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Debate: do kids spend too much time playing computer games?

5 August 2009

Gone are the days when our children spent their time playing ring-a-ring-of-rosies or conkers. Now young people are more likely to be in front of the television playing Grand Theft Auto or Halo.

Is this a bad thing? Do kids spend too much of their time playing computer games?

  • Are children missing out on important childhood moments?
  • Or is this just part of life in the 21st century?
  • Are computer games damaging to a child’s development?
  • Or are they are integral part of growing up today?

Is this an issue that affects you or your children? Have your say, and debate the issue here on PCS comment, and a selection of the comments will be published in View, the monthly magazine for PCS members.

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  1. Bravo

    26 August 2009

    Well done to Kieran John for what he said. Hit the nail on the head. I have a new nephew thanks to marrying into my wifes family. We both love computer games and have found we have similar interests when it comes to that particular hobby. This has opened up a gateway to do other things. I am taking him to a Star Wars convention and we are going to do an exercise course together. I have bonded with a magnificent child through computer games so you can't be so negative. Furthermore, I throughly agree that parents need to guide and channel their children's focus to include other interests if they don't want their children watching too much TV or playing computer games. Parents should not outlaw computer games though, it's extremely narrow minded. Personally I don't see the harm in it at all and have known many children that have grown up with computer games and now as adults hold respectable jobs such as police officer, lawyer, fireman, office manager etc etc. They have played some of these supposedly "offensive" games and yet remain sound minded. They haven't had the inclination to kill, maim or mutilate anyone, steal their cars or any such activity. I think that people that blame computer games for their attrocious crimes or flaws are just grasping at straws so that they can escape blame and sanctions. It is human nature I'm afraid. Computer games come with age certificate, just like films do. A parent wouldn't let their 8 year old child (for example) watch Jaws, Night of the Living Dead etc so why oh why do they allow them to play these games? It is 100% a parenting issue by way of failing to encourage children to do other things. Telling a child they can't do something, you should know, will just make them do it more so by saying "I won't allow my child to play computer games" is just going to force that child to go round to his mates house and play them. That's no solution to a non-existant problem. I suppose by walking round to their mates house, at least he/she gets some exercise!

    Paul Warwick-Eales
    Kids & TV Viewing Habits

    25 August 2009

    Kids of today are spending too much time in front of the Television Screens. On return from the school, the fist things the kids pick up these days is the TV remote. The endless hours spent watching TV do have a detrimental affect on kids well being. As result kids interact less with their parents or sibling which is likely to impact on their social skills in the long term. Advertisers are milking the situation and the merchandise associated with TV programmes is endless. With proliferation of TV channels in the digital era the problem is going to get worse. The solution to combating this problems lies with more outdoor activities away from the TV screens but then again the great British weather is not much help in this regard.

    Jawid Iqbal
    What's wrong with books?

    25 August 2009

    How can blowing up imaginary aliens possibly be good for a young person's development? What's wrong with reading a book or playing a sport?

    Moses Smith
    Games unsuitable?

    25 August 2009

    Largely aimed at Clarissa Hogg's comment: Do you intend to ban your child from watching films and reading books? Guess what, some of those are unsuitable for children too! And unlike the literary world video games come with a warning to inform parents if the game is suitable for their children. I'd be hard pressed to find something "pernicious" about Super Mario Galaxy, or immoral about the up-coming PS3 game "eye-pet". Video gaming can be a way for families to bond together nowadays, get everyone around for a quick game of Buzz or maybe break out the Wii and get Grandma up bowling. This generation of console especially has introduced the concept of 'family gaming'. Much like films and books there are adult titles, because adults do play video games. Perhaps the parents of your teenage nephew should be watching what he plays more carefully? These games (the more violent ones such as Grand Theft Auto, Madworld, Ninja Gaiden) will be rated 18 and as such aren't intended for use by minors. In fact the BBFC who rate films step in to rate the adult titles and the sale of these to minors is strictly forbidden. Consoles in fact are relatively safe for this type of thing. Each new console comes with a "parent filter" allowing you to stop your child playing anything you think is unsuitable. So perhaps it's time to stop blaming video games and put a little of the onus back on the parents to keep an eye on what their children are doing. As for if kids are spending too much time gaming... perhaps, but I think it's up to the parents to monitor and decide.

    Kieran John
    Some kids do.

    24 August 2009

    Some children do spend to much time on tv, some don't. Computers though, most children and teenagers spend far too much time on computers on laptops for internet games such as Runescape,Club Penguin or Warcraft or social sites such as Bebo, Facebook or Myspace. So in short, some children spend a lot of time on tv, some don't.

    Kevin Thang
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