It started with Pong, Atari, Nintendo….today there is Xbox, Play Station 4, Wii. The games used to be simple like Pac Man, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong…today they are more complicated, with graphics that make it near impossible to distinguish the game from reality. And today, the games are proving to be far more addictive than they were 35 years ago.

One of the greatest concerns of parents today is video game addiction. The addiction can be with games as innocuous as Mindcraft or as violent as Call of Duty. Regardless of the game or the gaming platform, gaming addiction is a real issue. As we move into the holiday season with not only gifts of technology and new games filling our homes, but also with the abundance of free time on kids’ hands with school vacation, now is a good time to consider the issues surrounding online gaming. Take a few minutes to read this excellent Washington Post article: The Next Level which provides wonderful insight into the world of gaming addiction.