Video Game Content Worries Parents More Than Underage Drinking
1up.com had some interesting news to report about parents and their attitudes toward video games and underage drinking. In two polls conducted by What They Play (a gaming guide for parents), the results showed parents are more disturbed by their child playing a mature video game than they are about their child drinking alcohol.
Let’s take a moment to really visualize the scenario the poll presents. A teenager is at a sleepover and in one case he’ll drink alcohol and in the other case he’ll just play a mature video game that might features some form of alcohol consumption. Which scenario would concern you more?
Of course, neither situation is good. In an ideal scenario, as a parent, you would hope that you have talked with your child about drugs and alcohol enough that they would give you a call and leave that sleepover right away. Being put in that kind of a situation as a young adult is harsh, and unfortunately it is one of the tougher decisions that more and more teens have to make.
Another interesting result from the poll is that smoking marijuana was the behavior parents were most worried about. Although drugs have had a lot of media attention, drinking can be just as, if not more dangerous to the development of a young body and mind. Keeping teens clean from drugs, alcohol, and games that encourage drinking or doing drugs should be of equally high concern to parents.
To help curb those worries, parents can take a proactive approach. Try playing the games your child loves. Out of the hundreds of games made each year, help your child find the “cool” ones that aren’t filled with objectionable content. Let your teen host a sleepover, and let them plan the night’s food, drinks and activities. There are lots of ways to keep young adults entertained, but the key to keeping it clean is parent involvement.
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