It’s no surprise that 2020 looks very different, with many parents and kids locked in one residence that does triple duty as a home, a school and a workplace. With kids getting more screen time than ever, would stressed parents adopt a “do what you want” attitude?

Parents are taking charge in the home when it comes to video games, screen time, and online communication.

In fact, our survey found just the opposite: Parents are taking charge in the home when it comes to video games, screen time, and online communication. The numbers paint a positive picture of how parents set and enforce household rules in the age of COVID-19 restrictions and beyond.

Our study revealed three key trends surrounding how parents stay in control of their kids’ experiences with video games:

Trend: Families Set and Enforce Household Rules

The overwhelming majority of parents have household rules in place to manage their children’s video game use. As with any other adult-imposed restrictions, these rules can be formal and informal, and enforcement varies from firm to flexible.

Understandably, parents are most concerned about any activity that results in kids spending money. Some games allow players to purchase items using real-world money. And 90% of parents require permission before allowing their kids to make any in-game purchases with real money. While laying down the law is important, so is enforcement, and 74% of parents say there is no flexibility with this rule.

Parents also very much want to be in the know about what specific games their kids are playing. The survey shows that 83% of parents require that their kids get permission before they play any game, and that 62% of parents say there is no flexibility when enforcing this rule.

A large majority of parents (78%) say they have specific screen time rules for their kids. These can take the form of either specific times during the day that kids can play, or a maximum daily limit. Some 84% say that tasks like homework must be completed before kids can play their games. Interestingly, 61% of parents concede that they’re willing to be flexible on the screen-time rule. This could be an acknowledgement by parents that the 2020 lockdown impels them to be less rigid.

83% of parents require that their kids get permission before they play any game.

To reinforce this assumption, according to a recent poll from the First Five Years Fund, parents are allowing their kids to have more screen time as they continue to juggle work and parenting through the pandemic. The poll, also conducted by Hart Research Associates, found that 64% of parents allowed their children to have more screen time than they otherwise would have.

Finally, 77% of parents say their kids need to get their permission to communicate with other players when playing online, and 66% say this rule is not up for discussion.

Nine in 10 parents who use these various rules say that their child always or usually follows each rule, including majorities who say the child always does so. This is a strong endorsement for those parents who have not yet had a meaningful discussion with their child about establishing household rules.

Although it’s clear from the research that most parents trust their children to follow the household rules, many of them use parental controls as a backstop for enforcing their household rules.

Trend: More Parents Are Using Parental Controls

When parents can’t be there, many of them rely on parental controls to help enforce their rules. A combination of good parenting, parental controls, and dialogue between kids and adults give parents peace of mind.

A large majority of parents (82%) say they use parental controls on at least one of their kids’ game devices, including phones and tablets, consoles, and PCs.

Of parents who are aware of parental controls and have kids who play games on consoles:

• 82% (always/frequently) use them to limit or block spending real money on games.
• 76% (always/frequently) use them to block games based on age rating.
• 73% (always/frequently) use them to limit or prevent online communication with other players.
• 72% (always/frequently) use them to set limits on when their child can play or for how long.

Trend: Parents Find All Three Parts of the ESRB Rating System Important

The vast majority of parents across the board say they use ESRB ratings as their first line of defense for determining the appropriateness of a game for their kids and they consider each part of the ESRB rating system to be very important.

• Rating Categories: 84% of parents say they are “extremely” or “very important”
• Content Descriptors: 87% of parents say they are “extremely” or “very important”
• Interactive Elements: 81% of parents say they are “extremely” or “very important”

Of parents who buy physical video games for their kids, 86% are aware of ESRB ratings. Meanwhile, 76% of parents say they check the age rating before buying a game “every time” or “most of the time”.

In a period of uncertainty, it’s comforting to know that parents are on top of managing what their kids play, when and with whom. The majority of parents have shown that a combination of household rules, parental controls, and taking advantage of ESRB ratings help them to ensure their children’s experiences playing video games are both appropriate and fun.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post When it Comes to Kids and Video Games, Parents Remain the “Final Boss” appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

It’s no surprise that 2020 looks very different, with many parents and kids locked in one residence that does triple duty as a home, a school and a workplace. With kids getting more screen time than ever, would stressed parents adopt a “do what you want” attitude?

Parents are taking charge in the home when it comes to video games, screen time, and online communication.

In fact, our survey found just the opposite: Parents are taking charge in the home when it comes to video games, screen time, and online communication. The numbers paint a positive picture of how parents set and enforce household rules in the age of COVID-19 restrictions and beyond.

Our study revealed three key trends surrounding how parents stay in control of their kids’ experiences with video games:

Trend: Families Set and Enforce Household Rules

The overwhelming majority of parents have household rules in place to manage their children’s video game use. As with any other adult-imposed restrictions, these rules can be formal and informal, and enforcement varies from firm to flexible.

Understandably, parents are most concerned about any activity that results in kids spending money. Some games allow players to purchase items using real-world money. And 90% of parents require permission before allowing their kids to make any in-game purchases with real money. While laying down the law is important, so is enforcement, and 74% of parents say there is no flexibility with this rule.

Parents also very much want to be in the know about what specific games their kids are playing. The survey shows that 83% of parents require that their kids get permission before they play any game, and that 62% of parents say there is no flexibility when enforcing this rule.

A large majority of parents (78%) say they have specific screen time rules for their kids. These can take the form of either specific times during the day that kids can play, or a maximum daily limit. Some 84% say that tasks like homework must be completed before kids can play their games. Interestingly, 61% of parents concede that they’re willing to be flexible on the screen-time rule. This could be an acknowledgement by parents that the 2020 lockdown impels them to be less rigid.

83% of parents require that their kids get permission before they play any game.

To reinforce this assumption, according to a recent poll from the First Five Years Fund, parents are allowing their kids to have more screen time as they continue to juggle work and parenting through the pandemic. The poll, also conducted by Hart Research Associates, found that 64% of parents allowed their children to have more screen time than they otherwise would have.

Finally, 77% of parents say their kids need to get their permission to communicate with other players when playing online, and 66% say this rule is not up for discussion.

Nine in 10 parents who use these various rules say that their child always or usually follows each rule, including majorities who say the child always does so. This is a strong endorsement for those parents who have not yet had a meaningful discussion with their child about establishing household rules.

Although it’s clear from the research that most parents trust their children to follow the household rules, many of them use parental controls as a backstop for enforcing their household rules.

Trend: More Parents Are Using Parental Controls

When parents can’t be there, many of them rely on parental controls to help enforce their rules. A combination of good parenting, parental controls, and dialogue between kids and adults give parents peace of mind.

A large majority of parents (82%) say they use parental controls on at least one of their kids’ game devices, including phones and tablets, consoles, and PCs.

Of parents who are aware of parental controls and have kids who play games on consoles:

• 82% (always/frequently) use them to limit or block spending real money on games.
• 76% (always/frequently) use them to block games based on age rating.
• 73% (always/frequently) use them to limit or prevent online communication with other players.
• 72% (always/frequently) use them to set limits on when their child can play or for how long.

Trend: Parents Find All Three Parts of the ESRB Rating System Important

The vast majority of parents across the board say they use ESRB ratings as their first line of defense for determining the appropriateness of a game for their kids and they consider each part of the ESRB rating system to be very important.

• Rating Categories: 84% of parents say they are “extremely” or “very important”
• Content Descriptors: 87% of parents say they are “extremely” or “very important”
• Interactive Elements: 81% of parents say they are “extremely” or “very important”

Of parents who buy physical video games for their kids, 86% are aware of ESRB ratings. Meanwhile, 76% of parents say they check the age rating before buying a game “every time” or “most of the time”.

In a period of uncertainty, it’s comforting to know that parents are on top of managing what their kids play, when and with whom. The majority of parents have shown that a combination of household rules, parental controls, and taking advantage of ESRB ratings help them to ensure their children’s experiences playing video games are both appropriate and fun.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post When it Comes to Kids and Video Games, Parents Remain the “Final Boss” appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Choose the Right Games for Your Family

Knowing which games are appropriate for your children is easier than you may think. If your child has asked to play or purchase a specific game, a good first step is to check the rating displayed on the product detail page. Parents can also conduct a search for the ESRB-assigned age and content ratings on esrb.org or our rating search app for iOS and Android by entering the game’s title. With our three-part rating system, you can quickly understand if a game is appropriate for your family. You can also review a game’s Rating Summary, which provides even more detail.

Still not sure? You can read reviews from game enthusiast websites, and watch gameplay clips on sites like Mixer, Twitch, and YouTube.

Have a Family Meeting and Set House Rules

Agreeing on some house rules for video games and devices may be the most important way to make sure your kids’ interactive experiences are safe and appropriate. Start by calling a family meeting to discuss these topics, and make sure everyone is on the same page regarding how they can engage with games and apps.

It’s not always easy to navigate these conversations, especially if you have some older kids that have been enjoying rule-free gaming sessions for some time, but we have a helpful Family Discussion Guide to get the conversation started. You can go over what games are appropriate for which of your children, explain why, and highlight some time limits for every day of the week. With all of this time at home, establishing a balanced structure around the day – especially when it comes to playing video games – is wise and a good way to maintain relative peace. Further, you may want to set rules about with whom your kids can play online and how much money (if any) they can spend online to download new games or make in-game purchases.

During times like these it may also be a good idea to have some house rules around keeping shared spaces tidy. Discuss how it’s important to put away controllers and wires after playing games. And if you’re playing as a family, you may also want to consider making some rules around sanitizing shared controllers.

Getting the house rules in writing is only the first part of the process. Everyone (yes, even you, parents) needs to abide by the rules! And they should be adapted as the stay-at-home orders lift and other factors come into play. Parental controls can help enforce whatever rules you establish.

Set Parental Controls

Since you may be pre-occupied preparing meals, cleaning your house, or working remotely, it’s important to set parental controls to make sure your kids are sticking to their routines and the house rules. With ParentalTools.org ESRB has made it easier than ever to help you manage what your kids can play, for how long, with whom, and how much they can spend.

For example, some parents may be comfortable with their teens diving into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (rated M for Mature 17+), but that may not work for every family or for every child in the household. You can manage which games can be played (by specific family member on certain devices) by the ESRB-assigned age rating to ensure that your kids don’t play a game they may not be ready for.

Games like Fortnite (rated T for Teen 13+) and Minecraft (rated E10+ for Everyone 10+) can provide dozens of hours of gameplay with friends or alone.

Now more than ever, you may want to set play-time limits to make sure game time doesn’t interfere with homework, chores, or getting some physical exercise.

ParentalTools.org

Speaking of playing with friends, many games enable players to play with each other online. While playing online can be a great team-building experience and a way for your kids to stay connected with their friends, you may not be comfortable with your kids playing with strangers. Thankfully, parental controls can manage (or block) chat features or in some cases let you approve friends.

Many platforms enable players to purchase new games via download and some games also offer in-game items for purchase. Setting controls to manage spending money on game or in-game purchases will make sure you don’t have any surprise charges to your account or credit card. If you want to learn more about the different types of in-game purchases, we have you covered.

You can find ESRB’s step-by-step instructions on how to activate the parental controls on your device(s) at ParentalTools.org. It’s never too late to set those controls!

Make sure you keep an eye on ESRB’s Twitter and Facebook for more advice. It’s never been easier to manage what, when, and how your kids engage with video games, all it takes is a little time and attention!

All of us at the ESRB hope that you and your families are healthy and safe.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Managing Their Kids’ Video Games During the Pandemic appeared first on ESRB Ratings.