Gaming addiction in kids is a matter of concern. In this addiction, kids spend most of their free time playing games this has a lot of negative effects on their health. Compulsive gaming has been declared as a mental health condition by the WHO, but not the American Psychiatric Association. A lot of children spend up to 12 hours a day on gaming, which does raise concern. Herein, we provide a few tips to prevent the addition of gaming in children.

1. Keep track of time spent on gaming
Parents should keep track of the time spent on their children’s gaming. There should be a permissible time allowed during the day.

2. Encourage outdoor activities
Parents and guardians should encourage kids to take part in outdoor activities of their interest. With this in place, children will spend less time gaming.

3. Choice of games depends on the parent
Parents and guardians should make it a point to permit the type of video games children can play. There should not be too much violence. Check the ESRB ratings of the items of video game children are interested in before buying them.

4. Counseling

Talk to your kids about the games they are playing and the impact it can have on them.

5. Not an excuse to spend free time
Parents should not relent in allowing kids to play video games for hours in a day or at a stretch. Through excessive gaming, children’s physical and mental health is affected in the long run.

6. Barter system
Use the concept of the barter system. Ask them to do certain activities such as playing outdoor sports, going for a walk, drawing, etc. for a fixed time before allowing them to play video games.

7. No gaming equipment in the kid’s room
Try to avoid keeping any gaming equipment in your kid’s room. This is a great way to control their gaming habits as they will not have unsolicited access to it.

8. Parental control usage
Use parental control settings wherever possible. Keep the games password protected if the option is available to keep a track of gaming in children in your household.

9. A separate computer for gaming
It would be preferable to keep a separate computer for gaming. By following this tip, the gaming habits of children can be controlled in the sense that they will not have access to games on the computer or laptops they use for other activities.

10. Practice what you preach
As adults, you should follow what you preach. You should control your entertainment activities on your computer for a set time as you expect the kids to do. They will observe and learn from it.

From time to time, children do get aggressive when they are given limited access to gaming. You will have to deal with them aptly and keep your cool. You need to make them comprehend the pros and cons of gaming addictions. By implementing the above tips, children can control their gaming habits to a satisfactory level.