KEY POINTS:
Video games can turn players into anti-social recluses and parents are warned to keep a close eye on the time their children spend on them.
The warning follows the release yesterday of the third in the Halo trilogy of video games which is in hot demand.
Psychologist Dr Niki Harre says today's parents see video games as a safe option because it's easier to keep an eye on their children if they're inside.
However, long periods on video games do nothing for children's general development.
Parents must make sure children's video game time is closely monitored and they maintain balance their lives with social interaction.
This applies to young children as well as teens, she says.
Video games could be seen by some parents as an easy babysitting tool but children needed physical movement and social interaction to help them develop.
There were some benefits to video games - provided it was in small doses - including teaching them cognitive and perceptual skills and helping develop quick reflexes, the Auckland University psychologist said.
"However, it does not teach them how to interact with their peers or get children up and moving, which is important for their development."
Dr Harre recommended children be allowed an hour of video games at a time.
"If your child is playing video games for three or four hours, you have to ask yourself what they could be doing to be more active.
Staunch Rotorua gamer Ash Steegstra climbed out his bedroom window in the middle of the night to purchase his copy of Halo 3.
The game went on sale just after midnight with stores opening for the release.
Sixteen-year-old Ash, who works at Countdown, saved his pay for two weeks to buy the new game.
"It is one of the best games ever. I have the first two games but I wanted to be one of the first to get this one ... before my mates."
"My dad had told me to wait until the morning but I just couldn't, so I jumped out my window and biked down to the store. I am just so excited ... I can't wait to sit down and have a real good go on it.
"I'm going to close the blinds, take the phone off the hook and spend at least five hours playing the game.
"I might even hook it up to Dad's big screen TV and stereo to get a better effect."
Ash said video games were a way of letting his imagination run wild.
"A lot of people think video games can be violent and stuff but it's only make-believe and it's good to be able to escape the real world sometimes, to pretend you are this guy who could save the world - it's just cool fun."
The Rotorua Lakes High School student said while spending hours in front of a television was probably not the healthiest thing to do, he worked hard for his money and it "beats hanging out on the streets getting into trouble".
Ash said he didn't think his life revolved around video games but when he did play them it was easy to lose track of time and spend five to six hours playing.
With food at hand, a session could easily be up to 12 hours with stops only for toilet breaks.
- DAILY POST
