- Video Gaming Reaches an All-time High Since COVID-19 Lockdown Initiation
- 9 out of 10 Parents Have Household Rules About Managing Their Kids’ Video Games
- Tips to Reduce Stress and Maintain Balance for Your Family… with Video Games
With so many people stuck at home, it will come as no surprise that millions are playing video games more often.
According to the Entertainment Software Association, three quarters of U.S. households have at least one person who plays video games. This includes 64% of adults and 70% of children who say they regularly play them.Â
When it comes to screen time and video games every parent needs to figure out what’s right for their kids. With so much to consider where should you a parent start?
Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board and Dr. Rachel Kowert, Research Director for Take This and science content creator, Psychgeist have answers.
Vance and Kowert discuss:
- Simple steps parents can take to manage the video games their children play
- How ESRB-assigned age and content ratings make it easy for families to pick age-appropriate games
- Why parents need to stress less and embrace the benefits of video games
- How video games have helped make children feel less socially isolated
- How video games are bringing us together during times of physical distancing
- What parents can do to make sure their children have positive online game experiences
- Tips on how parents can stay involved with their kids’ video game play
- Tips on how to get the most out of parental controls for maximum peace of mind
 Station Note: This segment is brought to you by the Entertainment Software Rating Board
Bio: Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board
Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program. She also serves as founding chairperson of the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), a non-profit organization that operates a ground-breaking global rating and age classification system for digitally delivered games and apps, and as chairperson of the Family Online Safety Institute, a non-profit membership organization based in Washington, DC. She is a member of the Board of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.
Bio: Dr. Rachel Kowert, Research Director of Take This, science content creator Psychgeist
Dr. Rachel Kowert is a research psychologist, Research Director of Take This, and science content creator Psychgeist. Dr. Kowert has dedicated her career to studying video games and the gamers who love them. She has published numerous books and scientific articles on the topic and has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Polygon, The Science of Us and NPR among others. Her latest book, A Parent’s Guide to Video Games, won an INDIES award in the science category. To learn more about Rachel and her work, visit www.rkowert.com.
