Video Games and Your Kids, How Parents Stay in Control

I have just read this book. I recommend it. Published 2008.

Since the book was written, the authors have been involved with the reSTART programme near Seattle.

It's packed with information. It describes what is gaming addiction and how gaming and screen time affects child development. Scary stuff.

It gives healthy boundaries defined by age, and how to enforce boundaries at each particular stage of childhood.

It gives case studies throughout which is very helpful and interesting. They have seen many cases and it is good to hear from such experienced people.

It talks about interventions, with case studies. Most of the interventions cite using a 3 week outward bound course as a 'pattern interrupter' .. where the addict goes as stage 1 of their recovery, followed by individual and group therapy weekly.

It seeks to find out if the child can moderate use by observing the parents boundaries, and acknowledges there may be a need to withdraw gaming completely if the child cannot do it. It recognises how parents enable their children as a root of addiction. It recognises the place of 'tough love' in the mix of solutions.

As the parent of an an adult I addict, I relate to much of what is written in this book.

It would be good if this book was updated with current research and acknowledging the increasing use of smart phones, but what it says is very relevant still.