We have all heard the horror stories of children that are exposed to sexual conversations or thousands of dollars spent on v-bucks that cannot be refunded. Let's delve into the essential process of setting up parental controls for your kids' Fortnite experiences. Consider it akin to teaching them the digital equivalent of pedestrian safety. Chat controls function as a digital guardian, ensuring your child's gaming interactions remain secure and courteous. Simultaneously, financial controls serve as a vigilant financial manager, safeguarding your bank account from unplanned in-game expenditures. In this era of digital exploration, it's our parental duty to responsibly navigate these virtual realms. So, get ready to take action, activate those controls, and demonstrate your adept parenting skills in the gaming universe.

Fortunately for us, Epic’s parental controls have come a long way to try to protect our children to help facilitate a safer gaming environment, setting up parental controls for Fortnite is a breeze with the Epic Games Parental Control system. Here's a detailed roadmap to ensure a safe and secure gaming experience for your child:

1. Establish Your Epic Games Account: If you don't already have one, create an Epic Games account as your starting point.

2. Linking Accounts: Seamlessly connect your child's Fortnite account to your Epic Games account if it hasn't been linked yet.

3. Accessing Parental Controls: Head to the Epic Games website, log in to your account, and navigate to the "Account" section. From there, select "Parental Controls."

4. Activating Parental Controls: Follow the intuitive on-screen instructions to enable parental controls for your child's account. A PIN setup for verification is essential.

5. Customizing Settings: Once parental controls are active, you gain the power to customize settings, including playtime restrictions, spending limits, and content filters tailored to your child's age.

6. Vigilant Activity Monitoring: Regularly monitor your child's gaming activity and spending through the parental control dashboard.

7. Establishing Boundaries for Social Interaction: Establishing rules on what information should not be communicated and/or shared online. It is important that your child knows that it is not safe to let a stranger online to know their name, age, or location.

8. Implement Playtime Limits: Define daily and weekly playtime limits to ensure your child doesn't exceed reasonable gaming hours.

9. Financial Safeguards: Prevent unplanned in-game purchases by setting up spending limits.

10. Age-Appropriate Content: Fine-tune content restrictions to ensure your child enjoys age-appropriate gameplay.

11. Secure Verification PIN: Safeguard your verification PIN to retain complete control over the settings.

It's important to note that Epic Games may introduce updates and adjustments, potentially altering these steps and options. Therefore, always consult the latest instructions on the Epic Games website or within the Fortnite game settings for the most current guidance.

Yes, it is true… children, teens, and adults alike watch other people play video games online.  Esports is considered one of the fastest-growing industries and is expected to grow to half a billion viewers by 2024[1].  No, it is not a scam if your child is claiming that they are being upgraded to an affiliate on Twitch and want to link your Amazon account to Twitch.  There are two primary streaming platforms called Twitch (an Amazon subsidiary) and YouTube Gaming (a Google subsidiary) that players from around the world live stream everything from casually playing video games to cooking in their kitchen.  These platforms can be great ways for your children to interact with others that have similar interests and learn tips and tricks to play their favorite game at a higher level.  That said like any other online social media or networking platform, we as parents need to supervise what is happening while they are online. 

What is Twitch or YouTube Gaming?

Twitch and YouTube Gaming are both media platforms that allow people to watch others play video games or to broadcast their own gameplay to the internet.  Your child is not alone in wanting to watch, Twitch alone has close to 1 billion monthly viewers with 41% of the viewership being between 16 to 24 years old[2].  Like other social networking platforms, streamers are able to monetize their followers through an ad revenue share program or subscription revenue.  We will cover the affiliate and partner programs in further detail in a later article.

These platforms offer almost an unlimited amount of content.  You may find your children watching anything from professional eSports leagues for League of Legends, major conventions such as Comic-Con, to personal streams broadcasting Minecraft.  In addition, there is non-gaming content that includes vlogging to Bob Ross’ The Joy of Painting. 

How do I find kid-friendly streamers? 

Twitch does not offer parental controls and clearly states in their terms of use that children under 13 should not use their platform written by their expensive legal team.  YouTube offers the ability to set parental controls based on age.  Keeping this in mind, Twitch does allow you to sort through the streamers by category including Family Friendly and if your child does stumble across a stream that has questionable content a warning pops up blocking the stream stating that the content may not be appropriate and is for mature audiences only. 

Surprisingly when you google “kid-friendly streamers” a lot of the streamers that come up may not be so kid-friendly as you watch their channel for a few minutes and begin to hear the f-bomb or griefing and/or trolling of other players. No mother wants their younger child to be in a hostile environment or for their teen to think that type of online behavior is appropriate.

To get you started on family-friendly streamers here a few that you can check out in various categories and in no particular order:

• FalseSymmetry - Minecraft

• GMHikaru - Chess

• CoachCurtis - League of Legends

To get a more complete list check out the Gamer Mom’s Resources.

So your kid wants to start streaming?

It is a natural progression for your teen or maybe even pre-teen to want to stream and a fantastic way for them to meet fellow gamers. The rare few may even make a career of it. Like any other online platform, you need to supervise what your child is doing online.

This interest in streaming can lead to a great bonding opportunity between you and your teen to set up for streaming and to broadcast new content. Make sure that you are aware of the platform’s guidelines and terms of use, keep an eye on the chat, and silence or kick toxic users that may appear in the chat. In addition, if your child has dreams of making a career of streaming, this would be a great time to foster their entrepreneurial spirit!

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/490480/global-esports-audience-size-viewer-type/#:~:text=eSports%20in%20the%20U.S.,at%20least%20once%20per%20month

[2] https://blog.globalwebindex.com/chart-of-the-week/the-rise-of-twitch/

“What Kinda F***King Animal Do You Take Me For?.”

coming from their living room television.  Even though there is a ton of scientific evidence* that video games do NOT make children violent, I still don’t want that to be around my young child.  In our house, we will shut off the news or turn off NPR if there is any mention of violence or sexual misconduct.  Why should I mar his pristine perception of the world any earlier than it needs to be? 

Below is a list of 6 games that you and your whole family can enjoy.  I picked these games for several different reasons:

1. They are fun!!!

2. Not complicated so your little ones will not become frustrated with the controls

3. Most of them have co-op features (you can play together!)

4. None or limited violence  

Mario Kart 8

Rating: E for Everyone

Format: Nintendo Switch

Purchase from Amazon Mario Kart 8 Switch Edition

Purchase from Amazon Mario Kart 8 Digital Code Edition

This go-kart racing video game for Nintendo Switch, with our favorite friend Mario, ranks #1 on my list.   Other than the serious nostalgic charm stemming from my own memories playing it with my cousins on a gross bean bag chair nearly 30 years ago, Mario Kart has come a long way.  Your child can either race on their own or with friends and family allowing for up to 4 people locally or 8 people online. 

Zip away racing on 48 tracks testing out various modes such as anti-gravity racing and 200cc mode.  This game is sure to be hours of fun for the whole family regardless of age.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Rating: E for Everyone

Format: Nintendo Switch

Purchase from Amazon Animal Crossing: New Horizons

If you have not heard of this game over the past year… what rock have you been living under??? The Animal Crossing franchise has been around for 20 years now, but Animal Crossings: New Horizons has brought it to a whole new level.  There are two primary reasons why this version of the franchise a blockbuster success, the first is that Nintendo did a beautiful job crafting a world that allows players to craft a tranquil paradise island of their dreams containing charming animal neighbors, a large variety of home décor to craft, and the ability for other friends online to come to visit!  The second reason is that Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released at the beginning of the pandemic.

We are all craving interactions with others, Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers this opportunity!  Even if your children cannot have a picnic with their friends in this crazy COVID world we are living in, your children can visit their friend’s virtual island and interact with them there.  It is also extremely satisfying to watch your child use their imagination to design and build their own virtual island to their own oasis.

ROBLOX 

Rating: E10+ for Ages 10 and Up

Format: PC, Xbox One, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Devices, Oculus Rift, and HTC Hive

Purchase from Amazon Roblox Robux in-game Currency

Roblox is a gaming platform that allows its users to create by programming 3D-generated worlds that are then shared to the community for others to play.  If your child has any interest in STEM and computer programming this is an amazing way to foster that interest!  Your child can start to develop their own video game by learning how to program in a scripting language called Lua which has been used to develop thousands of games and apps.

Due to its multiplayer online nature, there is an open chat that is unmonitored and unregulated.  As with any online platform, it is our responsibility as parents to monitor what our children are doing online.  Two easy steps to regulated this is to make sure you have your child’s account information so you can log in and review who their friends are.  The next is since the general chat may not be age-appropriate, you can simply disable it in settings.

Rocket League

Rating: E for Everyone

Format: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Mac, PC

Download Rocket League from Epic Games 

If your child is into soccer and cars… then this will be an instant success!!!  The object of the game is to score a goal with a gigantic soccer ball by controlling the car by accelerating, jumping, reversing, power sliding, and boosting. The game is extremely flexible by allowing you to play in various modes including: 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 against either AI or online against human competitors.

Word of warning this game has an extremely high skill cap, so don’t be surprised if you are terrible at it first.  Either way my son and I have a ton of fun pushing around the gigantic soccer ball with the green monster truck of his choosing and cheering our hearts out when we score.  Defiantly fun for the whole family.

Paw Patrol: On a Roll

Rating: E for Everyone

Format: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4

Purchase Paw Patrol: On a Roll for Nintendo Switch from Amazon

Purchase Paw Patrol: On a Roll for Xbox One from Amazon 

Purchase Paw Patrol: On a Roll for Playstation 4 from Amazon

This is a must-have for any Paw Patrol fan!  Even though the Paw Patrol theme song makes me want to knock my head on a wall, my son cannot get enough of this game.  It has extremely simple controls so even the youngest players can master the game quickly.  Your child will spend time as one of their favorite characters going through a series of missions to recuse bunnies, turtles, etc.… all while collecting pup treats.  Defiantly a must-have game for families with preschoolers. 

Minecraft

Rating: E10+ for Ages 10 and Up

Format: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Mac, PC, iOS, and Android

Purchase Minecraft for Nintendo Switch from Amazon

Purchase Minecraft for Xbox One from Amazon

Purchase Minecraft for Playstation 4 from Amazon

Not only is Minecraft a cultural phenomenon it has been around for over a decade! It is a virtual sandbox with a Lego-like feel to it. Minecraft has two modes to offer one is the creator mode and the second is survival mode. In the creator mode, you can explore without the limitations of gravity and are provided a vast selection of building materials. Your child’s imagination will be the limit to what they can build. As for survival mode, you spend a lot of your time avoiding enemies, collecting building materials (for hours), and building a structure from those materials.

Minecraft offers a multiplayer mode so your child can invite their friends or siblings to explore what they have created, provided they are all on the same network. If your child has an interest in modifying their Minecraft universe they have the ability to either download or learn to program to create their own mods giving them a good gateway into learning Java which is one of the most used programming languages. Minecraft offers endless creative opportunities for building and programming. Definitely a must-have for any gaming household!

* The Royal Society, Sage Journals, PBS  

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]]>6 Fun Video Games to Play with your Young KidsHaaileybopWed, 07 Apr 2021 14:05:00 +0000https://www.gamermom.gg/blog/whatitmeanstobeagamermom602ecc63d06df73e136f4b58:60390e15b0865f28b837c4ff:60390e395c82be7e2b520b98

If you’re reading this, you might be a gamer mom, or maybe you’re a mom concerned about the impact that gaming might have on your kids. No matter which category you fall into, I’m glad you’re here - welcome! I’m excited to create a community full of resources and connections to help dispel myths about gaming, support fellow moms, and provide insight into some of the ways we can support our kids and their hobbies. 

As a mom, I’m immersed in the New York City parenting scene, which means I’m surrounded by more than a fair share of conflicting opinions and plenty of unsolicited advice. It’s an environment that breeds peer pressure - the pressure to choose the right overpriced preschool, volunteering at said overpriced preschool, limiting screen time to unrealistic levels, and creating Pinterest-worthy meals, projects, and activities for my kid. Oh, and I’m supposed to do all of that while balancing my executive career and volunteering in positions that align with my own interests. When you’re submerged in these social circles, it can be easy to look back on pre-motherhood days and miss the freedom to prioritize our passions and pursue what made us happiest (even if sometimes that meant spending a lazy evening on the couch, or late nights playing video games with friends).

The unfortunate reality is that these social circles are also full of misinformation, and it may come as no surprise that a lot of this misinformation and fear surrounds topics like gaming and eSports for children. As mothers, we all want to make the best decisions for our children, and guide them to make their own healthy decisions for themselves and their futures. The best way to address these normal motherly fears about gaming is through education that will help you support your child in their interests, hobbies, and gaming adventures. In addition to introducing myself, I hope this article can help you better understand what a gamer mom is while shining a light on some of the biggest misconceptions about gaming.

Two Types of Gamer Moms

As far as I’m concerned, there are two types of gamer moms. The first category includes moms whose children have taken an interest in gaming, the second category includes moms who are gamers themselves, and who now hold the honorific title of ‘mom.’

Moms with gamer kids - your home is probably often filled with shouts and cheers courtesy of your kids enjoying their favorite games. Welcome to the gamer mom community - as a gamer mom, it’s important to embrace your child’s interests. Think of it this way; if this was an interest in soccer, playing the violin, or knitting, would you not encourage those interests as well?

Former gamer moms - you’ve probably done your fair share of encouraging when it comes to influencing your kids to pick up video games as a fun hobby. As one of the first professionally sponsored gamers for World of Warcraft (WoW), my gaming background extends far beyond my promotion to ‘mom,’ and now I’m raising a future gamer myself. I understand what it takes to get to the top, balance school, work, and external social life with gaming.

Whether you identify with one or the other, or somewhere in between, you’re in the right place. You’ll find a sense of community here, surrounded by like minded parents who want to support their children’s hobbies and learn more about the benefits of embracing your child’s interest in gaming.

Myths: Busted
Addressing 2 of the Biggest Misconceptions about Gaming

One of the biggest misconceptions that I hear when talking to other mothers or scrolling through Facebook groups like the bustling UES (Upper East Side) Mommas is that they are concerned about the socialization impacts games may have on their child. They fear that games will turn their children into lazy, overweight, irritable teens and eventually adults. While this misconception may be the biggest, luckily it’s one of the easiest to dispel when those mommas are willing to listen.

Gaming, for many kids and adults, is an extremely social hobby. In fact, it’s hard to find games that don’t include at least one aspect of socialization with other players. In addition, I’d be hard-pressed to find a game that wasn’t mentally stimulating, aiding in the development of young minds. Did you know that chess is one of the fastest-growing eSports?

The fact of the matter is that gaming presents opportunities to socialize, strengthen mental reflexes, and to challenge perceptions of the world around us. Gaming has been a gift to my family in many ways, including introducing us to fellow gamers-turned-friends from around the world, thus exposing us to new cultures and mindsets.

Nobody wants their children to be labeled as lazy or picked on for being “nerdy,” but the reality is that these labels are, for the most part, behind us. The things that have shaped me into a serial entrepreneur and investor while pursuing a PhD in theoretical astrophysics are the very same hobbies that used to be for “geeks.”

The next largest misconception that I often encounter is that gaming or eSports are “boy hobbies.” As a woman and a mother, it’s not uncommon for my opinions or skills to be disregarded among fellow gamers or friends outside of the gaming community. But did you know that 2 out of 3 people around the world consumes gaming content, regardless of the device or platform?

My network is full of intelligent, fantastic women and mothers who value gaming as a hobby for their families, look to the gaming community to make new friends, and rely on ESports to help their children socialize and grow. The idea that gaming is for boys is simply outdated and, quite frankly, stale. Video games are for everyone - need an example? Look at the overwhelming rush of female players who invested in a Nintendo Switch following the collaboration with Animal Crossing. What followed were months of heightened socialization in a time of quarantine, when many were experiencing low points and desperately needed something to connect them with friends.

In fact, now more than ever, games provide an opportunity for isolated children and adults alike to forge friendships, meet new people, and fulfill their sense of purpose as social creatures. While all good things need to be enjoyed in moderation, an excitement about gaming during a time of limited social opportunities is perfectly healthy. By teaching your children to respect their bodies in regards to screen time while still encouraging the hobbies they enjoy, you can actually create lifelong hobbies that introduce them to lifelong friends. Trust me, I’ve seen and done it firsthand.

“Gamer Girl” and “Gamer Mom” are terms that you probably don’t hear very often, but they will grow in popularity as more people begin to acknowledge the large proportions of women who value gaming as a hobby and sport. These titles aren’t to be taken lightly, as moms, we are shaping and supporting the next generation of humans who are bound to change the world.

As a gamer mom, busting these myths give me a sense of purpose as I attempt to help normalize gaming as a wholesome, productive activity and hobby for young ones and adults alike. Send me your gaming hot takes and let’s discuss!

From Gladiator to Mom - Grateful for Gaming

There are a few things I miss since being promoted from “Gladiator” to “Gamer Mom.” I mean, who has time for gaming with a toddler? I certainly miss the days when I could spend hours playing online with my friends, or visit bars to watch League of Legend Championships (yes, that’s a thing), or travel the world to meet up with my gaming communities.

I’ve accepted that I probably won’t be a top-ranked player anytime in the near future, though I certainly wouldn’t trade being a mom for the world. After all, getting to raise my son with an appreciation for games and bond with him through the experience brings an entirely new level of joy to my life.

We’ve been able to grow and learn together, spending countless hours building Animal Crossing villages and racing in Mario Kart. In fact, I’ll never forget the sense of pride and satisfaction that I felt the first time my son beat me in Mario Kart...at the age of just 3. I’ve been playing that game for close to 30 years and yet somehow, he kicked my butt.

At the end of the day, the chance to share something I care so deeply about with someone I care so deeply about takes the cake as the world’s greatest adventure. And it’s one I hope you’ll get to experience for yourself.