Too Many Video Games?

Is it possible to be addicted to video games? Find out how you can set healthy limits on your child's video viewing.

By the editors of Child magazine

Q: My 9-year-old plays video games every day at his friend's house. I'm worried that these games are violent and addictive.

A: You're right to be cautious, says Arthur Pober, Ed.D., a New York City-based child psychologist and executive director of the Entertainment Software Rating Board. "But, in reality, video games are no more threatening or addictive to your child than television and computers are," he says. "Still, it's important that parents monitor the quality of the programming their child is exposed to and the frequency that it's being watched."

If you feel that a particular game is not appropriate, talk about it with the parents of your child's friend. Then request that they make sure your son is not exposed to that game when he's playing at their house.

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