A quick disclaimer: I don’t play games. Well, not any longer.
I wish I could say I gave them up for a nobler reason than I was about to flunk French and philosophy at varsity because Wolfenstein, Warcraft and Sim City — and not sex, drugs and clubbing — were keeping me up all night (and out of lectures).
Turns out, not perpetually playing games paid off. I not only pulled up my marks but passed that year, had some fun, and the university refunded my academic fees. The parentals were happy. Halcyon days.
Now, I’m just the designated buzzkill in the house: I police my own child’s screen time, curb her Robux expenditure, and screech “game over” like a harpy before it starts to work on my nerves.
Why do I do this? Well, like most parents, I’m particularly concerned about too much screen time, and lump gaming into the equation because, well, they both just seem to suck you in. And that cannot be a good thing.
Children’s exposure to screen time has certainly erupted.
A 2023 global education monitoring report for Unesco warns that excessive screen time can negatively affect self-control, social development, physical health and emotional stability. Others warn that screen time disrupts sleep, brain development and language acquisition.
While screens offer some educational, social and other benefits — through access to information, improving visual intelligence, enhancing teamwork and creativity, preparing them for future learning and so forth — too much can result in poorer academic performance, reduced social interaction and increased mental health issues.
