The definition of “gaming” keeps changing every single year. What we thought of gaming during our childhood has evolved so much that we hardly can relate to modern-day gaming. Everything feels new! Technological advancements like VR and AR have revolutionised the world of gaming. At times, we, parents, even fail to recognise the difference between a real event and a video game on the television, thanks to advancements in the fields of graphics and animation. Sounds great, right? But, when it comes to technological advancements, it does come with its own share of negatives.
So, what influence does gaming have on the current-gen kids? And as parents, what do we have to do to keep everything in check and lead our children on the right path? With the recent news on a 18 year-old teenager chalking up a $20,000 credit card bill on a gaming spree, the last thing parents want is to get shocked when a credit card company calls to inform them that payments worth tens of thousands of dollars have been missed.
When parents see their children glued to the television playing games for long hours, they start worrying about their children getting addicted. With the recent reports of children using their parent’s credit cards and using large amounts of money for in-app purchases in games, it is only natural for most parents to see their children’s interest in games to be something to be wary of. So, what can you do to make sure your children don’t get too much into it and also how to control them spending money on it?
Dangers with online games and in-app purchases
The most recent piece of news that raised eyebrows is that of an 18-year-old girl spending 20,000 SGD for in-app purchases in a game called Genshin Impact. It is an action role-playing game developed by miHoYo, and was first published in 2020. It employs a gacha mechanic system, which is similar to loot boxes. Players spend real money to get random rewards like special characters, character upgrades, and upgraded weapons from the loot boxes. These loot boxes and gacha mechanics are present in most popular online games.
The implementation of in-game currencies has made it hard for people to track how much money they are spending in the game. And with the increase in ease of online payments, most people don’t have a second thought when spending cash online. Paying online doesn’t feel like how you spend the cash you have in hand.
The increased convenience lulls many into spending more than what they intend to do. So, when children start spending money online, they often lose track of how much they have spent. When you see news about children spending large amounts of their parents’ money on games, it is often a large number of transactions of small amounts. Once they get too much into it, they lose track of how much they spend.
The attractive factor of many of these games is the colourful costumes and cool-looking games they have. Most popular games become status symbols among children, where reaching higher levels and unlocking highly customised characters determines your status among friends. Peer pressure to have the best characters, weapons, and costumes makes the children spend more money and time on it. Also, these games have many events where rare loot boxes pop up, and the usual loot boxes get a discounted price for a limited time. The fear of missing out pressures players to spend money on it.
What can you do?
Gaming is not all bad. They have proven to improve coordination and decision-making skills in children, and online games help improve social skills to an extent. They are good if used in moderation. Keep an eye on your children’s gaming habits. But keep in mind that everyone who spends hours playing a game is not an addict. Game addiction is a serious psychological issue that requires a diagnosis from a mental health expert. We have some tips to assist you with your worries about your children’s gaming habits.
Talk to your children
Make sure they know the issues they can face once they get too involved in such games. Warn them about making in-app purchases in the games. If they want to make some small purchase, let them make it using their pocket money or let them earn it by completing some household chores. It would be really great if you could educate them a bit about finances – How important it is to save money and a lot more about being responsible and paying monthly bills.
Set alerts for online purchases
Due to the convenience of online payments, most people make most of their purchases using them. Many people turn off payment notifications to not get their inbox filled. But this backfires when someone makes purchases you are unaware of. Try to keep these notifications turned on.
Do not link your payment details to your child’s accounts
If they have to make purchases, get them a debit card or stored-value card. Do not become lazy and give them your payment info. If your details are needed to pay somewhere, do it for them yourself.
Set up passwords for your payment systems
You can set up passwords to approve any transaction for your payment systems. Apple’s app store and google play store all have these to help you validate every in-app purchase.
Parental control apps
If your children are young, you can set up parental control apps or use the already existing control settings in their devices to control their screen time and also monitor their online spending activities. You can limit the amount and number of their transactions using it.
Monitor screen time
Make sure your children are not spending too much time on their devices. Talk to them and decide on a limit on the screen time every day. Make sure they put down their devices at least an hour before bedtime. And make sure they follow a proper sleep cycle.
Consult a professional if needed
If your child’s indulgence in online games is excessive and is getting out of hand and nothing you do seems to help, get help from a professional. Gaming addiction can impact your children’s mental and physical health. Some even become aggressive about not being able to play games. Get them the help they need and do not try to hide it in fear of what others might think.
It is important for us all to have a perfect balance in all activities that we do in our daily life. “Balance” is the keyword. A balanced diet, a balanced dose of entertainment and yes, a well-balanced lifestyle. Let’s add gaming to the mix and make sure we offer our children great life experiences, all at the right balance! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
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