Thanks so much for these responses, Elaine. The emphasis on healthier communication between parents and children is clear. I appreciate, in particular, your thoughts on impacts related to COVID-19 -- there are so many overlapping issues for kids!

Thanks for this question Tara Marie. As a parent, I found Elaine's response very helpful and tells me that I am on the right track.

Yes, I remember when I worked with teens and parents as an EA for several years that young teens especially really appreciated clear rules and expectations around behaviour. Especially when it was consistent, it helped create a sense of safety and trust (plus some learning time and patience from parents/carers in those times when teens wanted to explore and test how firm those boundaries are!) Dr. Brene Brown speaks a lot about this on her podcast too. Older teens could also help co-create...

This makes a lot of sense to me as well. If there isn't a clear contingency of what is and isn't allowed/expected, then people are going to test where those boundaries are. Especially if the choice is between doing something that they find engaging vs. something that may be important but isn't as immediately as captivating. Do you think that for older teens/young adults that it's better to set clear rules/expectations or to have discussions on time management, values/priorities and how they...

Great question Mahfuz What I find often is that parents are rewarding children for following rules, rather than setting up a system where the child has a consequence of losing whatever their personal currency is when they don't follow through with expectations. I suggest parents make a list, that is clear for the child to follow, that contains both personal responsibilities as well as chores that are required. This list can be discussed and created with the child. But some of the items are...

Hello again Elaine, I'm wondering if you could share a bit about how you help parents differentiate healthy and enthusiastic gaming from problem gaming? In the documentary, Jake mentioned that at one point he returned to gaming when telling his story. When coaching parents/caregivers, how do you approach this when young people return to gaming after quitting? Thanks again! Chloe

Thanks for your questions, Chloe. Q How would you help parents differentiate healthy and enthusiastic gaming from problem gaming? A Recreational gamers are able to self-regulate their gaming time. They play for short periods of time and understand there are many translatable skills that gaming offers such as problem solving, team dynamics, determination and tenacity, and micro and macro managing. These players still enjoy a variety of other activities outside of gaming. Escapers and High...

Very informative. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!

Thank you to all of you who posted questions over the past two day and thank you again Elaine for taking the time to join us online for this Q&A . Please note that if you are reading this after 5pm on May 7, 2021 this Q&A discussion is now closed. We asked Elaine where people could connect with her and find out more about her work: Website: https://eyespyhealth.ca/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shedd...videogamingaddiction LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineuskoski/...

Welcome to our Q&A discussion with Elaine Uskoski. Over the next two days (May 6 & 7, 2021) we’ll be posting questions to Elaine about her and her son Jake’s story, as featured on recent CTV W5 feature, ‘Hooked’ a twenty-minute documentary about problem gaming in Canada. We invite you to watch the documentary by clicking here and join in our discussion on this thread below. Please remember to follow our Community Guidelines when posting and be considerate to others when posting your...

Thanks for sharing @Registered Member! Certainly a topic of great interest to our CoI members!

Looking forward to catching up on the recording of this one, @Registered Member!

The YMCA-Youth Gambling Awareness Program (YGAP) is looking for Canadian youth 18-26 years old to take part in a focus group on gaming and gambling. The purpose of the focus group is to examine the types of gaming and gambling activities that youth engage in and their experiences with loot boxes/loot crates/player packs, esports, gambling activities etc. Youth will be also presented with questions for an upcoming survey on youth gambling and gaming, and asked for feedback, ideas, and...

Hi @Registered Member I think the link might be broken? I tried and it says survey closed. If you can share the link I'll pass on to my network

Hi @Registered Member, sorry for the delayed reply. I've heard back from the team running the survey and they've closed it because they've filled both sessions. That being said, we're running a similar opportunity in early October and will be posting information about it this week. So if you like I can let you know when this opportunity goes live

No worries! It's great to hear all the spots were filled!

🔈 Check this out! 🔈 In the first episode of The Beyond Betting Podcast hosted by the YMCA of Greater Toronto's Youth Gambling Awareness Program ( # YGAP ), the hosts tackle the topic of player packs in video games like Madden and FIFA, while sharing real-world advice for staying safe while playing these games! To listen 🎧, go to: https://youtu.be/rpisfMp9HGw

Congrats on the podcast! Excited to listen to your first episode!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R634ytgt7fw 1) By discussing the feedback loop in video games, this video helps to increase understanding on why things offline start to feel less rewarding compared to video games, along with why it is easier to focus / be motivated with a game. 2) This video offers ADHD target information, which is of extra benefit since having ADHD is a risk facture in developing problematic gaming behaviour. However, this information can still be applied to neurotypical...

Hello Rosarie, Thank you for your sharing. Definitely the feedback loop is a way to tackle problem technology use. A behavioral conditioning would be useful to minimize screen time.

This video is great for explaining one of the motivations for gaming and how else to possibly get that same need filled in other ways. Understanding motivation and what need is being filled by the behaviour is vital information.

Thank you for sharing.

This 12-minute video (Youtube) is a great, accessible summary of the research into Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). The presenter discusses the current debate surrounding the diagnosis criteria of IGD, concerns from some researchers and clinicians, along with the corresponding research papers. This is a visual, interactive way of accessing this information that can often feel quite technical and dry. We cover similar topics and discussions in our Introduction to Problem Technology Use...

Video games often have elements of gambling, and there are blurred lines between games of skill and games of chance. It’s important to understand the definition of gambling, how the lines are blurred and the signs of a potential problem. The YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program (YGAP) defines gambling as “risking something of value when you don’t know if you will win or lose.” “It’s a myth that you can only gamble with money,” says Dua Fatima, Youth Outreach Worker for YMCA in Toronto West.