A
Mom asked me: "My 8-year-old son wants to have a few friends over to play computer games. The kids will bring their own laptops so they can play online together: Should I le them?
Shouldn't they be doing other things if they are going to spend time together?
This issue of playing computer games has become a big issue for young children. With that in mind, you cannot expect a simple yes/no answer to your dilemma
So my answer will be complex. involving much more parental involvement, and is probably not what you want to hear. Keep an open mind as you read my 8-step Plan:
No.1 Obviously your son is already playing online games with his friends. Isn't it better to
have them play in your house under your supervision? I would welcome his friends to come over to play. rather than not knowing who he is playing with
No.2 Before his friends come, find out what games they like to play. Then you(or maybe your husband)should log on and learn to play the games yourself. Test to see what the game is like.
what's good and what's bad about it. First-hand experience allows you to talk to
your son in an intelligent manner, gives you credibility when you warn him of dangers, and also gives you some insight into the personality of your son.
No. 3 Let's compare this to an offline
example. Suppose your son wants to play
tennis, wouldn't you be researching
about where the best tennis classes
are,what appropriate racket to buy,and who he is playing tennis with?
