You should spend about 

40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:
Nowadays many people have access to
computers on a wide basis and a large number
of children play computer games.
What are the negative impacts of children
playing computer games and what can be
done to minimize the bad effects?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

People use computers more extensively these days than ever before, and it is so
widespread in our modern world that even children have access to these devices for
playing games. This essay discusses the disadvantages of playing digital games on
computer devices by youngsters and suggests some measures to reduce its negative
effects.

Concerning the adverse impacts of young children playing video games, the most
devastating one is the addiction these games create. Millions of dollars are spent to
make computer games so that they attract a large number of audiences and keep them
glued to the computer screens. So they are addictive by design. And this obsession
hampers children's outdoor activities, studies and even time to socialise and learn
important life skills. To illustrate, many research works suggest that children who spend
many hours playing computer games each day end up performing poorly in schools and
avoid social events and outdoor activities. It results in physical and psychological issues
including poor eyesight and despair. Moreover, violent games cloud the youngsters'
judgement and make their rational thinking unstable. Oftentimes, youngsters who play
violent games develop violent behaviours. To cite an example, an unfortunate shooting
event that claimed many innocent lives took place in an American school a few years
ago was carried out by a teenager who was addicted to shooting games.

To minimise the severity of these negative impacts, parents must monitor what their
children are doing, especially on computers. They should not be allowed to play
computer games for more than a couple of hours each week, and parents can actively
participate in those games with their children so that it becomes family time. An ideal
example of it could be my aunt and uncle who play video games with their children and
as a result, children are also interested in doing outdoor activities with them. Finally,
parents can use parental control over the digital content and games their children watch
or play. These measures would deter children from downloading and playing games that
are not suitable for their age.

To conclude, computer games, when played excessively by children, have many

detrimental effects. Proper parenting and monitoring seem like the best solution to solve
these problems.