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Youth Violence and Video Games
Violent video games affect how teens think and act. Violent video games include the destruction of property, killing police, mass shooting, and other acts that could be considered bloody, but the game designers never show the teens how these games affect other people. Teen violence has become a social issue in many parts of the world. Therefore, the most significant problem with the video games is that they affect youth’s perception of violence and they may end up acting what they play. The most practical solution to this problem would be moving the computer and the gaming tools in public places such as a living room in the homes so to ensure that the parents monitor what their children play.
According to (“Violent Video Games Linked To Child Aggression – CNN.Com”), the aggressive behavior was evident in the teens who habitually played violent video games. The ones who played the violent computer games indicated an aggressive attitude towards others. The aggressiveness was primarily linked to the games that involved dismemberment or graphic murdering. The violent thoughts included imagining hitting a person they hated, or someone who was hostile to them. It also includes thinking that it would be right for someone to beat another in case they wronged them. However, games also have therapeutic value, and they cannot be entirely associated with the negativities of youth violence. For instance, the video games increase the esteem of the players as they move from one level to another as teens feel that they can now solve life problems.

And therefore, with parents monitoring what their children spend time playing can help in solving the problem of violent video games.
The video games have a strong bearing on the mannerisms exhibited by the young members of the population. The young teenagers in the society have developing minds which are likely to be shaped by the environment. According to Durlak et al. (291), the children are likely to be influenced by the different aspects of the environment. Exposure to the violent games will have an adverse effect on the children where they are molded to accept violence as a social tool. They are likely taught to view aggression as a tool for solving the conflicts that they come across. This shapes a new world for them that is different from the socially accepted norms. Children should be encouraged to take on alternative routes of conflict resolution. They should also be taught that the world exhibited in the violent video games is not similar to the real world.
Parents have little control over the type of games that their teen children play. This is despite their awareness of the negative implication of some video games that are available in the market. The meaningful question most scholars ask is whether the parents should be allowed to control the type of the computer games their children play (Durlak et al. 287). This could involve managing the amount of time the teens behind the screen playing a game. However, there are also raising issues on the extent to which the parents should be involved in if their involvement will reduce youth violence and improve academic performance. It could be argued that it is reasonable for a parent to make sure that their children understand the difference between game fantasy and reality, and only then can video games be considered an educational tool.
The society cannot control the games available in the community as well as how the children react to the games. However, the community should focus on helping the children make informed decisions. This would give the children the right tools to make informed choices when faced with challenges such as extremely violent games. The children will be in a position to discern that the games are used to pass the time and not to impart any moral lesson. This will help the children avoid carrying the adverse effects of the games onto the real world (Durlak et al. 289). The society also needs to focus on awareness campaigns that can help in reducing the effects of violent games. The young minds are exposed continuously to content that shifts their minds from the video games. The awareness also needs to focus on helping the children develop a sense of self-geared towards self-awareness and discovery. This will help them focus on aspects of the environment that positively shape the society and not aggression that may destroy the moral fabric.
When the video game gadgets are in a public place, it will be possible for the parents to watch what their children are playing and can even play with them. Without an adult involvement, the youth can spend much time playing these games, and likely escalate the problem of violence (DeLisi et al. 135). Lack of social skills could cause this behavior. However, with playing with the parent in sight, the teens will be taught the necessary interpersonal skills which will improve how they interact with other people.
However, the question of whether the parents should observe their children as they play video games is contentious. This is because the teens and young adults will desire to play computer games irrespective of whether they contain strong graphics. Parent’s interference with what their children like might bring strain in their relationship which might consequently cause more harm to the child. Parent’s involvement might even reduce the player’s game performance, which is likely to hurt their feelings and thus affect their esteem. Therefore, the concern in this matter is the extent to which the parents can control their children as they play the game on their watch.
The parents need to develop a relationship with their children such that they can control the manner in which they acquire and play the video games. The involvement needs to start at a young age such that the culture is well-developed over time. The children are likely to adopt the new lifestyle and will not object to their parents choosing healthy games. The parents should also ensure they have candid conversations with their children (“Parents Influence Children’s Play of Violent Video Games” N.p). They would explain the need to make the right choices which would reduce the likelihood of rebellion. The children are also likely to get the right video games once they feel that they have earned their parent’s trust. The reduction in the number players for the violent video games would also reduce their presence within the market in the long run.
Playing the computer games in a public place allows the parents to engage their children on why they think playing games is important. This could be a pathway to promoting a talent of a teen, especially when they realize that their parents approve their actions. Most game designers were once prolific game players. Therefore, with the parent’s knowledge of the kind of game one is playing, it is not necessary to restrict them, but to make sure that the teens understand what they are doing. Once asked a question about a particular game and how it works, a young adult might be interested in researching about it to prove that they know what they are doing and its benefits. This could be further encouraged by the parent’s restriction on a specific game until the child describes what the game is about, how it is made, and why it should be played by other people (“Parents Influence Children’s Play of Violent Video Games” N.p). Nevertheless, this could be impossible if a young adult is not interested in the gaming industry, and is just playing for fun. Under such conditions, a child may opt for other activities which will be done without the monitoring of their parents- and these activities might be harmful than letting a teen to play a game with liberty and in their private rooms.
. Children need to be encouraged to take part in more constructive activities as opposed to the violent games. Playing video games in a public place also ensures that a teen is not spending time which was otherwise supposed to something else. Parents who are anxious and emotional will keep their children from playing aggressive computer games (“Parents Influence Children’s Play of Violent Video Games”). It is possible for a teen to spend his or her day playing the game and forget about their chores and even their hygiene. Overdoing it makes a youth lose a sense of responsibility both to themselves and others. This could explain why some of them turn to violent actions without taking responsibility for their actions, which could arise from arguments from something they did or did not do and they resort to violence if confronted.
When the playing tools are in the public place, the parents will always ensure that their children are doing the right thing at the right time and video games are only played during free time. However, there is a limitation to this situation. Computer game tools could be in a public place, but parents will always have other things to attend to other than sitting to watch what kind of games their children play. When the parents are not in the house, the young adults can still waste much time playing unimportant games instead of doing constructive things (Durlak et al. 289). Responsible behavior can be encouraged by allowing the children to play the video games for controlled amounts of time. The periods allowed for the games can be reduced over time, and the youths can adapt to the new routines. They are also likely to accept the new rules once they have been introduced to them over time.
Further, setting the playing joint in a public place will also educate parents. Parents will be forced to research on a wide variety of video games to know which to or not approve in their home. This would also ensure that parents only allow learning games instead of actual games. It is unlikely that parents would let their children play violent games, primarily because they lack the learning aspect. This would, however, add burden to a parent and spend time that could otherwise be used in family development (DeLisi et al. 137). Therefore, it becomes imperative if the parent feels that the games are not having any educative and therapeutic benefit to their children to restrict them in their house.
When the parents are aware of the type of games that their children are playing, they can also be willing to spend money on buying the games. Most teens’ expendable income come from their parents, and thus parents can exercise control over the type of games to be played under their watch. Since the young adults will be afraid to be denied money for purchasing the game, they will not opt for violent or uncomfortable games (Durlak et al. 287). The parents could also be willing to pay for the game if also take part in playing it, and to promote positive social behavior; they are likely to opt for decent games which do not involve dismembering someone or violent graphics. This aspect, however, is not a guarantee that teens won’t have violent games on their devices. Most parents might be comfortable with their teen children playing violent games, which might be partly because they think it is fun or they are not aware of the psychological effects associated with the extreme games.
On the other hand, most of the aggressive behavior exhibited by teenagers cannot be directly tied to the violent video games. Most individuals that have been involved in violent actions such as the Orlando nightclub shooting have no history of exposure to violent video games. Omar Mateen and his response were influenced by his feelings towards the gay community. This shows that an individual may be pushed to take part in violent behavior by other factors. The society needs to focus on other factors that may shape violent action and identify the groups that may be exposed the risk factors. This will ensure that the community does not blame all violent video games and can address the real issues within the community. The manufacturers of the video games also need to be censored such that they can control the content in the games. The games should not be allowed to carry graphic images of incidences such as killings. This would protect the players from images that may stick with them in the long run. The censor would also ensure that violence is not used as a marketing tool for games without any consideration of their long-term effect.

From the analysis, it is clear that parents can exercise a significant degree of control over the kind of games their children play. This can be made possible if they place the playing tools in public places such as a living room where they will be able to monitor their teens as they play. Therefore, while violent video games have become a menace, this approach is one of the many solutions that could be utilized to reduce the aggressiveness caused by the games. Parents can work and walk with their children to ensure that their game-playing does not turn to their antisocial, irresponsible, and unfocused lifestyle which might affect how they interact with their schoolmates and other members in the society. They should ensure that their children only benefit from these games. However, they should also consider their actions so as not to put a strain on their relationships with teens.
Works Cited
DeLisi, Matt et al. “Violent Video Games, Delinquency, And Youth Violence.” Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice 11.2 (2012): 132-142. Web. 19 Feb. 2018.
Durlak, J. A., et al. “Developing and improving after-school programs to enhance youth’s personal growth and adjustment: A special issue of AJCP .” American Journal of Community Psychology (2010): 285-93.
“Parents Influence Children’s Play of Violent Video Games.” ScienceDaily. N.p., 2018.
Web. 9 Feb. 2018.
“Violent Video Games Linked To Child Aggression – CNN.Com.” Edition.cnn.com. N.p., 2018.
Web. 9 Feb. 2018.