Let's talk about gaming

Let's talk about gaming as our next Hand in Hand support group discussion. 

 

Friday 25th June 2021, 19.00 - 20.00 CET

Gaming is a very common leisure activity of modern children and with summer holidays coming up some children might spend more time on it. In order for us, as parents, to understand all pros and cons of gaming, I collected some interesting material to preview at your convenience and then discuss together at the meeting. Apart from sharing the thoughts from watching the documentaries we can try to answer some questions, for example

- Why do games have an age limit? How to explain it to children? 

- How much time playing gaming is enough? 

- Do you know every game that your child plays?

- Do you play online games together? 

Stuff for homework :) 

• Are you being played? Four Corners (Australia's leading Investigative journalism program) launched a crowdsourced investigation into video gaming and received more than 3,000 responses.  It goes deep into the business models used by the gaming industry and examines how some games are being deliberately designed to extract maximum time and money from players. Globally, the game industry is worth an estimated $US175 billion, which is more than Hollywood and the music industry combined.

You can watch their investigation here.  
https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/are-you-being-played/13327478

• NOT A GAME by Netflix. (Available on Netflix in Belgium)  This documentary offers an honest look at our fraught, complex relationship to video games from the perspectives of gamers and their concerned parents. It shows how games were used by some to achieve their dreams in real life, or to keep children with disabilities engaged and stimulated, it tells in more detail how gaming developed into a competitive e-sport and asks questions about self-regulation, addiction and invites to look at children's relationships with gaming and its impact on their life, studies and family.

BONUS :) 

Extra for children 

Season 1 and 2 of "Into the Cloud" tackles gaming and livestream safety, online enticement and blackmail, cyberbullying, and removing/reporting inappropriate content online. Ideal for kids 10 & under.

https://www.netsmartzkids.org/videos/

Tip for parents  

Use Ratings sites like ESRB.org and CommonSenseMedia.org can help you decide if a game is appropriate.

If you want to join the discussion and our mailing list please send an email to eebhandinhand@gmail.com

Warmly, 

Anna Yavorska (EEB2 parent) and Co :)