Is online game good for children? There is much negative effect of online games for children. That is a simple question but the answer is complicated. A neurologist Baroness Susan Greenfield said that spending time online gaming could affect brain’s health for children. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2049040/Computer-games-leave-children-dementia-warns-neurologist.html. Long period of playing online games can be harmful. Mainly, when we talk about effect of violent and sexual videos and games, children will suffer from mental and brain’s problems.
1. Children will be socially isolated
Playing online games are time consuming. Children who are addicted to online gaming will spend much their time in front of their computer or gadget. They often play alone. They do not care to the social environment. Their losing empathy to their social life is a threat to their mental development too.
2. Children will have aggressive behavior.
Some games content violence. Children justify that using weapons and killing others are legal and common. This is very dangerous mental development. Your children have no affection feeling because no one cries when they kill their opponents in the game.
3. Children will suffer from game addiction.
This is a bad news. Addicted to online gaming affects to children’s achievement at school. When your children start to be addicted to online games, they will loose their focus on their lessons. They tend to be lazy to do their school homework. They always try to find time with their gadget and computer even though you limit the use of computer.
4. Children will be less creative.
Most games do not give opportunity to expose children creativity. Your children will only be users and objects. It is different from outdoor games and traditional games that offer children participation socially and creatively.
5. Children will suffer from health problems.
Long period of watching computer screen and using fingers to click and press keypad or keyboard causes several problems. These organs possibly undergo health troubles. Eyes, fingers, and brain are the first organs. See the news of Korean who died because of playing online game http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4137782.stm
6. Children will lose their empathy and compassion.
Children who play online games want to win the games. Every time they play, they do not want to loose of give in. This mental image creates strong character of egoism and centralistic manner. When children are playing traditional games outdoor, they interact with others. They see their friends’ expression. A boy sometimes gives his friend chance to win a badminton game because he wants to motivate his friend. What about online games? No chance for loosing, Children have no other choices. They have to win the game.
7. Children will have less outdoor play.
Spending much time with computer makes children have no much chance to play out. This is not good for children. Playing out has much benefit. Children will active physically and socially when they go out, ride bike, play with marbles and kites.
8. Children will loose their interest in academic works.
As a teacher, I have some students who likes playing online games but they are not at the level addicted. They cannot concentrate well while studying in classroom. They always talk about online gaming with their classmates whose the same hobby.
However, online games have some benefit. The best way to get the benefit, parents must control and give schedule when and how long their children play online. Children must have schedule to play out to get along with their social environment. Keeping balance life is the answer to avoid negative sides of online gaming. Today is online world. Whatever reasons, children must be familiar with online world and they must enter it. They live in the global and unlimited access now. Parents have to know how to choose best toys for children too.