games, the might not get enough time for social interaction at home. Children are needed to develop good communication skill, for them to interact with other children and even older people in the society. Proper social skills usually assist children in feeling healthy and even happy both in schools or even at home. In addition, it can boost his/her interests in school works. Children's playing time on video games, need to be limited.

Solutions

In trying to find a solution to this problem of video games, it is necessary for parents or guardians to keep on monitoring video game play, in the same way they need to monitor TV and other media. They need to limit time children spent in playing video games. They also need to use video rating in limiting the contents, and bring kids who perform better in school at the same time these who get into fewer violent activities.

The impacts of video games on children need to be monitored. Their behaviors need to be observed, if in any case, it is discovered that they are becoming more and more aggressive, with their friends in the period they are playing violent games, they should be stopped with immediate effects. If in any case they become more interested in a certain subject after playing a game concerning such a subject, then encourage them, as the game is much beneficial to them. Children ought to be provided with other entertainment facilities other than games to learn from, though they can provide learning experience. They need to be encouraged to read books to encourage reading culture and prevent addiction to only one thing. They need also to participate in sports and interact with other kids. All the things need to be taken into moderation.