In the previous post, I mentioned that psychiatrist Suvrat Bhargave says that video games provide many of the things children with ADHD crave and benefit from, such as a sense of organization and motivation. A recent article in ADDitude magazine online (article by Randy Kulman, PhD) discusses three video games that actually "improve focus, concentration and planning skills," namely Bad Piggies, Roblox, and Minecraft.
As the mother of an 11-year-old who "lives for" Minecraft, I can see how the game requires all of the above. Certainly I feel better about him playing this than something like "Call of Duty" or "Grand Theft Auto." I also use the game as a reward - something he can do after he completes his homework during the week and can do for a longer period on the weekends. Finally, because Minecraft is something that he feels like an expert in (he "tutors" others in the game), it offers a little boost to his self-esteem.
I was happy to see that the author of the article gives parents some ideas of how to "transfer" the skills acquired in the game to "real life skills," as transfer seems to be the biggest issue with computer learning in general, including with so-called brain performing enhancing programs like Lumosity. For example, Kulman encourages parents to talk to children about the skills involved in the games and discuss how those skills are used in real life. Also, he gives suggestions for activities to reinforce the skills from the game into life outside the game. For example, to enhance working memory skills that are enhanced by Roblox, the family could make something that requires following a recipe with step-by-step directions and "remembering what you have already done."
I was happy to see that the author of the article gives parents some ideas of how to "transfer" the skills acquired in the game to "real life skills," as transfer seems to be the biggest issue with computer learning in general, including with so-called brain performing enhancing programs like Lumosity. For example, Kulman encourages parents to talk to children about the skills involved in the games and discuss how those skills are used in real life. Also, he gives suggestions for activities to reinforce the skills from the game into life outside the game. For example, to enhance working memory skills that are enhanced by Roblox, the family could make something that requires following a recipe with step-by-step directions and "remembering what you have already done."
For me the additional challenge is watching out for the negative side of "hyper focus," as when my son is so focused on the computer game he experiences withdrawal when his time is up. When the timer goes off (I use the old-fashioned kitchen kind for his gaming time), sometimes he is ready to be done and sometimes he is not. Achieving balance seems to be a moving target for both of us.
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