What happens when kids with ADHD plays video games? Should you let them play?

I hear it all the time: “My child with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)  has so much trouble focusing at school, but can focus on video games for hours on end! How can this be?” While ADHD can make it difficult to focus on certain activities, it also allows people to hyperfocus when they are really interested in something. Enter, video games. Many children and teens with ADHD love to play video games, and for good reason. Video games are challenging, fun, and allow access to other people with similar interests.

Kids with ADHD Play Video Games

If you are parenting a child with ADHD, here are four important considerations when it comes to gaming:

Understand a few key aspects of the ADHD brain

The brains of children with ADHD are wired differently. They are especially susceptible to reward, and video games trigger the reward system in the brain. In addition, as mentioned before, people with ADHD are able to hyperfocus. When people hyperfocus, they lose track of time and may forget to take care of their other needs (eating, sleeping, etc.) It’s also important to note that older children and teens may “self-medicate” with video games, as gaming helps them tune out areas of their lives where they don’t feel as successful (school, social relationships, etc.). Keeping these factors in mind can help us approach children with ADHD with more empathy and understanding when it comes to gaming behaviors. When kids with ADHD play video games it’s important to remember how their brains work.

Routines and predictability are key

We all thrive with routines and predictability. This is especially true for children and teens with attention differences. Try to find a specific gaming time that is scheduled each day and is not contingent on behavior. Children with ADHD thrive when they know what to expect. Decide when gaming time is, how frequently it happens (daily?, just on weekends?), how long your child should be able to play games, and what games he or she can play. Once you’ve come up with the parameters for gaming time, have an open conversation about the schedule and expectations with your child. Remember, it may take a few days for your child to adjust to the new routine, but stick with it. The persistence will pay off.

Meet your children where they are in terms of self-regulation skills

Kids with ADHD have difficulty regulating themselves. Despite the predictability associated with a specific gaming time, children with ADHD will still probably struggle to stop gaming. At first, you may need to step in and help your child disengage, or set up systems to remind your child about the end of gaming time (timers, monitoring devices,etc.). You may feel that you are treating your child as though they are younger than they actually are, but that’s okay. Our job as parents is to meet our children where they are, not where we think they are supposed to be. And, remember, use positive praise at every opportunity you get.

Show interest in your children’s favorite games

Often, video games can be a great gateway into conversations about life, school, and friends. Navigating the world as a child with ADHD can be challenging and difficult. Use games as a way to connect with your children and show interest in something that they love. You’ll be surprised where the conversation will take you!

By Rupa Robbins, Ph.D.
Founder, Spark Psychology
Licensed Psychologist and Tech Positive Parenting Coach

Dr. Rupa Robbins is a licensed child psychologist with over a decade of experience working with children and families. In addition to providing therapy and assessment services at her private practice, Spark Psychology, she also offers parent coaching and speaking services through her organization, Tech Positive Parenting. She is committed to helping families find balance in a digital age. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her two young daughters.

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Should I let my child with ADHD play Fortnite? What are the pros and cons?

My husband, now 40, was diagnosed with ADHD in middle school. He has taken medication to help his focus for more than half his life now, and on days when he doesn’t take his prescribed medication, I find he is a different person. He has always described having ADHD to me (someone who has never been diagnosed with ADHD or other similar disorders) like this: “My brain, unmedicated, is like a TV whose channel keeps changing. I can’t get it to stay on one channel long enough to focus on the programming. Once I take my medication, I can stop on one channel and hone my focus.” This explanation has helped me understand him so much throughout the years we’ve been married.

Always an avid gamer, my husband enjoys spending downtime playing video games. While he has enjoyed all the various Zelda games throughout the years and considers himself a pro at all the various versions of Mario Bros. on the market, his most current obsession is Fortnite. He can sit there for hours, battling it out with other players as he tries to win the game and be the last player standing. He sometimes plays with one of our daughters and sometimes plays alone, but he can easily waste away an afternoon trying to beat his opponents in Fortnite.

It made me wonder- is Fortnite a good game for him to be playing with ADHD?

What is ADHD?

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder often diagnosed in childhood. Children with ADHD can have trouble focus, lack impulse control and or can be overly, or hyper, active. Children with ADHD might fidget a lot, talk quite a bit, daydream frequently and/or forget or lose things regularly.

What causes ADHD? How is it treated?

The cause of ADHD is unknown. While some doctors think that there could be some pregnancy-related behaviors that might elevate a child’s risk of being diagnosed with ADHD at some point, there is no way to know for sure what causes ADHD.

ADHD is most commonly treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medication. If the child who is diagnosed with ADHD is preschool aged or younger, it is quite common that medication will not be recommended yet. ADHD can be managed with things such as a healthy diet and exercise. Like with my husband, it can last into adulthood, although it may present differently in adults than in children.

Video games & ADHD

Video games are fun but addictive by nature. They are meant to be entertaining, skill-building and often social activities kids can do on their own or with friends. They encourage kids to think creatively, to problem solve and oftentimes to work together to reach a goal or beat an opponent. When a player loses, they often want to try again to try and change the outcome. When a player wins, they often want to try again to see if they can improve upon their previous performance. Most often, they simply just like the warm fuzzies they get when they win the game.

But if video games, such as Fortnite, are addictive for kids who don’t have ADHD, what are they like for kids that do have ADHD? Some parents worry that Fortnite, a favorite amongst young kids and played regularly by millions around the world, is problematic for kids with ADHD. Why? Because it is addictive and encourages kids to come back and continue to play over and over again. It is fast-paced, involves risk taking and requires focus to complete tasks and challenges. It might be hard for a kid with ADHD to stop playing once they’ve started.

But ADDitude Magazine, a magazine geared toward parents of kids with neurodevelopmental disorders, suggests that Fortnite, in moderation, is totally okay for kids with disorders such as ADHD. It argues that “the high level of risk, the need to remain alert for external distractors, and the opportunity to use hands-on skills for building make Fortnite and ADHD a natural match.” Essentially, Fortnite is an easy match for kids with ADHD and other similar disorders because it is engaging for children who might otherwise struggle with paying attention. Because the game is fast-paced and is often over quickly, it requires the brain to focus in on the task at hand and complete the task quickly.

The Bottom Line

Recent studies suggest that, overall, the increased use of digital media in kids has led to an increase of ADHD symptoms. In general, screen time is usage is up and it is decreasing our ability to focus across the board. Like with anything else, it is important to set limits with kids and screens, and this is a universal- not just limited to kids with neurodevelopmental disorders.

So encourage your kids to play a round or two of Fortnite and then get outside and enjoy the sunshine before winter sets in and it’s too cold to spend much time outside!

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Is your gamer looking for gear that show off their love of Roblox? If you have a Roblox-obsessed kiddo in your house, you should check out the coolest Roblox Gear on the market!

For the past several years, Robux has been the top item on my middle daughter’s holiday/birthday/everyday/anyday wish list. Robux, the in-app currency for Roblox, is to her what a Target gift card is to me: an opportunity to spend money on frivolous things that make me happy. Truly, this year if she unwrapped box after box filled with nothing but Robux gift cards (which can be purchased at Walmart or grocery stores or anywhere you normally purchase gift cards), she would likely declare it the best holiday ever.

But this year I’m vowing to think outside the box. While it would certainly be easier to just buy a bunch of Robux cards and call it a (holi)day, I’ve already decided this year that I will find a few unexpected items that will be functional and fun but also help her outwardly express her love for her favorite video game. I’ve been scouring the internet for weeks trying to find the best Roblox gear for my middle gamer, so I wanted to share this list with anyone else who may be looking for Robux goodies just like I am. Without further ado, here is my list of must-have Roblox goodies for the gamer in your life.

Coolest Roblox gifts for your gamer 2022

Roblox hoodie- Let the record show that I do not understand my tween’s obsession with hoodies. My daughter thinks hoodies are a wardrobe staple regardless of the weather outside. Y’all… We live in Texas and my child still wears hoodies 365. I. Don’t. Get. It. BUT… It does certainly make shopping for gifts easier! You can’t go wrong with a hoodie for tweens, and this unisex hoodie is both subtle and cozy, and it costs less than $30! I look forward to finding this crumpled in the corner of the bathroom near but not in the laundry hamper frequently as she rotates with her one or two other prized hoodies.

Roblox books- Sometimes I need my daughter to step away from her iPad and challenge her brain away from video games. When she can’t get enough of her favorite game but I need her to take a break, I think I have the perfect solution: Roblox: Where’s the Noob? This book is similar to Where’s Waldo but with Roblox characters. It will give her eyes a much-needed break from the screen but still challenge her mind and let her engage with some of her favorite characters from the game. Win-win.

Roblox nightlight- You’re never too old for a nightlight, and this nightlight is so cool (and Roblox themed) that I might just buy one for myself! Let this little accessory rest on your gamer’s nightstand come bedtime so they can easily find their way out of bed to use the restroom in the middle of the night. This nightlight features seven different color changes and can be controlled with a remote. Plus it’s a cool accessory that can be used in the game room, living room, bedroom or anywhere else that you might need a little bit of colorful light.

Roblox action figures- Although my daughter stopped playing with dolls some years ago, she still enjoys collecting figures and dolls and lining them up on her bookshelf to showcase her interests. This collection of Roblox action figures is the perfect addition to anyone’s collection of dolls and figurines. If your gamer is inclined, they can play Roblox with friends and act out scenes from the game in real life. Whatever your child wants to do with these figurines, they are a great gift for your Roblox-loving gamer.

Roblox backpack- What better way to show off your love for your Roblox game than by wearing it on your sleeve, um, back? This Roblox backpack not only holds all your gamer’s school accessories, including books, pens and more, but it also shows off how much they love their favorite game. This backpack is durable, unisex and machine washable, meaning its perfect for school, weekend travel or wherever life may lead your favorite gamer!

Extra Roblox goodies for your gamer

There are so many wonderful Roblox products on the market for your gamer it was hard to narrow down this list! If you are looking for something a little less expensive, don’t discount how much your gamer will love simply getting Roblox gift cards. My middle daughter will do just about anything for $10 worth of Robux, including mopping the kitchen, taking out the trash, etc. They are also a great incentive for an outstanding report card or other accolades. These fun blind box toys are super inexpensive and another great reward for a gamer who loves surprises and is incentivized by small gifts.

Happy gifting!

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As Cyberbullying Awareness Month 2022 draws to a close, it’s essential that parents take a stand to help kids learn to stand up to cyberbullying.

I’ve spent the last three weeks writing about and researching cyberbullying. I’ve read countless reports and sifted through dozens of websites. I’ve looked at resources and programs available to parents and caregivers as well as to kids. I’ve even written about fun online games kids can play for free that help them understand the importance of digital citizenship. Cyberbullying it a huge concern for today’s kids, and because many parents today (like myself) didn’t grow up navigating the Internet and smartphones at the same rate today’s kids do, we don’t necessarily understand, from a firsthand perspective, just how alarming the trend of cyberbullying actually is.

Cyberbullying Needs To Be Stopped…even after Cyberbullying Awareness Month Ends

So, to close out Cyberbullying Awareness Month 2022, I thought I would bring the facts. I want to bring the numbers and statistics surrounding cyberbullying to the front of your mind. Not to scare you, but to inform you. Because knowledge is power. And today’s kids need us.

Whenever I think cyberbullying, I can’t help but recall the story of Phoebe Prince, who was being harassed online while my kids were still in diapers but whose story has haunted my dreams as I navigate the world of smartphones, social media and digital everything with my own now-teenaged daughter. While Phoebe Prince’s story is a tragic one that ended in suicide after months of bullying, it has shone an international spotlight on the problem with cyberbullying in schools. Her story reminds us that words have power and kids can be ruthless and mean and that we, as parents, teachers, caregivers and community leaders, need to do better for our children.

Facts and stats about Cyberbullying and Today’s Youth

• Social media sites are undeniably great tools. They help us share milestones with friends near and far, recommend places and products in our feed and discover events happening near and far. But, as I’m sure you know, social media, especially for kids, isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. According to DoSomething.org, Instagram is the social media site where most teenage users report experiencing cyberbullying. Another article from Security.org alleges that YouTube is the site where bullying happens. Either way, if you allow your kids to use social media, be sure you monitor what your child is doing on those platforms, especially the private messages feature.
• Gender plays a role. According to Enough.org, girls are more likely to be victims of cyberbullying that boys. Girls are often more likely to be cyberbullies. Enough.org claims that this trend is due, in part, to the fact that girls generally go online to use social media whereas many boys logon to play video games. Pew Research states that girls are more likely to experience someone spreading false rumors about them online and are also more likely to receive explicit photos they don’t wish to receive. LGBTQ+ youth experience higher rates of online harassment that their heterosexual peers.
• Kids are perceptive. No matter how much we strive to make school an equal playing ground for kids, they inherently see and feel the differences that separate them. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, bullies are often perceived to be of higher social standing and better of socioeconomically than the peers they choose to pick on. Size often plays a role, too, with bullies tending to find someone physically smaller than themselves to pick on. This same study says that white students are most likely to bully and be bullies.

I could go on and on and bore you with statistic after statistic about cyberbullying. Some are alarming, others are fairly predictable and there is a wide range of everything in between. The fact is that we need to take action and it needs to happen now. Talk to your kids. Monitor their phones, their social media accounts, their friends. Make sure they know what cyberbullying is and what to do if they experience or if a friend experiences it. Change starts at home.

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Video games are thought of as mostly fun virtual experiences. Can playing video games be a meaningful experience too? What’s the difference between fun and meaningful gaming?

We can all agree that video games are fun. It’s fun to beat your opponent in a game of Mario Kart. It’s fun to win a Battle Royale in Fortnite. It’s fun to build your own virtual world in Roblox. These experiences may be more enjoyable to some than others, sure (my kids will always get far more enjoyment out of decorating their virtual digs in Roblox than I will, no contest), but almost anyone who sits down and spends time gaming on any platform will enjoy the experience.

But can video games being meaningful exerpiences, too? Beyond spending time with a video game mindlessly clicking away or working to a single goal such as beating your opponent or the game, can games illicit stronger feelings or a deeper satisfaction than we typically give them credit for.

Video games as fun experiences

Researchers, actually, answer this question with a resounding yes. In 2016, researchers at Butler University took a deeper dive into the world of video games to try and understand the connection gamers form with their online experiences.

Video games, when they were first introduced, were generally meant to be purely entertaining. As a kid, you may have played Pac-Man and thoroughly enjoyed levelling up each time you made it through the maze without running into a ghost, but you may be wondering how you could deduce anything meaningful from that game play. You likely didn’t form any sort of meaningful connection to the game, you were simply playing to beat another player’s high score.

The same study notes that, in games such as Grand Theft Auto, it might also be hard to make a meaningful connection because the narrative is written in a way that prohibits you from doing so. In Grand Theft Auto, you engage in raucous behavior and win by stealing and destroying. Fun? Probably so, for many players. Meaningful? Well, hopefully not.

Video games as meaningful experiences

Video games, like all media though, have evolved significantly since their inception. While there are still games you can play that are meant to be purely entertaining, there are more and more games these days that are meant to incite more meaningful play. The Butler study notes that, so often in today’s popular video games, the games “most often simulate being a character rather than simply viewing a character.”

Indeed, today’s games have more complexity and immersion than their predecessors. In games such as World of Warcraft, the gamer becomes the character, and embarks on a journey to become the best in the game. In these types of video games, when a gamer “becomes” the in-game character, they may feel more immersed in the game. Sometimes, a gamer is faced with a moral decision to make when gaming, or a player might watch another player with whom they have a connection die in the game. These sorts of experiences can invoke a deep emotional response in the player in real life, causing the experience to be more meaningful than a simple game of Pac-Man might.

So often, when we do things such as read books or watch movies, we simply watch a character make decisions and then watch that person deal with the fall out. Although it may invoke an emotional response, the viewer isn’t deeply imbedded in the plotline because they weren’t part of the decision the character made to bring them to some crucial point. In meaningful video game play, however, the player made the decision to get the on-screen player to the point they are at. Video gamers can be more invested in the on-screen action because they directly made the choices for the character that brought them to a crucial point.

Meaningful video game play vs. fun video game play

Video game play can most certainly be fun but not meaningful, and it could also be meaningful but not fun, if a favorite player dies or a difficult decision must be made. But what is the benefit to each type of game play?

Overall, there are many benefits to playing video games. From increased cognitive functioning to better mental focus, video gaming can be a good thing for kids and adults. While it is important to find a balance between physical activity and gaming activity, there are most certainly benefits to both!

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Is your kid struggling to understand cyberbullying and online safety? These fun, free online games can help your child better understand what cyberbullying is- and what to do if they think they are a victim.

My middle daughter, my most avid gamer and kid who is most comfortable on a computer, came home from school last week talking about cyberbullying. During Cyberbully Awareness Month, her school librarian set up a presentation for the older grades (she’s a 5^th grader) to learn more about what cyberbullying and digital citizenship mean. She had no idea I was currently working on a series of articles about cyberbullying, but she was super excited to show me the game she learned about at school called Interland. It is, she informed me, a fun and interactive way for her to learn about internet safety and good behavior.

So we logged on from my computer, and later my iPhone, to explore Interland. Powered by Google, it is, as she promised, a fun, free game for kids that encourages positive internet behavior. Within the game, which we accessed from our internet browser by typing Interland into the search bar, we were able to choose between four different challenges, each with a different theme. In Kind Kingdom, we spread love and positivity. In Reality River, we learned the importance of not believing everything we see or read on the internet. Mindful Mountain reinforced the idea that we shouldn’t share personal information with internet strangers. And the Tower of Treasure talked to us about hackers and accessing private data. All in all, we spent about 30 minutes together exploring the game and discussing the content therein. The games were fairly basic but the lessons within invaluable. It was absolutely time well spent.

After she moved onto some Chinese homework lurking in her backpack, I did a bit more digging. I felt sure that Interland is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to games with important lessons. And lo and behold, I was correct. There are a number of free games on the web that engage kids and teach them about good internet behavior and digital citizenship. If your child is like mine and enjoys playing as they learn, check out these games to teach them about being a good citizen.

Free internet games that teach kids about online safety

Cyber Legends – Cyber Legends is a great game where kids can play for hours and hours while learning about online safety. Through this fun game, you child will learn about cyber safety, cyber security, and how to be cyber healthy. This free game is full of lessons that your children will use online forever.

BrainPop: The Meaning of Beep– Designed for older kids (ages 8 and up), this game pits players against bots as they try to guess the meaning of a beep-ed out word that has to do with internet safety and cyberbullying. Sentences with spaces for an unknown word will be presented to the player and they must guess the correct word. Each round has three sentences and you play three rounds to see if you can beat the computer and learn about internet safety at the same time.

Digital Passport by Common Sense Media– Choose from several different games that teach kids the importance of making good decisions online. Share Jumper gives kids scenarios about when to share information and when to withhold, and Evolve encourages kids to understand the different forms of cyberbullying and what can be done about them. Each game comes with different lessons that are both important to and beneficial for kids all the while being fun to play.

Nova Cybersecurity Lab Game– Older kids will enjoy learning about the importance of security in the digital world. Kids will complete challenges after they pick an avatar and a fake internet company to work for where they are in charge of cybersecurity. Players will be tasked with keeping their virtual company safe from hackers and learn about privacy and security in the process. This game can prove challenging so make sure your child isn’t easily frustrated.

Free Games that Teach Online Safety

There are lots of other free games out there to play, varying in degrees of difficulty. There are even apps that kids can download on devices that help them to better understand how to be a good digital citizen and work toward ending cyberbullying. These games may not be as advanced as some of their favorite internet games, but any time my daughter can learn while she plays she gets extra screen time, which feels like a win for both of us.

What are you kids favourite games?

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While children are online and parents are feeling anxious about it, the question remains: how can adults help children remain safe online?

Part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic was the shift for children and learners everywhere from in-person classrooms to digital classes. Around one billion schoolchildren moved to online learning when schools remained closed. While there are benefits to digital education for children, it’s crucial to acknowledge the risks children face when they’re on the Internet.

According to the FBI Internet Crime Center Report, cyber crime against children increased by 144% in 2020. In fact, from 2015 to 2020, the FBI received close to 10,000 complaints related to online crimes against children. Even as in-person classes are now back, they undeniably spend a lot of time on the internet for various reasons. As such, the adults around children must help keep them safe online. Today, we’ll look at some essential practices that answers the questions how adults can help children remain safe online:

How can adults help children remain safe online?

Make sure the child is old enough to be online

Children have more access to digital technology today than we used to. With smartphones becoming a commodity and video games taking on online features, your children will inevitably spend some time interacting with people from around the world. In our previous post about the right age for children to be online, we noted that the minimum age for use in all US-based applications is 13. Children commonly ignore this rule and resort to falsifying their age to access these sites or apps, so parents and guardians should wise up on the applications children use. A good way to help enforce this safety measure is by suggesting alternative applications children can enjoy that have no minimum age requirement or are for all ages.

Making use of parental controls

Sometimes, the irony in warning children of the dangers of digital technology is that there are certain technologies put in place that can help keep your children safe online. These include the use of parental controls for specific applications and websites, password managers, family-sharing mode, and security software. All these technologies make everyone’s online activities transparent and keep your family’s devices safe. Some of this software will also warn a device’s user when they are entering a potentially malicious website or downloading files from unsafe sources. This kind of software can support parents and kids alike in reducing the chances of getting malware or viruses.

Promoting good cybersecurity practices

Cybersecurity is a looming threat for many parties, from businesses to families and children. As such, we see a greater movement towards higher education and skills training, such as the cybersecurity apprenticeships established by the White House, which focus on underserved communities. This is also being reflected at universities through the extension of online cybersecurity courses. These online cybersecurity degrees are able to train more students in offensive and defensive tactics, and these professionals are now in high demand, as experts predict there will be more attacks on legacy systems in organizations worldwide. Compared to the 30% demand for IT professionals, the need for trained cybersecurity workers has grown to 94% since 2013 — illustrating how severe the situation is. However, you don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to teach your children basic but essential cybersecurity practices when spending time online. Basic habits such as not sharing their passwords, for example, or being wary of connecting to potentially unsecured public networks, are good places to start.

Having open conversations with children

Children are adamant about spending time on the Internet — despite the risks — because they don’t want to feel left out of what’s happening online, especially among friends or peers. Because of this, parents, guardians, and teachers must have open and honest communications with children about materials and content they may be exposed to on the Internet instead of treating them like taboo subjects that will only trigger their curiosities. Children are naturally curious and will wonder about topics outside their knowledge and expertise, so it’s always best that they are educated and well-equipped to handle what they encounter online before coming across them on their own — and without proper guidance from a reliable adult.

Specially written for KIDAS

By: Rhona Jaslyn

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