Control the controller

One evening I got a call from a worried parent. She narrated to me an incident that took place at her place. Her son who had played games on his phone till late in the night, couldn’t wake up on time the next morning and missed the school bus. She lost her cool and slapped him. The student locked himself in his room and refused to come out the entire day. Gaming addiction is a real issue with today’s teens. Games are so engrossing that students lose track of time and end up playing for hours and even days together.

Word of caution to teens:
Gaming has serious consequences. It is addictive and leads to social isolation, mood swings, stunted imagination and neglect of other events in life. It also makes the player insensitive to violence in real life. Precious time to be spent on studies and extra-curricular activities gets wasted. In fact, it is close to being declared a mental disorder.

Tips to parents:
Slapping a teenager is a failed parenting technique, rather patient counselling will help. Monitor your kid’s game time and make sure it doesn’t exceed one hour per day. Try diverting his attention to interesting outdoor activities. Help him discover his interest and develop a hobby.
The writer is an academic researcher and the founder of Teenage Foundation