Consoles, computers, tablets and smartphones. These days, there’s a whole range of devices for children to play games on. And the growing amount of choice makes it all the more important for parents to know exactly what their children are doing.
Many games offer extra content that you have to pay for, with free games in particular operating on this principle. Parents should start by teaching their children that these services cost real money and even small amounts can add up.
Beginners can find it particularly difficult to understand this when they start. With older children, parents can agree on a fixed budget.
Parents should let their children show them the games: This increases the likelihood that the child will turn to the parents if there are any problems.
If parents are familiar with the current games, they are in a better position to warn their children about any possible risks. For example, some games with online features offer chats between players. These are usually unfiltered and insulting messages aren’t blocked. – dpa
