PARENTING AND THE GREAT VIDEO GAME DEBATE

                      Kids love playing video games and as a parent, you're well aware.  While you don't mind occasional play and educational game choices, you may be concerned about a grab-bag of issues commonly associated with children and video games.  From the potentially negative effects of violent video games, to the risk of developing dangerously low activity levels, to the fear of your child missing out on valuable socialization skills due to his or her constant isolation, these deep concerns are supported by some research studies and refuted by others.  So what's the truth and, most importantly, what's a parent to do?
                      Scholars have studied video games and their effects on the people who play them for many years.  For just as long, they have come to mixed conclusions.  Hundreds of studies on the link between violent video games and aggressive behavior have shown not that these games cause children to become violent themselves, but that aggressive people like playing aggressive video games.
                       A study from Yale University released in November suggests that most teens who play video games do not develop unhealthy behaviors, but a small minority of teens who play video games and already have addictive traits may be more likely to smoke, use drugs, fight or become depressed.
                       The study also found that the boys who played video games (76 percent of the male respondents) typically earned a higher grade average, were less likely to smoke and were more likely to say they'd never used alcohol or marijuana.   Among girls, just 29 percent of those surveyed said they played video games, and those that did were more likely than the girls who didn'tplay video games to get into serious fights or carry weapons to school.  The researchers interpreted these findings to mean that for boys, playing video games in normal, while the girls who are more aggressive are more attracted to playing video games.  Neither of the findings suggests that playing video games causes any change in behavior.
                       Some research suggests that playing video games is socially isolating.  However, other research shows that almost 60 percent of frequent gamers play with friends, one-third of people play with siblings and another quarter of players game with spouses or parents.  Even single-player games are often played in group settings, as players rotate turns. And numerous games are designed for multiple players of all ages, especially families.
                       Ultimately, as the parent, you are the authority on what's healthy for your child, and promoting an active lifestyle is one of your duties.  If your child spends most of his or her time sitting on the couch, starting at a screen rather than running around outside, playing sports or engaging in an educational activity, you have rightful cause for concern.  If this is the case, take your own parental measures to encourage your child to turn off the game.  If restricting his or her use of video games causes serious strife, you may want to research video game addiction and treatment.
                        Monitoring the games your child plays is another parental duty.  The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a nonprofit organization that assigns ratings to video games on an age scale, ranging from Early Childhood (EC) to Adults Only (AO).  Review these ratings on the packaging before you allow your child to play.  Also, you can access an online database of video game reviews and descriptions on ESRB's website, http://www.esrb.org/.  In addition, look into parental controls on your child's video game unit and games.  Parenting.com has more useful tips in "5 Steps to Smart Video Game Choices," online at www.parenting.com/article/Child/Gear--Products/5-Steps-to-Smart-Video-Game-Choices.