Resources

Books

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Video Games: A Gamer Explores the Good, Bad, and Ugly of the Virtual World

With sales over $30 billion per year—approaching Hollywood’s annual box–office take—video and computer games are now squarely in the mainstream of entertainment. Author/journalist Richard Abanes—an experienced gamer himself—offers this concise survey particularly to parents and other concerned adults. He discusses subjects like
- positives and negatives of game–playing and game content
- the rating system—its benefits and flaws
- family–friendly games, those that aren’t—and recommendations
- terminology and genres, such as sports, role-playing, shooter
- political/cultural issues
The author's unsensational approach will prepare readers to make better decisions—not just about what is shown in games, but how it’s shown... and what overall message is being delivered.Note: includes candid discussion of game content.
Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction

Authors Olivia and Kurt Bruner give parents what they need to know to save their kids from addiction to video games—before and after exposure.

One out of five kids becomes addicted to computer and video games, which are becoming increasingly more violent and are linked to violent and self-destructive behavior. The video industry continues to raise its revenue projections (expected to reach $33 billion by 2008) with the creation of newer, more advanced, and more addictive games, putting more children at risk. Spurred on by the patterns of addiction they saw developing in their own son, Olivia and Kurt Bruner arm other parents with hard facts about addiction and share personal stories of video game addicts to help parents identify the warning signs in their own children.
HELP! My Child Is Hooked on Video Games (Focus on the Family: Help!)

Video games are an increasingly influential part of our culture. This growing trend has some parents frustrated as they try to balance the time their children spend playing games and the influence those games have over them.

HELP! My Child Is Hooked on Video Games looks at:
- why games are so popular
- the dangers of video games
- understanding ratings
- online gaming
- signs of addiction
- finding balance
This easy-to-use guide helps you as a parent quickly identify a problem, offers suggestions on how to combat an already-growing addiction, and provides practical advice on how to control the gaming experience in your home.

CDs

Focus on the Family: What Parents Need to Know About Video Games I-II

Many parents are unaware of the highly addictive nature of video games, many of which lure kids into a world of violence and immorality. Olivia Bruner shares how her teenage son became consumed with video games and how their family was eventually able to break that addiction. In addition, former addict Bryan Hodges and youth culture expert Bob Waliszewski offer practical advice for concerned parents who want to protect their children from the negative effects of video games.