8 Signs Your Child is a Video Game Addict

Is your child hooked on video games? Learn to spot the signs of addiction.

Some people are wired to become addicted to the unique stimuli provided by video games. In their book, Playstation Nation, Kurt and Olivia Bruner provide a checklist of signs parents should watch for.

Does your child …

• Play almost every day?
• Play for extended periods (more than three or four hours at a time)?
• Play for excitement?
• Get restless and irritable if he or she can't play?
• Sacrifice social and sporting activities to play?
• Play instead of doing homework?
• Try in vain to limit playing time?
• Seem to be losing interest in real-life activities?

If your child exhibits some or all of these signs of addiction, or you just want to help prevent them, consider the safeguards for video gameplay provided in this series.