As most parents (like me) may have already suspected, the computer and video game industry is growing and, according to PC Magazine, the number of U.S. households with game consoles rose notably, up from 33% in 2007 to 38% in 2008.
It's no secret (judging by all of my blog posts on video games) my family is totally into gaming. We love learning about new video games and are joining the 63% of parents who believe games are a positive part of their children's lives.
It's called "stealth parenting," but I am not going to sit here and pretend to know EVERYTHING about playing video games. If you have kids, then you know. My kids can work our Xbox like nobody's business and my husband and I try really hard to keep up, but sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to police their gaming habits, technically speaking.
That's why I am very happy to be able to share with you guys a new public service campaign called Get Game Smart intended to make parents (like me) aware that, you know, we CAN learn to take charge of the controller.
Get Game Smart
provides an easy and helpful resource for families to find advice from
leading child safety experts on issues such as cyber-bullying and
navigating social networking sites. Parents and caregivers can also
find short, step-by-step videos on parental controls and the
Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) ratings. There are
activities and challenges that families are encouraged to take part in
to spark an open dialogue and to set rules about safety and
gaming–while the video game console is turned off.
[source]
Heck, not all video games are bad -- we love our Wii and it's even helped my kids get their grandparents off the couch, too -- but, the Internet has the potential of becoming one of, if not, the best resource for marketers and corporations looking to "get in touch" with their customers.
Some companies get it, most are still trying to.
Personally, I like finding out about Internet tools (like Get Game Smart) that can actually help make my life a little easier and I'd like to thank Microsoft for allowing me a chance to, you know, feel empowered...as a parent...for once.
FIND IT HERE: http://www.getgamesmart.com/
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