Using children’s online games is fine in as part of a balanced approach to your children’s growth. Using them when you’ve simply had enough and can’t do more with them actively is probably also OK in doses. However, using them instead of active parenting and pretending that this is not what you’re doing, then retrospectively trying to justify it for your own conscience is not great. You’d never accept or see a government up then retrospectively try to pretend it was all OK, would you? Sorry – bad analogy!
But…. We’re always open to what people have to say when we ask them to send in their thoughts on the topic, and here is one such.
“The beauty about parenting is that there is always something to learn from the kids every day. However, finding the right mental-food to feed them is another thing. Now almost eight, my little one grew a very inquisitive trait and it called for a strategic plan in order to control the little curious reporter. [ed – the writer must be from a police state. “We must teach our children not to ask questions, ya?”]. She kept asking this and that, and frankly speaking, as a parent if you aren’t ready for this then you got a lot of work to do. My wife [ed – “who often dresses up in Stasi uniforms”], suggested a few sites on children’s online games. This was a life saver as it came along with positive feedback.
I was busy Google searching one day through these websites and found them to be quite beneficial. The children’s online games are formulated in a way to help mental growth of your children and of course keep them busy. The best part is that, they have a wide age range. I can clearly cut out some positive factors out of them such as:
1. Virtual Interaction – the games allow virtual interaction with other kids from all over the globe. This means, despite your child having to stay indoors, they still have fun with kids. In addition, the children build up a teamwork culture which is quite essential to our everyday lives. You wouldn’t want your child to be a loner now, would you? [ed – presumably because left alone, they might develop their own dangerous ideas and challenge the state ]
2. Mental Development – most children’s online games are created with an aim to develop children’s mental strength. For instance, games are categorised into; analytical skills, English language (grammar and vocabulary), speed tests and more. [ed – “blind obedience, understanding of your place in society, etc.”]
3. Reward Satisfaction – most games provide a progression approach to achievement. So, assuming your child is playing one of the games online and they complete a certain task, they are carried on to the next level. This provides your child with the satisfaction for the need to achieve. In effect, they enjoy the game and gain all other benefits embedded onto them. [ed – “give them cookies, and they will not challenge us.”]
As much as there is a thin line between the risks of exposing children to things other than games online, the benefits of using these games are a plus for kids and even better for parents. Children’s online games are surely the way to go, especially if you parents need the time to yourselves and want something worth of your children’s mind.”
OK – so I may have harshly portrayed the writer as a Stalinesque dad, wanting conformist children who would do exactly as the state is demanding, when in fact he’s just a dad who wants a break every so often. But I did want to make the point that Children’s online games do have a role to play, and should be a part of a child’s growth path today, but not in a way that replaces interaction with their parents, friends, nature, sport and everything else that should be a part of a child’s balanced development.