Games for good

      I need to apologize. I have been wrong. I have not seen much value in video games and I usually discourage their use. However, after much research, I find there is a use for them in children’s development.   
     Games help children advance necessary thinking skills that are needed in today’s world. Such high-level skills as collaboration, creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, and using information media (which I find so necessary in my research for writing this blog, my website and newspaper column.)  Although I am not usually a game player, I do like word searches. card games, and paper games that challenge my thinking. 
     Children improve their personality and gain confidence as they develop their skill in solving the problems posted by video games and learn the strategies needed to play.  
Such games as Anagram, Word Hunt, Finding Hidden Words, Tik Tak Boom, Word Ladder, and other learning games that challenge all of us no matter what our age are good for us within balance and reason.   
     Parents must have discussions with their children about the time spent using and playing video games. You must be aware of the content of the games your children are playing, maybe by playing them with your children. Keep video-game playing in balance with the other attributes your children need to acquire such as responsibility, helpfulness, awareness of others and their feelings, exercise and nutrition. Your children need to enhance their physical, emotional, social and linguistic skills as well as the skills they learn through video gaming.