microsoft

The GKIS Guide to Family-Friendly Xbox Games

November 12, 2021 by michael.watson507@myci.csuci.edu

In the fast-paced world that we live in, it can feel downright impossible to get the entire family together in the same room. Trying to find an activity that everyone can enjoy together is an even more improbable task. Yet, sharing experiences as a family and spending time together is necessary for creating close family bonds and maintaining a sense of connection. Today’s GKIS article covers the pros and cons of the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S, recommendations for games to play as a family, suggestions for appropriate games that your kid can play alone, and some brief tips to keep your kids safe and connected when it comes to gaming. Creating family cohesion and safely navigating the technological world we live in can be difficult at times. Our Connected Family Course gives expert advice and strategies to create a connected home environment without having to disconnect from the internet.

Today’s Digital Playground

In today’s digital landscape, there is a generational divide when it comes to what is fun. While you may reminisce on the fun you had playing with your friends in an open field or playing board games with your family when you were a child, your kids might have zero interest in these types of activities. In the past twenty years, there has been a huge technological jump that has made the childhood activities that we grew up enjoying obsolete in today’s fast-paced world. Your children are used to a much more technically advanced world where entertainment comes in the form of video games, social media, and streaming services. To have a successful family night where everyone has fun, you may need to adapt and learn to engage with your kids in this new digital playground.

Here are some reasons why video games are a great way to connect with your kids:

Can be accessed at any time
Can fit into the most restrictive of work schedules
No need for planning
Do not have to worry about losing game pieces
Do not have to explain a complex set of rules
Most games are highly intuitive requiring little explanation

If you are curious about what we had to say about the other consoles and our game recommendations for them, we have GKIS Guides for the current PlayStation and Nintendo systems as well.

What is the Xbox?

The Xbox is a line of home entertainment systems/video game consoles created by Microsoft. This article focuses on the newest iterations of the console: The Xbox Series S and the Xbox Series X. Both the Xbox Series S and the Xbox Series X launched in 2020 and are currently in production. Although Microsoft doesn’t share its sales figures, estimates have been made that Microsoft has sold a combined total of about 5.8 million units of the Xbox Series X and Series S as of May 2021.[1]

The Pros and Cons of Microsoft’s Xbox consoles

Pros

The biggest advantage of the Xbox Series X/S is its focus on a home entertainment system. Microsoft created and marketed the newest versions of the Xbox as a multipurpose family entertainment hub for watching movies and television, playing games, socializing online, etc. With a huge userbase and the backing of Microsoft, the Xbox has become a fantastic selection when it comes to home video game consoles.

Additionally, the Xbox Series X and Series S are mostly backward compatible, allowing owners to play nearly all of the games that they had previously purchased for earlier consoles without having to repay for them. While many of the games are skewed more for an adult user base, there is a wide variety of games that have been targeted to kids with more appropriate content that is family-friendly. Also, the Xbox Series S is on the cheaper side when it comes to home game consoles at $299.

Cons

The Xbox Series X, which is more technologically advanced than the Xbox Series S is also nearly double the price at $499. Therefore, if your kids want the more advanced system with better graphics and framerates, and you know they do, you are going to have a potentially tough decision on your hands when deciding which of these two models to get for them.

Many parents don’t realize that kids can browse the internet through their Xbox consoles. That means they can access anything or anybody through that browser. That means you MUST program parental controls if you don’t want your child exploring inappropriate online neighborhoods.

Xbox Games to Play as a Family

When it comes to the Xbox Series X/S, there are a variety of interactive ways to connect with your family. You can play games together or use the console as a multimedia hub to stream movies and your favorite television shows through your favorite streaming services.

Here are 3 great Xbox games for you and your kids to play together:

Unravel 2
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Rocket League

Unravel 2

Unravel 2 is a brilliant game revolving around a pair of little yarn people, referred to as Yarnies. The game is a platformer where your goal is to successfully traverse the environment without getting crushed by a boulder or eaten by a bird or fish.

This game has an ESRB rating of E, meaning it has been approved for kids of all ages. The only warning by the ESRB is that it contains mild fantasy violence as your character can get attacked by animals. There is no potential for interaction with online players within the game either.

While both Yarnies can be controlled by a single player, this game is best played with a friend. This game is great for building teamwork, bonding, and strengthening social skills. The whole point of the game is that you can achieve anything by working together. Unravel 2 is perfect for siblings bonding, parent/child bonding, and social interaction with a friend.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat

Overcooked is a game that requires cooperation as you play as restaurant workers making and serving food in the most chaotic of situations. Each environment has unique challenges that must be overcome through teamwork as you race against the clock to prepare meals. One stage has you preparing meals on a pirate ship with parts of the preparation area sliding back and forth along the ship making it difficult to reach previously reachable areas, so communication is key so that others can finish what you were doing if the playing field changes. Each environment has its own unique challenges that must be overcome by working together.

This game has an ESRB rating of E for everyone and has been approved for all ages. The only ESRB warning attached to this is that it has mild cartoon violence, which doesn’t even come close to the cartoons we used to watch, such as Tom and Jerry (there are no cats getting their teeth smashed with hammers by maniacal mice in this game).

Overcooked can be a great choice for bonding with your kids as teamwork and communication are so key to the gameplay. The sense of connection you feel as you get better and better scores is invaluable. This version of the game contains all the previous game content from the series and also has modifiers to adjust the difficulty allowing for an experience with high replay value that everyone can enjoy.

Rocket League

There is really nothing else like Rocket League out there. It is basically a combination of soccer and racecar driving. I know it sounds absurd and is hard to wrap your head around, but it is immensely gratifying. The goal is to use teamwork to hit a ball with your car into the other team’s goal.

Rocket League has an ESRB rating of E, meaning it has been approved for children of all ages. The only warning comes from some mild lyrics from the songs in the game.

The best part of this game is playing with other people. This game is great for parties and building a connection with your child as you can play on the same team and work together to score goals and win matches. Matches can be formed with up to 8 players on each team and with over 40 million players worldwide, there are plenty of people out there to play with.

Xbox Games Your Kids Can Play Alone

Video games also make great rewards for when your kid gets good grades or engages in other behaviors that you want to reward. Due to the immense number of games to choose from, it can become overwhelming when searching for a game for your child that is age-appropriate. There are plenty of games out there that are excessively violent, have strong language, and have sexual situations in them.

Here is a list of 3 games that we recommend:

Kingdom Hearts 3
Sonic Mania Plus
Immortals Fenyx Rising

Kingdom Heart 3

Is your kid obsessed with Disney characters? If the answer is yes, this game could be a great choice for your child. The kingdom hearts series revolves around a boy named Sora who teams up with Disney characters to rid the world of darkness. In Kingdom Hearts 3, you team up with Donald, Goofy, Hercules, Jack Sparrow, Elsa, and many more characters to explore different Disney worlds and go on an epic adventure of self-discovery. As you would expect from Disney, there are plenty of themes designed to promote admirable qualities like the acceptance of yourself and others.

Kingdom Hearts 3 is rated E10 for fantasy violence as you use magic and a sword, shaped like a key, to defeat the bad guys. There is no blood and gore in the game and the creatures just poof out of existence when defeated.

The best part of this game is getting to interact with your favorite Disney characters. The storyline is also fantastic and fits in well with the Disney movies that the characters are from. Like most other Disney products, the game’s story revolves around the main character’s growth as a human being and there are several positive lessons for your child to learn.

Sonic Mania Plus

Sonic Mania Plus is an action platformer that revolves around the world’s fastest hedgehog as he sets out to defeat an evil scientist, named Dr. Eggman. The game designers set out to bring back the feel of the games from the 1990s with smoother gameplay. The result is a fun game that looks and plays like the Sonic the Hedgehog games that were around when you were a kid.

Sonic Mania Plus has an ESRB rating of E for everyone. Like Overcooked, this game’s only warning comes from mild cartoon violence. “Mild cartoon violence” refers to your character jumping on robotic creatures to defeat them. The critters basically turn into bunnies and other furry animals after you jump on them as you are rescuing them, rather than harming them.

If you played the earlier Sonic games, this game could have some added benefits. You can bond with your kid over a shared love of the characters and maybe show off some of your own video game skills by playing with your kid.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

Immortals Fenyx Rising is the Xbox’s response to the success of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The gameplay is very similar to that of Breath of the Wild but revolves around Greek mythology. In Immortals, you play as a human named Fenyx who must stop Typhon in his quest to get revenge on the gods of Olympus. This game is set in an extremely expansive open world that the player is free to explore as they see fit.

Immortals Fenyx Rising has been rated T for teens due to language, suggestive themes, and violence. There is some suggestive humor and dialogue between the characters which may be inappropriate for younger children. The violence in this game is against fantasy creatures and Greek gods., mostly stemming from Greek mythology. While not appropriate for younger children, this game is really fun for tweens and teens.

The game covers many of the themes in Greek mythology but ultimately revolves around becoming a strong, independent individual who realizes that one’s flaws should be accepted and celebrated rather than hidden away. It is ultimately about self-acceptance. It should also be noted that the main character’s physical characteristics and gender can be adjusted so that all kids playing this game can feel connected to the character, which is definitely a step in the right direction when it comes to inclusivity and representation.

How To Keep Your Kids Safe Playing Video Games

Research the games before buying them
Check the ESRB ratings
Play with your children or check in on them
Talk to your children and maintain a close family bond.

The most important thing that parents can do is be aware of the potential risks and promote an environment of open communication with your children. Dr. B offers a comprehensive family program for fostering this kind of communication in her Screen Safety Essentials Course. With this course, your family will learn tons of information about how to create a safer screen home environment while also connecting and having fun as a family. Armed with the right tools, you and your family can learn how to better thrive in today’s digital era.

Doctor Bs parenting guide, Screen Time in the Mean Time, is a wealth of knowledge about screen safety and keeping your kids safe from the numerous dangers inherent in the world we live in.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Michael Watson for researching video game addiction and how gamers are solving the problem themselves.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Byrd, M. (2021). PS5 vs Xbox Series X sales: Who is winning the 2021 console war so far? Den of Geek. https://www.denofgeek.com/games/xbox-series-x-ps5-2021-console-war-sales/

Photo Credits

Photo by Kamil S (https://unsplash.com/photos/Pp3Xg09igxE)

Photo by Kamil S (https://unsplash.com/photos/SuPAbuuK7f4)

Photo by Billy Freeman (https://unsplash.com/photos/DPOdCl4bGJU)

Photo by Mika Baumeister (https://unsplash.com/photos/HADjLtjoe2E)

Thanks to Kent Williams for the beautiful painting used for the thumbnail. (https://www.kentwilliams.com/paintings/2018/8/16/2018/8/16/m-w )

Is Big Tech Blocking Gamer Solutions for Overcoming Addiction?

October 13, 2021 by michael.watson507@myci.csuci.edu

Video game addiction is a growing concern among professionals, parents, and gamers themselves. As technology becomes more advanced and the games become more lifelike, the potential for children to become addicted and use video games to escape from the real world increases dramatically. In today’s GKIS article, we cover how gamers are offering a solution that is being blocked from public use. You won’t want to miss this one. If you’re concerned about the effects video games are having on your child, Dr. Bennett’s Social Media Readiness Online Course will give you the answers you are looking for!

What is Skyrim?

Skyrim is the fifth installment of the Elder Scrolls series of games. This game is considered an “Action RPG,” which is a fancy way of saying that participants spend a really long time creating and building a character who maneuvers through an almost never-ending adventure in an extremely large, detailed virtual world. The creator of Skyrim, Bethesda Game Studios, has recently been purchased by Microsoft.

Bethesda has reportedly sold over 30 million copies of Skyrim in 2021, making it one of the most successful games ever created.[1] Skyrim has a rating of “mature” and is not recommended for younger children due to the blood and gore, sexual themes, use of alcohol, and intense violence.[2] Skyrim is so captivating for some gamers that they are falling into the trap of gaming addiction.

The Negative Consequences of Gaming Addiction

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a mental illness that affects and alters our natural endorphins (our feel-good hormones). Endorphins are released when we do something exciting like exercise, gaming, or using addictive drugs. Also, when we get hooked on endorphins we often skip behaviors we need for healthy functioning like nutrition and rejuvenating sleep. In Dr. B’s Connected Family Online Course, she explains the huge role that sleep plays in staying healthy and happy and offers solutions. Without rejuvenating sleep, it is difficult to maintain balance and can lead to other problems.

Other negative consequences to gaming include clinically impairing:

depression
anxiety
AD/HD
self-harm
obsessive-compulsive disorder
oppositionality
social withdrawal
obesity
suicidality
personality disorders[3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

In her book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, Dr. Bennett adds:

Not only are there behavioral and psychological consequences to IGD, neuroimaging studies have found evidence of distinct neurobiological changes similar to those seen in subjects with substance addictions.[11, 12] More specifically, IGD subjects show gray and white matter atrophy (loss of tissue volume) and reduced cortical thickness in various areas of the brain as well as changes to the brain’s pleasure center – like excessive dopamine release and less dopamine receptor availability.[13, 14, 15] The patterns of brain activity while playing reflects how heavy-use players process rewards and losses differently than nonplayers, which may lead to riskier or more cautious decision-making overall.[16]

A Cool New Gamer-Created Solution to Addiction

As games get more and more addictive, gamers are starting to share their experiences and crowdsource for solutions.

Recently, gamer ThatLittleCommie created a solution to help addicted players quit Skyrim using a mod. Mods are game modifications that are created by players and offered on gaming sites for free download. Usually, mods extend the player’s experience. But NoSkyrim (the name of ThatLittleCommie’s mod) does the opposite. It makes the game unplayable so that addicted players can cut off their supply at the source. With the help of NoSkyrim, addicted players can force themselves to quit cold turkey.

Nexus Mods Banned NoSkyrim

Here’s the problem for NoSkyrim. If people stop playing addictive games, then they stop visiting mod websites. Therefore, by helping people to cure their addiction, the NoSkyrim mod is potentially affecting the website’s profit. We suspect that loss of profit is the reason that Nexus Mods, the website where players go to download mods, banned NoSkyrim.

This has not been a popular move for Nexus Mods customers. In the eyes of gamers, the website was putting money ahead of the health of their fellow gamers. This led to several petitions and Reddit forums set up to spread awareness of the dangers of video game addiction. Smaller websites have begun to make NoSkyrim available to players, but the larger websites like Nexus Mods refuse to budge.

How to Protect Your Children from Online Addiction

Leaving kids to regulate on their own is not an effective strategy in most families. Big tech’s manipulative design for devices and games makes management challenging. Here are some ways you can support your kids for healthier gaming:

Provide your kids with real-world activities to maintain an offline/online balance.
Spend more time as a family on- and offline.
Research games and online activities that your child is interested in before you allow a probationary period.
Pay attention to ESRB ratings.
Check out Dr. Bennett’s online courses! There is the Screen Safety Toolkit for management resources and the Connected Family Course for rules and tools for a safe home setup.

Dr. B is in a unique position to help you to learn more about the dangers that children face when engaging in online activities and to help you to navigate safely throughout your journey as a practicing psychologist, university professor, and mother. In Dr. B’s book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, she discusses and attacks the issue of video game and online addiction and gives advice on how to protect your children from all things screen-related in a productive manner. Also, you can download the free GKIS Connected Family Agreement and get weekly blog articles simply by making a GKIS account on our website home page.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Michael Watson for researching video game addiction and the ways in which gamers are solving the problem themselves.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Christian Gaca. (2016). Skyrim has sold 30 million copies worldwide. Gamereactor. https://www.gamereactor.eu/skyrim-has-sold-30-million-copies-worldwide/

[2] Entertainment Software Association. (2021). Elder Scroll V: Skyrim. ESRB. https://www.esrb.org/ratings/31575/The+Elder+Scrolls+V%3A+Skyrim/

[3] Black, D., Belsare, G., & Schlosser, S. (1999). Clinical features, psychiatric comorbidity, & health-related quality of life in persons reporting compulsive computer use behavior. J Clin Psychiatry 60(12):839–844.

[4] Ha, J., Yoo, H., Cho, I., Chin, B., Shin, D., & Kim, J. (2006). Psychiatric comorbidity assessed in Korean children & adolescents who screen positive for Internet addiction. J Clin Psychiatry 67(5):821–826.

[5] Kaess, M., Durkee, T., Brunner, R., Carli, V., Parzer, P., & Wasserman, C. (2014). Pathological Internet use among European adolescents: psychopathology & self-destructive behaviours. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 23(11):1093–1102.

[6] Ko, C., Yen, J., Chen, C., Yeh, Y., & Yen, C. (2009). Predictive values of psychiatric symptoms for internet addiction in adolescents: a 2-year prospective study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 163(10): 937–943.

[7] Lin, I., Ko, C., Chang, Y., Liu, T., Wang, P., & Lin, H. (2014). The association between suicidality & Internet addiction & activities in Taiwanese adolescents. Compr Psychiatry 55(3): 504–510.

[8] Liu, M., Ming, Q., Yi, J., Wang, X., Yao, S. (2016). Screen time on school days & risks for psychiatric symptoms & self-harm in mainland Chinese adolescents. Frontiers In Psychology [serial online]. April 25, 2016;7Available from: PsycINFO, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 11, 2017.

[9] Mehroof, M. & Griffiths, M.D. (2010). Online gaming addiction: the role of sensation seeking, self-control, neuroticism, aggression, state anxiety, & trait anxiety. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw 13(3): 313–316.

[10] Shapira, N., Goldsmith, T., Keck, P., Khosla, U., & McElroy, S. (2000). Psychiatric features of individuals with problematic internet use. J Affect Disord 57(1–3): 267–272.

[11] Fauth-Buhler, M., & Mann, K. (2017). Neurobiological Correlates of Internet Gaming Disorder: Similarities to Pathological Gambling. Addictive Behaviors, vol. 64, 349–356.

[12] Yuan, K., Qin, W., Wang, G., Zeng, F., Zhao, L., & Yang, X. (2011). Microstructure Abnormalities in Adolescents with Internet Addiction Disorder. PLoS ONE 6(6): e20708.

[13] Kim, S., Baik, S., Park, C., Kim, S., Choi, S. & Kim, S. (2011). Reduced Striatal Dopamine D2 Receptors in People with Internet Addiction. NeuroReport 22.8: 407-11. Web.

[14] Koepp, M., Gunn, R., Lawrence, A., Cunningham, V., Dagher, A., Jones, T., Brooks, D., Bench, C., & Grasby, P. (1998). Evidence for striatal dopamine release during a video game. Nature 393: 266-268.

[15] Kühn, S., Romanowski, A., Schilling, C., Lorenz, R., Mörsen, C., Seiferth, N., & Banaschewski, T. (2011). The Neural Basis of Video Gaming. Translational Psychiatry 1: e53.

[16] Dong, G. Hu, Y., & Lin, X. (2013). Reward/punishment sensitivities among internet addicts: Implications for their addictive behaviors. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, 46, 139–145.

Photo Credits

Photo by Ralston Smith (https://unsplash.com/photos/zc9pWsPZd4Y)

Photo by Pragii (https://unsplash.com/photos/pX829a6ObhE)

Photo by Eric Mclean (https://unsplash.com/photos/qgInQSplXBU)

Thanks to Kent Williams for the beautiful painting used for the thumbnail. (https://www.kentwilliams.com/paintings/2018/8/16/2018/8/16/m-w)

Five Quick and Organization Hacks from a Screen Safety Parenting Expert

August 18, 2019 by Dr. Tracy Bennett

Now that I’m an “older” working mom, I love to share offline and online organization hacks and efficiency grabs that have saved me through the years. These organizational techniques were the difference between frazzled and peaceful at our house. With the overtasked lives we lead, most of us are guilty of brain fades and frantic searches while yelling and scolding overwhelmed kids. Even if you set up only one or two of these ideas, it may be the difference between fun family mornings versus a school day launched with tears and resentment.

Unclutter study spaces by setting up customized, distraction-free workspaces in niches and corners for each kid.

Kids in my practice often complain that the kitchen table is too distracting to get homework done quickly and neatly. The psychological research agrees. Studies reveal that fractured attention leads to irritability, wasted time, and poor grades. To optimize learning, set up a quiet corner office for each child. All it takes is a willingness and clever organization ideas and fresh accessories. Check out my GKIS Connected Family Online Course for a detailed blueprint for creating award-winning maker spaces with awesome Pinterest DIY ideas. A customized works station is a compelling magnet to get your kids creating in 3-dimensional space as a complement to screen learning. Ergonomic, body-healthy setups in the place of slouching on beds and couches avoid repetitive stress injuries to the neck, back, wrists, and hands.

Avoid missed soccer practices and study deadlines by setting up a digital family calendar.

Family schedules are chaos! Streamline communication and scheduling by color-coding child activities and setting up Family Share on Apple’s Family Calendar, Google’s Calendar, or Microsoft’s Outlook. Each member can share calendared activities and set up automatic reminders. Shared organization at a glance!

Just as you throw out old clothes your kids have grown out of, it’s also important to declutter digital spaces.

Schedule a fresh-start fall family meeting where everybody gathers with their mobile screen devices to trash apps and games they have grown out of.
Revisit (or grab) your free GKIS Connected Family Screen Agreement at GetKidsInternetSafe.com. This will help you set sensible rules like a digital curfew and create screen-free zones – including bedrooms and bathrooms.
Finally, teach cybersecurity measures from my Cybersecurity Red Flags Supplement. New this fall, you and your family members can tweak bad habits so don’t fall victim to bad actors online.

Cleanse social media profiles with an eye toward future reputation.

If your tween or teen is on social media already, you know the time-suck risks during school time. Help them sort out the necessary from the unnecessary by helping them avoid the bio-hack elements designed to capture their attention.

Consider limiting teens to only one or two social media apps to decrease wasted time due to mindless browsing and compulsive checking.
Insist that apps with visual notifications be on the second swipe screen on smartphones. That way they won’t get distracted by little red notifications and, instead, can batch their check-in times as research suggests is best.
Teach them how to recognize marketing techniques so they don’t get sucked into unnecessary buys using my How to Spot Marketing Red Flag Supplement.
And finally, delete old posted photos and unnecessary personal information from social media history. Sharing real-time with friends on a private profile is fun, but do you really want somebody lurking through your past photo-by-photo? Point out that other parents, relatives, teachers, coaches, future employers, and even college app administrators may be forming impressions based on your digital footprint. So instead of having an online resume populated by off-color jokes and sexualized photos, create a flattering stream of artistic works, philanthropic activities, sports activities, and fun friend and family time. A progressive, balanced, healthy life looks beautiful online – and may help you get a college placement or dream job instead of hinder it!

Reboot your Screen Safety Toolkit.

Each developmental stage offers unique online safety challenges. For example, little kids are best accommodated in a walled digital garden like YouTube Kids, and older kids need a little more digital space to explore and create. To parent well in the digital age, you need specially-selected free and third-party software tools to help you filter and block inappropriate content, set time-limits, monitor online activity use, remotely pause or offer rewards, and even locate and track the driving activities of your teen. If you get overwhelmed or need help figuring it all out, check out my GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit for tips, product recommendations, links to ISP and social media app safety guides, and free digital learning tools for best academic performance.

There you have it! Five quick and easy parenting hacks that will launch the school year with fun and success. Just as I recommend shoes live by the front door so you are not always searching, digital folders and organization tools will keep you dialed-in in your virtual life. Most importantly, set a peaceful intention with a six-second exhale for positivity and fun each morning before you enter the family’s living space. Parents must actively define the heart of the home. If we start the morning with a smile and warmth, our kids emotionally synch and return the joy. Soak in every chaotic and blissful moment!

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Also, if you are a local Southern Californian and need a little TLC to get started on your screen safety/fun parenting plan, join me for a morning of pampering and friendship.

Photo Credits

Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

Photo by Jealous Weekends on Unsplash

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

What Age Should We Allow Smartphones?

May 2, 2019 by GetKidsInternetSafe

Move over debutante balls and high school dances, unboxing a brand new smartphone is the new coming-of-age ritual for today’s teens.[6] Teenagers born in 1995 and after are the first generation to live their entire adolescence with a smartphone.[5] In 2017, ten years old was the national average for receiving a smartphone.[6] This profound and sudden cultural shift has fundamentally changed childhood and parenting. Smartphones are a new-found necessity and parents are scrambling to provide one as soon as possible.

“What’s the WiFi password?”

Technology is an important part of our modern culture. In comparison to the rest of the world, the United States provides cell phones to the youngest kids.[8] Everywhere you go there’s a child or teen glued to a screen. There are babies listening to “Baby Shark” in their strollers during morning walks with mom, toddlers playing Candy Crush in their restaurant booster seats, and teenagers scrolling their Instagram feeds while blindly following their parents around Costco. It shouldn’t be surprising that adults and kids alike spend more than half of their days staring at a smartphone screen.[6]

With a smartphone in every hand, parents are peer pressured by their friends and begged by their children to provide one. Parents feel guilty for withholding one for too long because they see their children socially isolated.[11] Yet, giving a smartphone to a ten-year-old today is fundamentally different than when parents gave sixteen-year-olds flip phones in the 90s.[4]

Nokia Flip Phone vs. iPhone

Down to the basics, the main function of a cell phone is to call and send text messages wirelessly with no data. Smartphones such as iPhones, Androids, Google Pixels, and so forth have transformed those basic necessities.[7] They need data and WiFi to power infinite applications and endless Internet access. Basically, it’s a mini-computer that is more powerful than all of NASA’s computing power in 1969…in the palm of your hand!

Innovative or Addictive?

Unlike phones in the 70s, there are thousands of engineers and tech designers updating smartphones every day.[5] Their job is to make sure that smartphones and applications consume all our attention. They dazzle us with colorful visuals, sound effects, and seamless switching between applications. Studies have shown that children exposed at a young age to these stimulating effects become wired to crave easy dopamine release.[12] Instead of going outside and playing with their friends, they turn to their screens for pleasure

Sean Parker confessed to taking advantage of the human psyche when developing Facebook.[1] The former president of Facebook explained their objectives were, “How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?”[1] He and Mark Zuckerberg knew that small hits of dopamine from notifications would hook everyone.[1] Parker reflects, “I don’t know if I really understood the consequences…God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains.”[1]

It’s true. Silicon Valley’s tech executives have become wary of their own creations. They’ve noticed the negative effects on their own children.[11] For example, Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs limits his children’s tech time. He even kept the iPad away from them when it was first released.[10]

Smartphone Dependency

With all this power comes responsibility. Former Apple designer Tony Fadell struggles with whether his apple products have helped or hurt society.[2] In his own children he has seen smartphone dependency:

“They literally feel like you’re tearing a piece of their person away from them — They get emotional about it, very emotional…They go through withdrawal for two to three days.”[2]

Dr. Bennett details in her book, Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe, how smartphone dependency is like that of drug and alcohol addictions. Whenever teens hear a notification or see new content, dopamine is released and pleasure is felt. If too much time is spent apart, the smartphone-dependent gets agitated. There’s even evidence that we get distracted just by having a smartphone near us, even if it’s turned off as if we are in a state of chronic hypervigilance for notification. She chooses to have a screen-free classroom, stating that the research demonstrates that, not only is the screen users distracted from the lecture, but so are those around them.

Notifications on smartphones can be so addicting they cause phantom buzzing or ringxiety. Daniel Kruger researched cell phone dependency at the University of Michigan. His study found that “if your phone is rubbing in your pocket or if you hear a similar tone, you might experience it as your phone vibrating or ringing, especially if your phone messages are highly rewarding to you.”[3] That’s how adept our attention has become to our smartphones.

“Best” Age

Many studies have tried to determine which age would be best for a smartphone. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with guidelines recommending no screen use for infants under one year of age and only an hour a day for kids under 5. Dr. Bennett’s GKIS guidelines, which are offered in her must-have Connected Family Online Course, are consistent with this recommendation as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society also recommend no screen time for toddlers younger than two years old.[12]

Many parents are under the false impression that virtual reality can replace real-life lessons for toddlers. But the psychological research shows that the skills don’t transfer over. For example, toddlers who play building block games don’t know how to build the same blocks when presented the toys in real life.[5] This is because the toddlers didn’t develop the skills before seeing it on the Internet.

Furthermore, Dr. Bennett states in her keynote lectures that some kids are less likely to try a task after seeing performed on YouTube. It’s as if watching “scratches the itch” of wanting to do it themselves. How-to videos often demonstrate an effortless learning curve, as the practice and messy sessions are edited out – leaving a quick and perfectly executed trial to view. When a child tries out the task themselves, they can fall into “compare and despair,” feeling that their very normal imperfect trial was a failure rather than a healthy try.

Dr. Bennett recommends that, from two to twelve years old, children shouldn’t have Internet-enabled smartphones. A normal flip phone that only allows for calling and texting will suffice for any safety concerns. Some starter phones even have GPS tracking.

Those are a general rule of thumb since all children vary in maturity. Age doesn’t qualify a child to use a smartphone well but instead impulse control, social awareness, and true comprehension of what technology does.[5] Bill Gates’ household requires at least one of the following to be met before a smartphone is given[6]:

Must be 14 years old
Demonstrate behavioral restraint
Comprehend the value of face-to-face communication

Dr. Bennett further points out that, even at 14 years old, kids don’t have the brain development to anticipate consequences and engage in high-order thinking. Just telling them what not to do will not keep them from making unwise, impulsive decisions online. In fact, kids are neurologically programmed to copy some of the cruel and vulgar behaviors they will invariably run across online, even with parental controls. Be prepared to calmly coach them through a variety of online mistakes. No child escapes it.

Wait Until 8th Campaign

If you’re looking for a place to start, GKIS recommends Wait Until 8th. As of March 2019, 20,000 families across the entire nation have signed the Wait Until 8th pledge.[9] These families have pledged not to give their children smartphones until at least the 8th grade. They emphasize that it isn’t the only path, but a path that offers a safe space for parents with the same concerns. Professionals in law, psychology, education, healthcare, business, and social work created the non-profit pledge.[10] They’re parents who have seen the negative effects of premature smartphone usage in classrooms, court systems, private practices, communities, and households. By spreading the pledge, the Wait Until 8th Campaign hopes to:

Increase engagement in education
Encourage parents to set screen time boundaries
Change society’s view on technology so children can live authentic childhoods

“Can I have one now?”

Your teens will eventually get a smartphone, like everyone else. We don’t want to restrict them for so long that they go wild once given access. But first, we have to coach them to make good decisions on their own. This way, we can better trust them to be mature when facing issues like cyberbullying and age-inappropriate content. As simple as they seem, smartphones are very powerful. With that power comes great responsibility for parents to make sure that smartphones are a tool we use, not a tool that uses us.

Already given them a smartphone or getting ready to start? It’s never too late to make some adjustments. Dr. Bennett has put together a reliable Screen Safety Toolkit to help you get started. This resource offers links and explanations of parental control options on devices, through your Internet service provider, and through third party products so you can match your child’s use patterns with the right toolkit. She also offers a bonus of great learning apps and websites to help your child build their joy of tech-assisted learning!

Thank you to our GKIS intern Hanna Dangiapo for writing about this topic! (She admits that she still reminisces about her Motorola Razr).

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1]Allen, Mike. “Sean Parker unloads on Facebook: ‘God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains.” Axios, 2019.

[2]Baer, Drake. “The Designer of The iPhone Says He Worries About The ‘Nuclear Bomb’ He Brought Into The World.” Thrive Global, 12 July 2017.

[3]Baer, Drake. “The Science Behind Your Phantom Cell Phone Buzzes.” Thrive Global, 22 March 2017.

[4]Cohen, Danielle. “When Should You Get Your Kid a Phone?” Child Mind Institute, 2019.

[5]Cooper, Anderson. “Groundbreaking Study Examines Effects of Screen Time on Kids.” 60 Minutes, 9 December 2018.

[6]Curtin, Melanie. “Bill Gates Says This Is the ‘Safest’ Age to Give a Child a Smartphone.” Inc, 10 May 2017.

[7]“Frequently Asked Questions.” Wait Until 8th, 2019.

[8]Howard, Jacqueline. “When kids get their first cell phones around the world.” CNN Health, 11 December 2017.

[9] [10]“Our Team.” Wait Until 8th, 2019.

[11]Shannon, Brooke & Freed, Dr. Richard. “Parent Like A Tech Exec.” Wait Until 8th, 2019.

[12]Stein, Stacy. “An age-by-age guide to kids and smartphones.” Today’s Parent, 21 March 2018.

[13]“Why Wait?”.Wait Until 8th, 2019.

Photos

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Photo byBlake BarlowonUnsplash

Crowdsourcing: A Global Community

March 16, 2018 by Dr. Tracy Bennett

Crowdsourcing has changed the way the world does business. In the past decade 85% of the best global brands (Apple, Google, Coca Cola, Microsoft) have taken advantage of the booming crowdsourcing market (Steve, 2015). Few concepts in business have been so popular and appealing. With the allure of lower costs, customer involvement, and diversity of perspective and opinion, it’s easy to see why. How can you utilize crowdsourcing, and what should you consider before deciding if crowdsourcing is right for you?

What is crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing is a method of obtaining ideas by outsourcing a problem-solving task to an online community. By gathering creative response from multiple diverse sources, innovative approaches and solutions develop. Crowdsourcing compiles the sum of logged in human knowledge into a central source, providing informed guidance to individuals and helping businesses best create, support, and utilize customers.

Free Encyclopedic Online Knowledge

Wikipedia is the most popular online informational website that is constantly developing with crowdsourcing. Boasting more than seven billion visits in February 2018 alone , Wikipedia’s has more than five million English articles with 800 new articles coming out daily (Cunctator, 2018; Erik, 2018). Many of these articles are edited, written, and discussed in community forums by over 33 million English users, who refer to themselves as Wikipedians (Bignose, 2018). Anyone who visits Wikipedia can edit the articles and become a Wikipedian. Edits are read and reviewed by a group of workers hired by Wikipedia as well as a trusted group of active Wikipedians who account for 50% of the edits (Pipedreamer, 2015).

Medical Miracles

A 22-year-old college student was on her way to school when she fell off her bike and hit her head so hard her helmet cracked in two. The accident lead to chronic migraines, heart problems, and spinal issues. After years of treatment and $250,000 in medical bills, no progress was made. She then found CrowdMed, a crowdsourcing website founded in 2012 that assists patients who have found little success with medical visits. For only $150-$350, she submitted her case for analysis by doctors, nurses, medical students, Eastern Medicine practitioners, and other patients with similar ailments. The medical detectives who reviewed her case believed that she may have a form of complex headache and referred her to the Cleveland Clinic. There she was diagnosed with a post-concussive complex migraine syndrome and, with their assistance, was able to ease her debilitating pain with the right combination of treatment and medications. She credits the medical detectives for helping point her in the right direction and providing positive encouragement throughout the process (Christina, 2015).

Online Microtasking Provides Valuable Service

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a crowdsourcing marketplace where anyone can browse small tasks that companies need completed. The tasks can be as simple as identifying objects in a photo or video or answering a survey about a product. Although providers earn only a few cents per task from requesters, some have turned MTurk into a full-time job making $150-$300 a week (Mike, 2016). Other companies are willing to pay large amounts for help with their crowdsourced projects. For example, the GO FLY competition by BOEING challenges participants to create a safe, quiet, compact, personal flying device capable of flying twenty miles. The grand prize for the highest rated prototype is set at one million dollars.

Other projects, according to Wikepedia (ha), include missing person searches, social science experiments, artistic and educational research, and third party programming used for processing photos or videos, data cleaning and verification, information collection, and data processing.

Because I Love the Brand

Companies today have large fanbases who follow every change the company makes. These fans want the company to improve, and crowdsourcing has enabled them to put in their own time and effort to help. In 2008, Starbucks launched the website, My Starbucks Idea, where customers can suggest improvements to anything from drinks to the music played in the store. In the first year, over 70,000 ideas were generated by fans. Since then Starbucks has implemented approximately 300 submitted fan ideas into stores (Tina, 2015).

Advantages and Disadvantages to Crowdsourcing

Cost Reduction

Through crowdsourcing, you can outsource work to thousands of free laborers. This enables your companies to eliminate overhead and minimize management.

Company Engagement

Crowdsourcing enables companies to receive feedback from current and past customers. It also allows them to engage one-on-one with their customers in real time.

Creativity and Diversity

With crowdsourcing, companies can maximize their options. They can choose from thousands of different submissions that will vary in design and creativity.

Missing the Talent

While numbers aren’t an issue when dealing with crowdsourcing the quality can. Multiple ideas will not always equal a great idea. Instead of hiring someone who can accomplish the task, you may be stuck waiting to find somebody.

Popularity Can be Misleading

When you crowdsource an idea, things can get messy. Rather than getting a correct answer, a popular answer can win out. A recent online poll to determine the name of a polar research vessel ended with the name Boaty McBoatface leading the polls. Those who created the poll were smart to say the winning name would be a suggestion, however due to popularity the name may stay.

No Confidentiality

By being transparent with customers and engaging with them online, you leave yourself vulnerable to other companies viewing you progress. This may reduce your competitive advantage.

Hidden Costs

Time is money, right? Searching through thousands of suggestions can be time consuming.

Thank you to CSUCI Intern, Dylan Smithson for informing parents on the multiple ways to crowdsource. The next time you are online remember that you can easily become a part of the crowdsourcing community. If you enjoyed reading this article, feel free to share with friends and family, and give us a like on our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page.