Dan Mellema – gamer dad says, “My middle son Jeremy stayed all night at Walmart, waited up all night so he could buy this game.”

No question about it, Dan and his three sons love video games, and they have all the latest systems.

Dan says, “It’s a family thing that we do together, and we enjoy together.”

In our last segment we talked about why it’s important to place limits on video game time, in order to allow for healthy real life relationships. But online gaming can provide some interesting opportunities.

Bob says, “Where you can actually play video games with someone on the other side of the planet.”

But for safety reasons, parents still need to be aware of who’s interacting with their kids online. Another caution regarding video games involves their content.

Matt Lemley – video gamer, age 16 says, “Some of the sexual references can be kind of disturbing, because it comes when you’re not expecting it.”

Dan says, “Some of the violence is so graphic.”

Bob Waliszewski – Plugged In Online says, “I happen to agree with… the American Psychological Association, that has found pretty conclusively that kids who play violent video games act more aggressively, they think more aggressively.”

Every video game comes with a rating, and parents should be aware of what those mean. If you’re not sure a game is right for your family - take a test drive first. Dan and his sons sometimes rent a game to see if it’s appropriate for them.

Dan says, “You can tell within the first 5 minutes if it’s a game you’re going to play or not play, and if it’s not good we just take it back and we won’t buy those games.”

By making video gaming a family affair, Dan’s on the right track to staying connected with his teens.

Dan says, “I think if you participate in what your kids are doing, you avoid a lot of those pitfalls that you might fall into.”