A new study by the researchers at the University of Michigan found that teen agers who make the time to play video games spend less of their time on schoolwork than teens who don’t play the games.
The teen gamers actually spent 30 percent less time reading and 34 percent less time doing homework, compared to those teens who stayed away from video games.
The study was based on information gathered in a survey. Participants in the survey ranged in age from 10 to 19 years old. There were almost 1,500 teens who took part in the survey.
Overall, about 36 percent of all of the teens surveyed played video games. And most of those who played were boys.
I have to wonder…is this information really surprising? I think it has been collective common sense, no?
Kids today have such a limited amount of time as it is. With heavy course loads at school, test preparation and drills, tons of homework and sports and extra curricular activities, doesn’t seem like our kids have a hard time fitting in the normal requirements? Add in any activity that is known to be enjoyable and addicting to kids, and something will have to suffer.
While the study is interesting, I would have liked to see something a little more conclusive and detailed; something that would help me make better decisions as a parent. For example, is there a certain threshold of time that a kid can be allowed to play video games or should they all be banned from the home altogether.
At the very least, I would have liked to see the survey define what type of video games were being played. Are certain educational video games, such as the V-Smile system, the Reader Rabbit computer games, and other video brain-type games really educational?
As I type this, working on my computer, my six-year old is playing a game that involves trying to spell out a word that was spoken by his “computer.” He is completely involved in the game. I can tell because his tongue is starting to stick out at the edge of his mouth. He paused a moment to ask me about a letter in the word “zipper.” But, will his playing enhance his schoolwork? Am I a bad parent if I let him play?
What do you think? do you allow your children to play video games? Do you think video games affect schoolwork? Please leave a comment and let me know.
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Frugal Living Blog here at Families.com, where she shares money saving tips for today’s families.
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