Your child plays video games
Keep in mind that video games offer your child the opportunity to:
- enjoy themselves and have fun.
- develop new skills.
- make progress and win.
- feel valued.
- play with their friends and classmates.
- share experiences with others.
Take interest in the content:
- Before buying a video game, find information online and from other parents.
- Learn about the content and recommended age at www.pegi.info.
- Check the duration of the game.
- Note that in-game purchases are included in some games.
Be aware that your child can play on online gaming platforms that allow them to:
- chat with people they do not necessarily know in real life.
- send them messages, pictures and videos.
Teach your child to protect themselves:
- It is important to protect their personal information and privacy.
- It is essential to use different passwords, regularly change them and keep them secret.
- What your child posts (e.g. photos, videos, messages, etc.) remains online permanently and shapes their e-reputation (the way others perceive them).
- Any personal information they post may be used against them.
- The people they meet on the Internet can lie. We never know who is hiding behind a screen.
- Some online content is not appropriate to their age and may shock them.
Make it clear to your child that laws apply to the Internet:
- Under the law, users are prohibited from:
- insulting or threatening a person online.
- damaging a person’s reputation.
- publishing a photo or video of a person without their consent.
- If your child finds themselves in one of these situations, they can file a complaint.
- Your child must also comply with the law: in Switzerland, children can be held criminally liable for their actions from the age of 10.
Set rules:
- Set a time limit for screen use to make sure that your child can:
- stay physically active.
- have enough sleep.
- enjoy a range of activities.
- Discuss the rules with your child.
- Suggest writing down the rules and putting them up where your child can see them.
- Adapt the rules according to your child’s age.
- Talk about the consequences of breaking the rules.
To help you maintain a consistent approach:
- Remember that you set rules and limits for your child’s well-being.
- Teach your child to manage their emotions when they play and when it’s time for them to stop.
- Set up parental controls.
- Use a timer to limit the duration of the game.
- Reduce your own screen time to set an example.
- Take the time to watch your child play. Encourage and compliment them.
- Play video games with them.
You have reasons for concern if your child:
- spends more and more time playing video games and neglects their other activities.
- is often angry when they cannot play or when they have to stop playing.
- often misses school.
- is getting lower grades.
- is sleep deprived.
- becomes aggressive.
- becomes isolated and withdrawn.