How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: Break Bad Screen Habits, End Power Struggles, and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids

by Dr Alok Kanojia

Is your child spending too much time playing video games? Or are your children begging you for screen time and you don't know how to help them establish healthy tech habits? Are games causing conflict and arguments? Whatever brings you here, I can help.

How much should I let them play? How do I get them to be interested in anything else?!

Video games and managing screen time are a modern parenting problem with no blueprint and a rapidly changing landscape. Harvard-trained psychiatrist and former gaming addict, Dr Alok Kanojia – Dr K to his millions of followers – offers a proven, tested plan to help parents define, set and reinforce healthy boundaries around screens and video games.

From communication strategies and advice on dealing with behavioural issues to the neurological reasons behind why tech is so addictive, How to Raise a Healthy Gamer is essential for parents of children of all ages.

Based on Dr K’s own experience with gaming addiction and his neuroscientific and psychiatric expertise, this is an accessible and engaging eight-week, step-by-step program covering how to react when your child becomes irritable, rude, or seemingly directionless around screens. Specific advice is also offered for parenting neurodiverse children, including those with ADHD and autism.

Written to empower parents with knowledge and practical advice, this guide from the foremost expert on video game psychology provides skills, offers hope and sets out a clear road map to building healthy gaming habits that will equip your child for a fulfilling future.

• ISBN10: 1035025914
• ISBN13: 9781035025916
• Publish Date: 14 March 2024
• Publish Status: Forthcoming
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Bluebird
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

How to Raise a Healthy Gamer is an interesting and well written monograph by Dr. Alok Kanojia on the challenges of balancing screen engagement, especially in a family dynamic (which often comes down to parents nagging kids to log off and interact with the real world). Released 12th March 2024 by Penguin Random House on their Rodale Books imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

The author does a good job of arranging the information (and there's a *lot* of info here) in logical progressive chapters where the info is easy to find. He explains the background psychology (understanding) in layman accessible terms, followed by chapters on communication (talk), and making and implementing plans for healthy online time (act). He also discusses troubleshooting, what to expect, timelines, as well as some ways neurodivergence (ADHD, autism spectrum, depression/anxiety, and possible substance abuse issues) can impact progress. 

The author/publisher have also included appendices: timelines and working prompts to help the process, a solid bibliography with chapter note references.

The book is aimed at parents who are not medical professionals, and as such is quite easy to understand and utilize. It's a different method of interaction which places a great deal of emphasis on empathy, communication, and understanding (and openness), rather than forcing, nagging, punishing, and negative communication patterns.

Four and a half stars. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.