Gloria DeGaetano - Live and Play in Your World: Stimulus Addiction and the Growing Brain

Live and Play in Your World: Stimulus Addiction and the Growing Brain (cont.)

Here are extremely important activities parents can do to ensure healthy brain growth at any age, decreasing the likelihood of stimulus addiction in the process.

Six Important Ways Parents Can Protect Children and Teens from Stimulus Addiction

1. Keep kids curious.
Game playing often stems from boredom. Kids who don’t know what to do end up in front of a video game console or a computer. Yet, if there were other things to do, he or she may easily choose an alternative. Keep a list handy of age-appropriate activities, including lots of books from the local library. By enticing kids to turn to other activities when bored, chances are they won’t get into a video game habit. They will know how to entertain themselves without the need for hyped stimulation.

2. Invite natural play.
For children, and teens too, encourage a playful spirit and a generative imagination. Children will imitate what they see on TV and teens will repeat what they hear on their iPod, unless we bring out their unique innovative imagination. Without it, our kids are caught in the Play Station world and have no way of getting out. (In my book, Parenting Well in a Media Age, (highlight and link to PW website) I devised a chart on the distinctions between imaginative (generative) play and imitative play, that can help parents keep focus on children’s innate creativity.)

3. Give kids some control.
Responsible autonomy means that kids make decisions and feel a sense of control over regular daily decisions. Video games tap into kids’ need for control. If they only feel in control when they are playing these games, then they will naturally want to play the games more often. Give kids decisions in which you can live with either choice. An example for a young child might be: “Do you want to wear the blue of yellow shirt today?” Both have long sleeves and will keep the child warm. An example for an older child or teen might be: “When is a good day for you to help me with dinner this week?” You acknowledge that the child’s schedule is in his/her control—giving over this decision when you can be flexible about the outcome.

4. Broaden kid’s sources of excitement.
In video game play, the excitement is the reward. The “high” of reaching another level, killing off enemies, or quickly pushing the right button at the right time engenders a rush that feeds on itself. Direct reinforcement multiplies the excitement and pleasure. If video game playing is the only source of a child’s or a teen’s excitement—then other activities will go by the wayside. Gamer addiction happens because there are few opportunities in which the young person feels that level of excitement brought on by a video game. When children and tees are excited about a pursuit such as sports or art, music or academics, community service or church then they have other avenues in which to feel excitement about the outcome. One of the major jobs of parenting in a media age is for moms and dads to broaden opportunities for kids to use their skills and talents. The excitement of living and creating must become the reward.

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