"Turn it off. Now." Those four simple words can ignite the fiercest row in any living room across the country. It's usually followed with "because I said so" - which only further fuels the fire.
With the summer holidays now in full swing, the battle over managing screen time and gaming habits will no doubt be at an all-time high. And for parents, the gaming industry may seem like an entirely different beast now than it did when they were younger.
That kind of anxiety can cause many to throw in the digital towel and admit defeat from the outset. However, the truth is that there are easy and practical approaches to monitoring and promoting healthy gaming habits. Many modern consoles and video games are actually on your side, providing you with lots of different tools to make good decisions and strike the right balance.
Getting to know video games – why not have a go yourself?
You're probably not going to want to hear this, but the simple truth is that to get a better understanding of how games work and find the perfect length someone should be playing for, you should try them yourself. But don't worry, you won't be alone.
A report from 2024 found that up to 50% of Irish adults actively participate in gaming already, so an older person taking up the controller isn't that unusual nowadays. Everyone is becoming a gamer.
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Listen: The Brendan O'Connor show on how to avoid a summer of screens
But as a parent, testing a game out for yourself will give you first-hand experience about its content, gameplay mechanics, and also how long a typical match or session might last. Asking your kid to show you the ropes can also get them involved in the conversation and test their knowledge on the game too. Afterwards, they'll know any decisions you make now come from an informed place.
controls to help you manage gaming habits
Parental controls are your digital best friend. Use them!
You've vetted the games, you understand how they work, and you're OK with the idea of finally leaving the room. But now, how do you manage playtime, connectivity, in-game spending, online communication, and every other online worry that keeps you awake at night? Simple, through the platform's parental controls.
Whether it's a PlayStation 5, Xbox, or the new Nintendo Switch 2, almost every console or device offers customisable controls tailored to empower parents. Popular platforms like Fortnite and Roblox also offer ways to customise accounts across a range of devices they might log into.
Controls are designed to be easy to use, flexible, and can often be accessed through a nifty smartphone app. Video tutorials break down step-by-step just how you can make the best use of each feature, including:
- Setting up individual accounts: For busy gaming households, it's recommended to create and maintain separate profiles for each child. This makes balancing habits easier.
- Setting age restrictions: Remember to set accurate birthdates on profiles to ensure that kids cannot purchase or access inappropriate material. For more info on game suitability and age ratings, check out our guide here.
hugely popular because of their short match length
- Managing time: Through these controls, you can set the duration of your child's playtime, either on specific days or for the entire week. Parents can add or subtract time as needed, as well as adjust the type of notifications or actions taken when time elapses (more on that later!).
- Restricting online communication: With controls, you can limit who can contact or add someone as a friend, join voice chats, and more.
- Monitoring in-gaming spending: Especially since so many games have microtransactions, you can also control whether profiles can purchase new games or in-game items, as well as manage a weekly allowance.
- Gathering info on games played: Many parental controls can provide you with statistics and reports on what your child is playing, for how long, and their progress to date. This gives you a snapshot of their interests and gives you ideas on other suitable games they might enjoy playing.
Balance consistency with flexibility – why 'five more minutes' can be OK
Imagine you're nearing the end of a juicy chapter in a new book, or checking out the latest film or TV series. Just before that juicy crescendo, it turns off. Poof! It disappears, and you're told to pick up where you left off next time round. Talk about frustrating, right?
Well, this can be the same kind of feeling when a younger gamer is plodding along through their favourite game. Especially if playing with friends, vanishing in the middle of the action can cause all sorts of untold horror for them as they feel like they're letting the squad down.
Unfortunately, games don't always work in thirty-minute blocks. And in reality, all they might need is an extra couple of seconds or minutes to finish up. A grace period of a few minutes to finish up an activity could be all that is needed to prevent an all-out war from happening, or spoiling an otherwise fruitful experience.
Why not play together? Family gaming is huge right now
So many people still think of gaming as something you enjoy on your own. And that time spent on a screen can be isolating. However, the reality is that most modern games now have an enormous social element, promoting teamwork and communication.
According to statistics from the Entertainment Software Association, 82% of parents who play video games do so with their kids. And it's no surprise that the industry has responded in kind, with endless lists of modes that allow families to spend time together through gaming.
So, what could you play and spend some time together? For young gamers, several TV giants have crossed over into the gaming world, including PAW Patrol: World and Bluey: The Video Game. These are simple to play in co-op mode and are ideal starting points.
For older kids, titles like Minecraft Dungeons, Cuphead, Rayman Legends or any of the endless LEGO games (PEGI 7) are widely popular, introducing a new level of difficulty that makes playing with someone else (even a parent!) a core part of the fun.
There really is no shortage of games to try. But if in doubt, think party. Multiplayer party games like Super Mario Party Jamboree and Overcooked 2, as well as racing games like Mario Kart World and Crash Team Racing, are recognised for their positive, feel-good family fun.
Rather than everyone looking at different screens around the house on their own, games can, in fact, bring people into the same room where they talk to each other – who'd have thought?
Want alternatives? Get crafty this summer
No matter how much time you might give to gaming, for kids it might sometimes feel like it's never enough. There might always be that feeble request of 'just a few more minutes, please.'
In this instance, there are also ways to manage gaming habits without a nearby screen, so long as you're creative and open-minded. Games have found their way into some of the most popular, fun, and culturally rich aspects of everyday life, including literature, music, artwork, food, and fashion.
And especially over the summer, when children are actively fighting boredom 24/7, there's a wide range of things they can turn their focus on to still get their gaming fix. The internet is chock-full of ideas, prompts, recipes and tutorials across various media that use the rich world of gaming as a starting point.
A simple search can reveal a treasure trove of content to keep the creativity flowing for days and weeks on end. There are thousands upon thousands of tutorial videos, helping you create art and media from the world's biggest-selling or most popular games.
There are also endless STEM content options that show you how to recreate everything from dioramas and in-game recipes to making your own video game out of cardboard, Mari (which is sure to keep the adults just as busy as the kids this summer).
By being a bit creative and open-minded, you can scratch that gamer's itch while pushing pause on all the gadgets. And even when it's time to turn on the console, flick on the screen, and grab the controller, parents should remember they've plenty of controls and tools within their arsenal to make the best use of that time possible.
Take a deeper dive into RTÉ's games section here
