Video Game Violence And Children

Every so often I post articles I find interesting. This article from The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychology is titled Video Games And Children : Playing With Violence. Click on the title to link to the article.  I wanted to put two takeaways here from the article:

"Studies of children exposed to violent media have shown that they may become numb to violence, imitate the violence, and show more aggressive behavior. Younger children and those with emotional, behavioral or learning problems may be more influenced by violent images."

and...

Tips for Parents
Parents can help their children enjoy these video games appropriately and avoid problems by:

• Avoiding video games in preschool-aged children (emphasis added)
• Checking the ESRB ratings to select appropriate games—both in content and level of development
• Playing video games with their children to share the experience and discuss the game’s content
• Setting clear rules about game content and playing time, both in and outside the home
• Monitoring online interactions and warning children about potential dangers of Internet contacts while playing games online
• Allowing video game playing only in public areas of the home, not in the child’s bedroom
• Remembering that you are a role model for your children including which video games you play and how long you play them
• Enforcing total screen time limits
• Ensuring video games are only played after homework and chores are done
• Encouraging participation in other activities, particularly physical activities