I’m a strong advocate against the negative publicity the video game industry gets from activists who claim there is too much violence, or that child obesity can be attributed to this activity. While I agree that young kids should not be exposed to blood and gore, and that children need to be physically active in order to stay healthy, let’s stop pointing the finger at game manufacturers and start taking some responsibility for what our children are doing on our watch!

I’m a strong advocate against the negative publicity the video game industry gets from activists who claim there is too much violence, or that child obesity can be attributed to gaming.

I want to be very clear:

Little kids should NOT be allowed to play games that involve scenes of graphic violence. And sitting in front of the game console with a bag of potato chips for eight hours a day is bad for anyone, child or adult.

I understand the source of these concerns from a parental point of view. You love your kids and you don’t want their minds getting twisted by non-stop violence, nor do you want them to weigh in at 200 pounds by the time they’re 10 years old.

But here are two things that are commonly ignored from the soapbox when a parental activist group or state representative launches their tirade against the evil gaming industry:

1.) The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) has implemented a very detailed rating system which allows parents to monitor the kind of content their kids are getting with each new game title. And the retailers who carry video games are required by law to be able to explain this rating system to any parent who has questions. This system was put in place to flag games with language, ideals, and activities that are not suitable for specific age groups.

2.) As a parent or guardian, do you not have the power to turn off the console, take away the potato chips, and simply order your child to go outside and play???

Too often in today’s society we want to push the blame elsewhere, and not accept personal responsibility for those things over which we can have a great deal, if not full, control. All this finger pointing may make us feel better about ourselves, but it does precious little to solve any real problems.

As parents, I urge anyone who doesn’t want their child exposed to blood and guts to check the ratings of each game before it is purchased, and even consult the cashier (or manager if need be!) to be clear on what you are about to buy for your youngster.

And if childhood obesity is a real concern, cut out the trips to the fast food drive through and get your kids out of the house to walk or ride their bikes on a regular basis.

It’s easy enough to blame video games and other third party influences, but frankly all this does is potentially create problems for adults who enjoy gaming as an activity. I for one would appreciate it if parents started looking after their children and stopped meddling with one of my favorite stress-relief outlets.