A Parent’s Guide to Online Safety – Online Gaming

Make sure your kids are safe when gaming online. Find out who they play with when they are online. Recently, there have been kids that have been targeted by adults using online gaming to chat with them. It is up to you to protect your children and limit their playmates to those you both know.

For very small kids, disable all the features in chat. A young grade-schooler should not have any access to this feature. Avoid purchasing games that don’t allow you to disable chat. Speak with the associates in the store to find out if the game has this feature.

Video games are a great way to spend time with your kids. Today kids really enjoy playing video games. If you feel like you aren’t getting enough quality time with your children, play video games with them. Show interest in what they are interested in and you can grow your relationship.

Use video games to knit a tighter family. Even with all the video games out today, it is unusual for adults to play video games with their children even though this can be fun for all. Games that focus on education and family activity are good choices for everyone to wind down together in the evening.

Set firm limits on how much time your children can spend playing video games. Help your child understand the down side of spending unlimited hours in front of a computer or a TV. Offer other interesting activities to give your child a break and encourage your child to have a variety of interests.

As a parent of video-game-playing children, you likely have some anxieties about just what they’re exposed to when they play. The best way to learn more is to make video gaming into a family activity. Ask your kids to show you their games and how they play them, and make an effort to join in. You’ll have a much better understanding of their games and even perhaps do a little bonding in the process.

Consoles and handheld devices come with built in digital locks called parental controls. These controls allow parents to limit what games can be played by their children based on their age. The controls also allow for parents to set passwords that can keep children from accessing the console or handheld when they are away to prevent them from playing games with inappropriate content.

Make sure the computer and video game consoles are in a central location in the home. When these things are hidden in a bedroom, it is more difficult for parents to monitor what their children are playing, and how long they are playing games. Keep the games where they are easily seen, and you will know what your kids are up to.

 Photo by Seth W.

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