Moms Talk: Do You Monitor What Video Games Your Child Plays?

If you have a child, you probably have at least one game console at home, too. But how often do you let your children play, and how closely do you monitor what they are playing? And how young is too young for video games?

Some studies, such as this one reported in a National Geographic article, suggest that playing video games can increase hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. "Action video gamers tend to be more attuned to their surroundings while performing tasks like driving down a residential street, where they may be more likely to pick out a child running after a ball than a non-video gamer," the article said.

An American Psychological Association study links violent video games with violent and anti-social behavior. "Violent video games are significantly associated with: increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial (helping) behavior," read the article.

In another study reported in the Denver Post, a researcher linked video game withdrawal to violent behavior, citing the Columbine school shooting as an extreme example.