Saskatchewan Teacher Schools Parents on the Realities of Video Games

Being an active member of the video games industry in Canada, one of the biggest issues I see today is how we can do more to get parents better educated and more involved with what games their kids are playing, and how to keep them safe online.  So when I first met Quinn Hader, aka Drunken Canuck, a year ago, I was pumped by his passion and commitment to help parents that have yet to embrace the joys of gaming. 

And when he told me he had a Masters degree in Video Games (okay, researching video game violence and the effectiveness of the ESRB ratings system to be more exact), I had to know more and share the info with you.  Even if you aren’t a mom or dad, pass this along to one you know.  Or you can always bombard Quinn with messages…thanks Quinn!

Jade: Tell us a bit about your background and how you got started helping parents get educated about video games.

Quinn Hader: Well, I have been a gamer ever since my parents brought home our first Pong system back in the 70s.  I have been hooked ever since.  (I am sure that I will be able to open a museum with all of the old systems that I have in storage!)  I earned my Education Degree in 1993, and have actually used video games in my lessons to enhance my teaching.  In 2000, I began my Masters Degree, and decided to focus on video game violence and the ESRB rating system as my major research area.  (After all, I had to justify the cost of all the new systems to my wife.  Research isn't cheap!) The results showed that most parents didn't actively use the rating system, but when introduced to it, agreed with its ratings, and felt that it was a valuable tool.  So, I decided to take my message to the masses.  The ESRB does a great job with their system.  We need to do a better job in utilizing it. 

Jade: So well said – we need the ESRB ratings system but it’s up to parents to get behind it too.  In speaking to parents on a regular basis, what do you find are the biggest issues surrounding their kids and video games?

QH: I think that the three most pressing issues are:

1. “M” rated content being accessed by young children.  (Again, if parents utilized the rating system, this problem would decrease.)
2. Offensive and racist language heard during online gaming.  (Jade, this is an area in which Microsoft has done a great job thanks to the parental controls built into the Xbox 360.  I salute you!)
3. Children becoming less physically active due to increased time spent playing video games. 

Jade: Thanks for the kudos Quinn, but I can’t take ALL the credit for the parental controls J.  As a gamer who is also a dad, what is your approach to introducing your own kids to video games?

QH: I have a four year old daughter who is being raised by a gamer.  I have a pretty good idea of which games are simple enough for her to play, as well as which games have content that she simply isn’t ready to see yet.  We refer to these as daddy’s “bad guy games.”  I don’t play Gears of War until well after she has been tucked in for the night.  While I enjoy chainsawing my online buddies, there is no reason that she needs to see anything like that just yet.  I might have to put her to sleep extra early during the Halo 3 Beta though… 

I also use demos from the Live Marketplace to sample games with her.  The Cars and Shrek demos are particular favourites.

If a game is suitable for her to witness, I have no problem playing it with her in the room.  Even when she doesn’t seem to be paying attention, she is still taking things in.  I witnessed this a few weeks ago, when after one of my marathon Guitar Hero 2 sessions, she walked around the house singing, “She’s My Cherry Pie!”  A four year old singing a classic Warrant tune.  Does it get any better?  As well, the Wii and DS Lite have really caught on with her.

Jade: As a teacher on the front lines, are students today really the desensitized game addicts that some politicians and industry "pundits" would make them out to be?

QH: I have no doubt that the current generation of students is different than any we have had before.  For them, the Internet is just a part of their lives, and they are connected to each other in many, many ways online.  Their forms of communication have evolved thanks to MSN and text messaging.  We need to find ways to make lessons relevant to these children, while still teaching them the critical areas of our educational curriculum. 

As for them being desensitized game addicts, in most cases this is a stereotype that rears its ugly head whenever a violent tragedy takes place in our society.  (Whenever there is a shooting, I just wait for the first news story that can connect the shooter to some video game that he played.)  There are plenty of video games that teach creativity and problem solving skills.  Of course, the potential for addiction is there, which is why it is important for parents to get involved in their children’s gaming habits.

Jade: What are some great games you would recommend to parents with kids ages 6 to 10? This tends to be a hard age to find good games for.

While many licensed games are poorly made, there are a few exceptions.  The game based on Pixar’s Cars is very family friendly, and is quite well done.  Also, it may be a bit tough to grasp at first, but Dance Dance Revolution is great because the children are active while they are playing the game.  It is also a great family game.  When mom and dad stumble around and trip over their two left feet, the laughter is contagious.  And while my four year old isn’t quite ready to play Viva Pinata by herself, it does give her the chance to bond with dad when we play the game together.

Jade: I was most intrigued by how you give back to your community, speaking to parents about video game issues.  How often do you do these sessions?

QH: I tend to give two or three formal sessions per year in my community.  However, at the school I teach at, parents and colleagues ask me for advice about games on a regular basis.  I am very excited about a presentation that I am going to give at a province wide education conference next February.  I am going to introduce teachers to various types of media that their students use all of the time.  I will showcase how well Xbox Live works, and also the Parental Controls built into the system.

Jade: A feature we at Xbox are most proud of – thanks for helping spread the word! What are your top three tips to parents with kids that game?

QH:

1. Use the ESRB rating system.  The letter on the front of the box, and the descriptors on the back will help with any gaming purchase.
2. Get involved with your children as they game.  Watch what they are playing, and take an interest in it.  Ask questions about the game.  Discuss what was good, realistic, and moral, and don’t shy away from talking about any negative parts of the game.  Try the game out for yourself.  You just might have fun.
3. Be conscious of the amount of time that your child is playing video games.  Too much of anything is never good, and gaming is no exception.

Jade: When you aren’t playing the role as educator, what games are you playing and what game are you most looking forward to?

QH: I am currently all over Guitar Hero 2, and will soon be testing Halo 3, except for the week when I am gone with 100 Grade Seven students for outdoor education. Can’t you get that beta extended by one week for me?!  Generally, I like shooters the best, especially the ones with Xbox Live gameplay.  I really like how Live has turned a solitary activity into a social one.  It is harder and harder for my friends and I to get together, because of the demands of our careers, as well as our parental duties.  But with Live, a few simple clicks and suddenly we are all chatting with each other, laughing, and talking trash just like we did when we were gathered around one TV, playing console games in university.

I am really looking very forward to Halo 3, Rock Band (singing and playing guitar online with my Live buddies?  Gold!), Grand Theft Auto IV, and Guitar Hero 3.  Oh and Bomerman on Xbox Live Arcade – we played that game for hours on end in university.   

Jade: I so wish I had that kind of pull with Bungie.  Sounds like you need a well deserved Halo 3 errr… mental health day.  Any last words?

QH: In closing, I’d like to say that the ESRB system is great.  It allows software manufacturers to target specific age groups for their games, just like the motion picture industry is able to do.  When I see an “M” on the box, I know that it is aimed at people my age, and that my girls shouldn’t be around when I play it.  Whereas, “E” games would be more suitable for them, and might even lead to a chance for us to bond together as they play.

Jade: Thanks for the tips Quinn, if only MY teachers had been able to pwn me at GOW, maybe I would have scored a few more A grades.  If you have questions about parental ratings, feel free to ask the Master and message Quinn at his Gamertag – Drunken Canuck.