It's all fun and games...

Video games are becoming increasingly more accepted by parents as many recognize that it is an opportunity to bond with and educate their child. According to Microsoft's 2009 "Play Smart Play Safe" study, more than half of parents polled feel video games bring their families together and three quarters of parents think video games can be educational. Although some have their benefits, not all games are created equal and parents still need to carefully monitor which games their children are playing to ensure their safety when they are playing alone.

I recently interviewed Tracy Mooney, McAfee's Chief Cyber Security Mom, to get her advice on gaming and she warns "Parents need to do their homework about this." Tracy, the mother of 3, encourages open communication with children about the games they are playing but also mentions that basic consumer skills are the best bet. "Honestly, the best things parents can do is read the box or read information on the website," she said. "Many parents skip this step and it is the simplest way to find out if a game has something they don't want their kids to view."

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is an excellent resource for parents. The ESRB is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering parents with the ability to make informed decisions about the computer and video games they choose for their families through the assignment of age and content ratings. Parents can find ESRB ratings on each box ranging from Early Childhood to Teen to Adults Only. Or, with a simple visit to www.esrb.org parents can type in the name of a game and see the maturity level and find out if a game includes violence or nudity.


Tracy also recommends asking older children for the inside scoop on games. "My oldest son is willing to tell me exactly why the game is or is not appropriate, such as violent, sexual themes, etc. I also always let them talk about games in general to keep the conversation going even when they are not asking for a new game."

As we can see with Microsofts Play Smart, Play Safe study, the gaming companies are also concerned with the safety of children. Tracy suggests checking if your gaming console has tools to help with your efforts. "Many of the gaming consoles have parental controls and time limits built in to the systems," she advises. For instance, Microsofts Xbox and Xbox 360 have family settings which allows parents to decide if their child can connect to the "live" online component and, if so, the option to limit what they download and/or approve who can communicate with their child.

Tracy said that before buying a game for her children she always ask whether they they have the ability to chat with others. "If they do, it is not necessarily banned," she said. "I just make sure they can “stop, block and tell” - stop the chat if something happens, block the user from contacting them, and tell a parent or other adult what has happened."

There are many resources available to help parents navigate the gaming industry. Overall, being educated on the games your child is playing and maintaining open communication makes it fun for the whole family.