You might be thinking that your children only wastes their time by playing around on their computers. After all, they mostly spend their free time on their computer screens rather than try to socialize with the whole family. It seems like computers and games are the things that hinder your children from reaching their full potential.
What you may not know is that according to a review by the American Psychological Association, playing video games may encourage children’s learning, social skills, and health. Surprisingly, even the violent games also help your children’s minds.
Now that you have a newfound knowledge regarding your children’s video games, it is time to take a different approach with your children’s habits through the five love languages.
Words of Affirmation
It is time to show you appreciation for your child through verbal affirmations. For the parent who prefers to give a slight nod of the head as their way of showing approval,it is time to step your game.
Children typically love hearing their parent’s affirmation rather than just seeing it. Words are actually much clearer for conveying feelings than body language itself.
If you are not yet fully comfortable with saying how amazing they are at the video games that they are playing, you can try using simple words. While slowly building up the confidence to praise your own child, add a few more vocabularies that will feel natural for you to use.
A simple “you are doing a great job” or “wow! You are killing it in this game” is enough to convey that you appreciate what they are doing. This would absolutely give them a boost of confidence which will bag them more wins in the future.
Words of affirmation that come from the heart also assures them that you approve of their hobby.
Quality Time
Still cannot shake the belief that video games are only for kids? Now is the perfect time to challenge that belief while challenging yourself as well. Go ahead and ask your kid if you can play video games together because you want to spend some quality time with them. Do not worry if you are not familiar with the gameplay as this would lead you to bond more as you try to learn how to use the controller.
There is also probably a multiplayer game in your children’s arsenal which you can also easily learn to play.
Remember, you are not playing with your child to compete but to only bond over some beloved games.
Physical Touch
While you still can, try to be as clingy to your gamer children with the proper consent. You will never know when they would leave the nest and for sure, it will leave you feeling empty once you realize that you never show any kind of affection towards them.
While they are playing, a simple pat on their shoulder will guarantee a smile on their faces. The pat will also show them that you are aware of what they are doing and see nothing wrong with it.
Physical touch also provides the much needed emotional, mental, and physical benefits that may lack if you are too busy to berate them about their hobby.
Touch actually strengthens the body’s immune system and reduces the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. This physical benefit that touch provides goes both ways as well so you are not losing anything with a little and proper physical contact.
For the mental health benefits that both you and your children can get, touch can reduce anxiety and stress. Imagine the both of you going home after a long day at school and work. You two are probably under some sort of stress so a little hug will go a long way for the both of you since touch triggers the release of the neurotransmitters known for regulating stress and anxiety; the dopamine and serotonin. So a quick hug will be more beneficial once it is paired with playing video games.
Your children would also be happier receiving some physical touch as they start playing video games because physical contact can also trigger the production of oxytocin which is colloquially known as the happy hormone. This inspires them to trust you even more by accepting their hobby while at the same time, making them work harder to achieve a well-deserved win.
Acts of Service
Are your children forgetting that it is time to eat dinner because they are too immersed in their video games? Then next course of action is to explain to them why they need to follow the times that you have set for lunch and dinner.Also gently remind them that they should keep their selves hydrated and well-fed throughout the day to avoid complications like dehydration, malnutrition, and ulcer of the stomach which happens when the stomach digests itself.
Now that those are settled, remember that acts of service are selfless and you only want to do them because you want to make them feel your love. Remember the aforementioned advice? Since children tend to get distracted by their game and forget to feed themselves, preparing them a nice healthy snack with a cool drink would bring the brightest smiles on their faces. Cleaning up their gaming stations are also welcomed by the youngsters once they get too busy with school work.
Acts of service also show that you are willing to go the extra mile for them and how you care enough to support them and do their favorite hobby.
Giving And Receiving Gifts
And finally, why not give them a gift that would feel like a real-life leveling up? This means that the gift you must get them would be useful for them and can elevate their gaming experience. To get the best quality without breaking the bank, consider FlexiSpot's offerings for the gaming equipment that both beginners and hardcore gamers would appreciate.
The Ergonomic Gaming Desk with Mouse Pad by FlexiSpot offers your avid players a gaming desk with a built-in 3mm thick silicone mouse pad covered in microfiber cloth with solid stitch edges. It is water-proof and non-skid, which makes navigating games with a mouse a smooth and pleasant experience. The best ergonomic gaming desk also has a headphone hook and a mesh cable management system to keep their gaming area clean and clutter-free.
For long hours of gaming, it is not a secret that most gamers spend their time sitting and playing. With that in mind, consider the Ergonomic Gaming Chair by FlexiSpot as the best gaming chair to give your child as it not only looks good but it also provides lumbar support to help keep your children’s posture and spinal health in great condition.
Your gift does not need to be expensive but what makes a gift great is by carefully giving a lot of thought about what they would always want to use and need for their gaming. For that, FlexiSpot's gaming products are the best choice.
Final thoughts
Taking care and raising children on the verge of puberty is not an easy job for parents especially if they feel like they cannot connect with them. Which is why it is important to take little steps to get closer and know them more.
Taking the time to care about them means that every bit and part of them are also accepted. So, let your children play video games and in time, a great parent-child relationship would only get stronger.
