AC Podiatry
Have you found yourself frustrated with the seeming addiction your son or daughter has to their mobile device or gaming console? Do you feel like you are somehow letting your child down by allowing them to spend so much time on these devices? Do you wonder about the potential harm this fixation on screens is causing? Does this concern result in conflict in the family home?
If this sounds like you, rest assured you are not alone. A report released by the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne revealed that almost two thirds (62%) of parents report family conflict due to the use of screen-based devices. Hardly surprising when that same report revealed that 94% of Australian teenagers, 67% of primary school-aged children and 36% of pre-schoolers have their own mobile screen-based device. Screen time and in particular gaming is an issue that almost every mum or dad I speak to is struggling with. It almost seems that from the moment a child gets up in the morning to the moment they go to sleep, the 2020 child is transfixed to a screen. Whilst social media (Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat) is a big driver of mobile phone use in the teenage age group, this love of the mobile screen in younger cohorts and large screens across all age groups has exploded with the advent of online games such as Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft and Overwatch.
Much of the debate around gaming and screen time is whether it is beneficial or not. Whilst there are studies linking increased screen time to anti-social behaviour, poor mental health outcomes in part due to online bullying, poor physical health due to inactivity and even gaming addiction, there are also studies that point to the benefits of gaming including improved cognition, creativity and sociability, improvements in visuomotor control and one study even pointed to playing Mario Cart making you a better driver!!
When looking at this issue, it is my personal view, as someone who is fascinated in this area, is to first understand why a child is playing games. The Digital Australia 2020 report reveals that the 3 most common reason people play games is to
- Have Fun
- De-Stress
- Pass Time
This report stated that in younger cohorts, games are generally played to have fun, and it is my personal experience gaming online with my son and his friends that a big part of the fun is for them to communicate with each other, from debriefing about the day at school to the latest trend and everything in between.
These experiences had me reflect on my childhood. As children we used to live in the same neighbourhood of the kids we went to school with. After school or during the weekend we’d go outside and play in the street or local park, catching up, talking about life in general, and we knew that when that first street light went on it was time to go home. It was the done thing, right?
As wonderful as that time was that’s not the world we live in today. Many kids don’t live in the same neighbourhood as the kids they go to school with. Talking with parents it is obvious we are scared. We won’t let our children go down to the park to play on their own for fear of what might happen, especially our younger kids. According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) less than 65% of homes have a landline and as a result the act of physically calling someone to catch up and debrief is completely foreign to our kids. So, when asked how they keep in touch with their friends, it is not at all surprising to hear them say that it’s through an app on their phone or an online game that they play. Looking at gaming and mobile use in this context, I believe, helps us to understand why apps and gaming are so important to kids, in particularly tweens and teens.
Ultimately, I think that as parents we need to not demonise technology just because we don’t understand it or even fear it. Of course, anything in excess is unhealthy and a balance is needed, however I honestly believe we have to approach this issue from a place of understanding rather than judgement. We need to take the time to learn what it is all about, be it Tik Tok, Instagram, Roblox or Fortnite. We need to play games with our kids, to ask meaningful questions about the apps or games they are using and to take a real interest in what they are doing. By doing so research is suggesting that it offers countless ways for us to insert our own “teaching moment” into their experience and open conversations with our kids, potentially breaking down barriers. On a personal level it has enabled me to discuss gaming and screen habits with my kids at their level, which has resulted in less issues and conflict around screens This has also been the experience of parents I have shared this approach with.
Gaming, screens and technology are here to stay and will only expand in their popularity. As parents we need to embrace this fact. We need to engage with our kids and work to understand their behaviour so that we can be there to help, support and protect them as they navigate their way through this digital life.
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