Computer games hurting our children
By Laman Sadigova
Technology that plays strongly on the human’s senses, like video games, can indeed "blow the mind" by temporarily or permanently deactivating certain nerve connections in the brain.
Recently, a terrible and scary story shocked the whole world: a 17-year-old teenager died in Bashkortostan (Russia) after he spent 22 days in front of a computer playing games.
Do you pay attention to the facial expressions of teenagers when they leave internet clubs? The excited gleam in their eyes, nervousness, and aggressiveness of those who spend several hours side by side in front of monitors suggests that these games cloud their brains.
By spending so much time on a game console or computer, children are missing out on their social lives. Children are less likely to go out and compete in extracurricular activities, which inhibit them from meeting new people and making friends. Moreover, children need an active life style to grow up healthy. Not only will their brains, but also their body could get harmed.
The media and some experts are turning to violent video games in explaining why some young people become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior. Studies have shown the negative effects violent video games have on younger generation.
Two years ago, my younger brother was obsessed with violent video games, spending hours with joystick. He indeed became very violent and aggressive and his academic performance fell. After coming home, he immediately ran in his room, switching on the computer vanishing into the game. We – his family – often tried to reach out to him and explain the detrimental effects of such kind of behavior. However, the games made him deaf to our words.
After a while, he went on a school trip for three days, without his games or computer, just he and his friends. Only after going for an extended period of time without his obsession, he recognized the reason for his depression and nervousness. My brother gave me his beloved joystick and made me promise to give it to him only twice a month.
The main problem of modern children is their naiveté to the harmful lifestyles that most of them live. It is simply impossible to be a normal kid when you spend all the day “killing” virtual enemies.
In that situation, I think that parents are the one who should control the situation and not try to satisfy the child by giving them what they think they want.
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Follow Laman Sadigova on Twitter: @s_laman93
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