Why do you need a safe gaming setup?
There are currently more than 2 ½ billion gamers currently in the world according to techjury.net. This hobby has grown from not existing to being all-consuming for adults and children alike. There are games out there for every type of person. In a divided world, gaming is something that so many people love. Which is great, right? Well…it comes with challenges. One of those challenges (and in my opinion, the most important) is the safety of our children using those games. It is more important than ever to understand not only what games your children are playing but who they are talking with, what type of information can they access. This post on making a safe gaming setup for kids is inspired by the fact that I spend lots of my own time giving thought to this subject, to keep my tween and teen sons safe while gaming.
This topic is so important to me, and maybe some of you as well. Here are some ideas that I have used to help my kids to game SAFELY, I hope that they are helpful to you to make a safe gaming setup for your kids.
Have the gaming area where you can see them:
This is what I believe is the most effective method for having a safe gaming setup is to monitor gaming. And I should mention that it is also the most disputed by my teenager. I decided early on when my first son discovered video games that we would not allow computers in the bedroom. We have one gaming station in the living room, and one in the game room (which we can see through the glass doors). We can see what they are playing, hear conversations, and generally monitor their activity. Just to be clear, we don’t sit around like stalkers listening to every word with friends. But it is more of a general monitoring.
Here is a picture of my family’s own safe gaming setup. You can see that it is right in our living room and I can see what they are doing at all times. The table was very inexpensive and this setup has been great for our family.
Monitor what games the children are playing
Now, this is something that I am not great at. The new games these days come out at the speed of light and honestly it is difficult to keep up with them all. At times I have asked my husband (a now and again gamer) to check out a game and determine if it is appropriate for the age level of the kids at that time. Also, use the age ratings for the games to help judge them as well. And just get a general feel for the game and you will generally know quickly if you are comfortable with them, or not.
Talk to your kids and limit the number of game friends
This is something that I keep close tabs on, without being too invasive. Of course, my younger son only has a couple of gaming friends that I am very family with. They generally use facetime to chat. My older son typically has school friends or friends that he has known (in person) for years. We have had conversations many times about internet and gaming safety and how there are people in the world who prey on children by pretending to be someone they are not. This is a very real danger and one of the main reasons that we advocate for safe gaming.
Decide if you are okay with kids chatting with strangers
This is something that really varies with each video game. There are settings to choose either chatting with a large group of people or chatting with only friends. Chatting with only friends is something that we mostly always choose for obvious reasons. It is a great way to limit what your child has access to.
Discuss online dangers with your children
I know that this comes up in every item and may seem repetitive. But I feel like it is worth repeating. Have a conversation with your kids about knowing who they are speaking with while on games and the internet. Also, in general, come to an understanding of what you think is appropriate and not appropriate content.
Use the parental controls
Many of the games and gaming systems have parental controls. Use them. It is as simple as that, or is it? I have been asked by my own children if they can sign up with an older (made up) age for one thing or another to get access to more content. I know what my answer was, you will have to decide what yours will be.
To learn how to set different parental controls, here is a video with some great resources on how to set these up on the various gaming platforms. In addition you can find more information on that subject on internetmatters.org.
Listen to what your children are saying in their safe gaming setup…
This goes all the way back to #1, setting up your gaming area where you can see them. You don’t have to listen to every word but keep an ear out for what kind of conversations they are having. Are they having suitable conversations? Using nice language? Because you can see them, you will already be able to see the type of game but listening helps to make sure they are keeping it clean. You would be surprised how many little potty mouths you can find in the gaming forums.
Play with your kids in your safe gaming setup!
This is a fun way to connect with your kids. I mean honestly, some of the new games like Fortnite and Minecraft are not my cup of tea. Some of them literally make me dizzy. But some of the games like Overcooked on PS4 and Beat Saber on Oculus Quest were so much fun! Walk through the game section at the store and you will find some fun games to play as a family.
Let the kids earn their own money for purchases inside the game
Like many things in this day and age, games will take your money. You pay $50-$60 for a new game. Then that game may require a subscription to access different things (such as Playstation and Switch). Then on top of that, there are “in-app purchases”. We have a long-standing rule here that Mommy isn’t paying for in-app purchases. We live on a budget and that is not in it. So, our kids have chores and keep their extra money in a jar. When they want in-app purchases, they can use their money for those. It is a way to incorporate money lessons into gaming.
Make the kids earn safe gaming time
My final idea is to have the kids earn their gaming time. If you allow them, kids will spend many hours gaming. Of course, we have some general limits but especially during COVID-19, it is difficult to keep it to the minimum. One thing that we do is to let the kids “earn” gaming time. After school, they must do chores and homework before having any game time. And it is understood that they will be off by 8 on school nights, we relax that on weekends.
To sum this up, I feel that I should point out that we are not obsessive monitoring parents. But we do understand the many dangers of children and the internet and choose to take precautions to mitigate the risks. Also, we don’t expect that everyone in the world will do things the same as we do. The goal here is simply to share some ideas.
Related posts….
- Would you like to get the kids out of the house? Take a dive into this post about Wandering.
- Need some more time as a family? These posts might help! Family Dinners – why you should have more! and FAMILY TRADITIONS
- Need other activities besides gaming? Try Movie Night with Family – Why you should plan one!
I hope that these ideas help you to make sure that your children are gaming safely. HAPPY GAMING!
Mrs. Accountable
Dee | Grammy's Grid says
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Dee | Grammy's Grid says
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cbrooks0312@comcast.net says
That is amazing! Thank you so much!