New Delhi: YourDOST (www.yourdost.com), a leading online counselling and emotional wellness platform, has recently concluded its study on Indian parents’ perception of their children’s online gaming. The study aims to discern what Indian parents think about their children engaging in online gaming. The study also analyses the levels at which the risks of online gaming outweigh the benefits for children. Findings from this YourDOST study suggest that most parents support their children enjoying online games with certain restrictions.

The showcases the following outcomes	Most common rules placed by parents
48% of parents feel online gaming is a good way to socialize 60% of parents feel online gaming is a good stress buster for their kids40% of parents feel online gaming can be a profitable career for kids	58% of parents allow their children to play only certain kinds of online games57% of parents allow their kids to game for a fixed duration54% of parents believe that their kids should play games only on certain days of the week

The pandemic has forced children to find alternative at-home activities to pursue. It has led to an increase in online gaming activities. The study involved 429 parents, including working professionals, homemakers, retirees, and entrepreneurs. The study, conducted across parents of children in various age groups, such as toddlers, pre-schoolers, pre-teens, adolescents, and adults, shows the following outcomes:

• 61% of the parents agreed that online games are beneficial to kids
• 65% of the parents have played online games themselves and understand why their children play online games
• 60% of the parents also believe that online gaming can be a great stress buster for kids
• 48% of them believe online gaming is a great way to socialize 
• 88% feel that online gaming could be addictive 
• 79% think that online gaming can hamper academic performance 
• 74% of the parents feel online games can cause violent behaviour among children

The study makes it quite clear that the vast majority of Indian parents do come from a place of empathy. About 65% were themselves online gamers and understand why their kids play online games. From the study, it is seen that 83% of the parents who are entrepreneurs, strongly feel that online gaming can be beneficial for their kids. Most entrepreneurs play skilled games like sudoku to develop their skills in sharpening their brain and develop their strategic thinking. As they are aware of this, they will want their children also to develop these skills through online gaming.

Coming up with the study and witnessing mixed bag feedback from the parents, Richa Singh, Co-founder and CEO, YourDOST said, “In this age of digital outreach, it’s no surprise that the amount of time towards Online Gaming has increased. It is even more so now because of the real-life experience and the advent of AR/VR. But everything has its set limit of dosage. There needs to be the right balance in terms of how much parents need to allow their kids to play online games. The right mix of time and conversation with kids will bring in positive outcomes. It was interesting to note that a significant number of parents also do realise the benefits of online gaming and its positive impact on the child’s overall growth.”

The study showcased that Indian parents also have many fears concerning online gaming. Their fears are not unwarranted, as many parents found that online gaming can hamper the child’s academic performance. Like most things in life, gaming, when done in excess, can be harmful to children. Most parents (76.1%) also felt that their child’s online gaming habits caused frustration in the family. Therefore, 78% of parents think that it’s essential to have ground rules for online gaming. Parents also expressed that they would like to monitor the kind of games their child is playing.  

The study unveiled that while most parents agree that online gaming has its benefits, they are also fearful of gaming turning into an addiction. Most parents are aware of the pros and cons of online gaming. They are interested in laying flexible ground rules that can benefit the children and prevent hazards. The study recommends that having a fixed gaming schedule and educating the child on the advantages and disadvantages of gaming, can be crucial steps in making gaming a pleasurable experience. The study also suggests having frequent conversations about the child’s feelings about the games. Emotional behaviors can help understand the impact of gaming patterns on children. Overall, practicing good gaming hygiene can make online gaming a stressbuster for children and parents.