Do you think your kids spent too much time playing video games this summer? Be honest.

I hate admitting this, but I feel that my two boys played an excessive amount of video games during their summer break. I definitely have a much better grasp on the amount of time they use their games during the school year. During the summer, it's tough to be working full time and to also be on top of the kids at home, and they end up playing their video games for hours on end. Could I have done a better job monitoring this? Does too much video game time stifle their ability to connect with others in person?

I know it prevents them from going outdoors and getting their bodies moving for exercise. In my opinion, too much time in front of the video game TV screen is has a negative effect when it comes to a kid's social skills. As a mother of two teenaged boys who love Fortnite and all of the other similar games, I can tell first hand when they have been on "the game" for too long during any given day.

Christine Fox/Townsquare Media
Christine Fox/Townsquare Media
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Some recent research that I came across on momjunction.com says that there are both negative and positives to teens gaming. Some of the negatives are aggression, addiction to gaming, poor academic performance, and adolescent obesity due to not being physically active enough. The only thing I would add to that list is lack of social skills because if they are constantly playing with their friends online, they are seeing them less in person.

Some of the positives you ask? Gaming improves kids' cognitive functions, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving abilities, improved mood and lessens anxiety.

I say, we all know our kids well enough to know if too much gaming is or is not good for them. What do you think?

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