Level UP

 Before every basketball game from middle school to the NBA, the ref will always do this one thing before the game begins. He holds the ball with both hands, drops the ball, waits for it to bounce back up, and then catches it. Why? He wants to know how it bounces. See, if the ball doesn’t bounce back up high enough, the players will have a hard time playing the game. The same goes for a ball with too much air. How about your gamer? How well do they bounce back from hard things, adversity, or life’s unpredictable challenges? In other words, how resilient are they? Socially adept youth are generally more resilient. Having a supportive social network can provide the necessary encouragement and resources to bounce back from adversities. According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, youth with strong social networks are 1.5 times more likely to demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. Gaming has the potential to help your player build resilience through the development of stron...

 Did you know that children who engage in social play and interactions are 30% more likely to exhibit effective emotional regulation compared to their less socially engaged peers? Developing social skills helps your player learn to manage and express their emotions appropriately. Social interactions provide opportunities to practice empathy, patience, and conflict resolution. And gaming can help. But, you need to be intentional. After cooperative and multiplayer gaming sessions, hold discussions with your player where you can talk about their experiences, challenges, and successes. This reflection helps reinforce positive social behaviors and learning. Use these discussions to teach important social concepts such as sportsmanship, dealing with failure, and celebrating others' successes. Questions to ask could be: What did you just encounter? What challenges did you face? What were your successes? Did you show sportsmanship? How did you deal with failure? Did you celebrate others’ w...

Positive social interactions can enhance cognitive development and academic performance. So, students who engage in cooperative learning and have healthy peer relationships tend to achieve higher grades and demonstrate better problem-solving skills. Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) indicates that students with positive peer relationships are 2.2 times more likely to earn higher grades and demonstrate better cognitive functioning. The games that emphasize communication and coordination, such as strategy games or team-based shooters, are actually helping your player grow and develop socially.  For your player to enhance their social skills, they need to use voice chat and messaging systems. They can’t grow in their communication skills if they don’t communicate. But here’s the tricky part. Voice chat and text chat can be toxic, harmful, and unsafe. Now what? Keep in mind that your player’s safety is your top priority. If they experience unhealthy behavior,...