Guide on Gaming Safety and Parental Controls

Gaming has become a popular activity amongst children and adults worldwide. The development nature of children wants them to try out new things. Gaming acts as a simulator for children and a source of entertainment during leisure. Adults use gaming for entertainment and as an avenue to whisk away stress or mental fatigue. Children need guidance to play games controllably and responsibly because gaming can be addictive and a source of stray development. Every parent should practice parental control for fun to protect children from the side effects of gaming. Good and controlled gaming fosters a child's overall focus and prevents them from developing violent tendencies and antisocial characteristics. This article exhaustively reviews the information you need about games, including the types of games, their benefits and effects, and how you can guide gaming safety as a parent or guardian.

Part 1. Types of Gaming Devices

The following are the primary devices used for gaming.

1. Desktop 

Game players use desktops to play games on apps and online software. Only games played on desktop computers and laptops are classified as desktop gaming. In desktop gaming, players link up with each other through chat messages or microphone conversations. FIFA and Fortnite are examples of desktop games.

2. Portable 

Portable is a gaming device with screen and keyboard sizes designed to fit in your pocket and intended to give you the convenience of playing from anywhere. Nintendo Switch online is the most famous example of a portable device.

3. Mobile Gaming Console 

A gaming Console is a device for playing video games with a game controller connected to a computer to display videos and sounds. Xbox and PlayStation are famous examples of Gaming Console games.

Part 2. Benefits of Gaming

The following are the benefits of gaming.

1. Cognitive Skill Development

The challenging gaming environment, where children strive to win while playing, develops how they reason and figure out solutions. Problem-solving skills are crucial skills developed from gaming. Gaming sharpens the attention abilities and thinking and memory development of kids.

2. Mental Health Benefit

Gaming is known to reduce stress in children and adults. When gaming, a child is doing something they love and winning levels which comes with a sense of achievement. They strive to win against an opponent, or a deck is an excellent mental exercise that fosters the overall mental well-being of a child.

3. Social Connections

Introverted children that cannot develop relationships in their physical environment learn how to develop relationships within the gaming environment. Such interactions can, in turn, help them learn how to create social connections in real life.

4. Gaming Careers

Some online games have real prizes to be won by champions who master a game outstandingly. Additionally, creative people who love gaming are developing video games and earning a living.

Part 3. Effects of Gaming

1. Age-inappropriate Games

Age inappropriate games impact kids negatively. Some games encourage racism, killing, shootings, and other violent behaviors, which, if not controlled, can translate into real-life tragedies.

2. Cyber Bullying 

A majority of gaming platforms allow users to connect via chat messages. Ill-intended people use these platforms to cyberbully kids, adversely affecting their self-esteem and overall development.

3. Gaming Addiction 

Gaming addiction has been a significant problem in families. When there is parental control over games, kids heavily immerse themselves in online games, which affects their focus and touch with reality. Reversing gaming addiction can be a challenge. Parents are encouraged to prevent addiction by allowing kids to access games controllably.

Part 4. Measure on Gaming Safety

Parental control games have measures meant to ensure kids access and use gaming platforms responsibly. The following are some of the steps on gaming safety.

1. Set Time Limits

Setting time limits controls the amount of time your child accesses a gaming platform. Setting time limits is important because it puts addiction in check. You can set time limits from the gaming platforms or monitoring apps.

2. Be Involved

It is critical for any parent to know everything about your child and how they do the things they which will help you understand where they are facing a possible danger and curb it.

3. Educate

Educating your children about the dangers of gaming will help them know what's right about gaming and what's wrong. It will further help them assess themselves and put checks on themselves to be obedient and responsible. 

Parent 5. How Parents Can Guide on Gaming Safety

The following apps focus on enhancing children's gaming safety.

1. Parental Control Apps on Mobile Gaming

The following apps focus on enhancing children's gaming safety in mobile gaming.

Bit Guardian

Bit Guardian is an android parental control app that complements your parenting. 

Features

App block, which blocks and restricts app access to curb addiction and time wasting. The app time limit limits the amount of time your child can spend using a particular app. The app ensures that your kids are using apps responsibly. Kiosk mode filters what your child can access by allowing appropriate child stuff and blocking the inappropriate ones. Panic alert, which sends you notifications with the accurate location of your child in case of an emergency. App install mode blocks your child from installing any age-inappropriate apps. 

Netsanity 

Netsanity is a parental control app compatible with Samsung for android devices and iPhone, IPad, and iPod Touch for iOS devices.

Features

App blocker for installing age-inappropriate apps. Category blocker for blocking content in categories considered child inappropriate. Site blocker blocks specific sites you consider child inappropriate such porn sites. The game blocker allows you to preselect a list of games your child can play. All other games are blocked and won't be accessed. Timeout, which automatically cuts internet access once turned on.

2. Parental Control on Gaming Console

PlayStation 4's

To operate PlayStation 4’s follow the following steps.

1. Open your Account manager.

2. Sign in.

3. Select Family Management.

4. Select child account to restrict.

5. Select Edit to adjust each feature.

 Xbox

To operate Xbox follow the following steps.

1. Open the Xbox dashboard

2. Go to Settings

3. Select Privacy and online safety.

4. Select the Child Default option.

5. Choose the 'Use, but customize' option.

6. From the default privacy settings, select 'only free content'.

7. Select 'Access to content & apps'.

8. Select the age you want to limit from the list.