New York Times fears children over-play video games during pandemic

Yesterday the New York Times published a story about how kids are spending too much time playing video games and using their phones during the covid-19 pandemic. Today that story was on the front page of the newspaper. Sounds odd considering how the world is collapsing and democracy is dying before our eyes, but yes sure, let’s consider the kids maybe playing too much. Roblox.

The article, which took place on January 16, quoted experts and presented many “frightening” figures on screen time. But he also ignored the fact that video games and the internet have helped many people, children and adults alike, stay connected and sane during this terrible time.

The entire post is also strangely reserved by a random little family who are currently struggling during the pandemic. Their son plays many video games to connect with his friends. His dad and mom are worried about his screen time, but also know it’s one of the few ways he has to safely socialize while covid-19 is rampant through the world. It’s a difficult situation that I imagine many parents around the world are going through right now. But just highlighting kids and the amount of screen time they use ignores that all of us, not just kids and teens, are facing an increase in screen time and a lack of interaction. real human. Instead, the article goes on and on about how all this screen time could potentially be unhealthy and dangerous for children. How children need to disconnect more. How children play too much Roblox.

“What are you going to do when you are married and stressed out? Tell your wife you need to play Xbox? This is a quote included in the story, from the mother, as the son explains that after their dog died on New Years Eve, he used games to get rid of the sadness . It’s presented as a negative. Yet, I can cite many times when I and others have used video games to relieve stress or escape a terrible day. I’m not the one trying to throw this mom under the bus. I can understand the frustration that she and so many others are going through.

The real question is why this frustration had to be in the news New York Times, featured in an article that presents video games and the internet as dangerous and addictive things that ruin our children and keep them captive. The article literally begins with a quote from the father about how he feels like he has “failed” his son, because he plays video games and uses his phone. It’s like something I would have seen in the 90s on a local news show, with clips of kids playing NES in the background.

This is not the first time that we see larger and older stores only focus on kids playing games and try to use alarmist and frightening numbers to construct a narrative that completely ignores reality.

Is there any reason to be concerned about the time we all spend online? Probably. Spending 12 hours glued to Twitter and scrolling through the latest tragedy is probably hurting me in ways that I don’t fully understand. However, at the moment, things are different. The world is fighting a global pandemic that kills thousands of people every day. Many of us are trapped inside, dealing with all the stress and boredom that this brings. Through it all, we continue to work, go to school, raise children, and deal with hundreds of other issues. I don’t have to tell you how difficult life has become for many of us over the past year (check calendar)? (Holy shit …)

So if you or your kids need to get away and want to play Minecraft and maybe you’ll end up playing a few hours longer than usual, don’t worry. We all rely on digital apps and services to stay connected and happy. Binge some Netflix. Host a Zoom session with your family and friends. Or play a little Call of Duty Warzone with your siblings from a distance.

Life is hard enough already. Don’t worry about taking care of yourself or letting your kids have fun with their friends.

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