Worried about violent video games? Then sit down and play them

Parents need to sit down and play their kids’ video games if they want to protect them, says Arlene Harris

For most modern parents, the amount of time their children spend in front of a screen is a touchy subject. Some can’t bear the sight of tired and cranky young people holed up in a darkened room staring at a computer whilst others believe the world is a dangerous place so at least if their kids are at home, they are safe from all harm.

But while a recent combined report from the Universities Gothenburg and Karlstad in Sweden claimed youngsters actually benefit from multiplayer online role-playing games because they help boost language skills and vocabulary, other reports have shown children as young as six are spending hours glued to unsuitable games.