Kids into Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox this summer? Get in the game with them, parents

© Brooke Monson Brooke Monson plays a video game with her stepson, 12-year old Henry Monson, in Midvale, Utah.

In this fledgling world of almost-summer 2021, there are a million reasons to worry about your kids playing video games. What if they get addicted, see too much violence, or talk with some super creepy stranger online? 

Or worse? (Roblox Adopt Me! reference coming…) What if they lose their ever-loving minds "adopting" an endless loop of gamified fantasy creatures until their only mission in life is to maybe, someday become the proud child-parents of a Diamond Unicorn? 

The struggle is real. 

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Screen time soared for every age group during the pandemic, but most notably, it shot up as much as 500% for some children and teens. 

Gaming to reconnect

But this story isn't about the Everest-sized mountain of what-if worries. It's about another trend that evolved out of those countless hours we were all stuck in our own bubbles over the past year-plus: Parents learned to play video games with their kids, and good things happened as a result. 

"Teaching my mom and dad to play (Rocket League) last winter was a turning point for us," 15-year old high school sophomore Collin Blewett explained over the phone. "It was kind of a best-case, fairytale time that I never expected," he added. 

© Collin Blewett Collin Blewett of Sacramento, Calif., says teaching his parents how to play some of his favorite video games helped them get closer as a family during the pandemic.

For weeks that stretched into months, Collin – like so many other kids in America – turned to screens for his only real activity, entertainment, and interaction with the outside world. It's where he went to school, hung out with friends, and eased mounting worries. He said there were – and still are – days he games for three or four hours at a time.

For Collin's parents – who are active and strive for balance and moderation online and off – all that increased gaming caused growing concern. They often urged their teen to spend more quality time doing something … anything … other than staring at screens. 

I spoke with Blewett's parents – who are good friends of mine – about this conflict in late 2020. It was happening with families everywhere. I asked Collin's mom if she knew about the buzz around a different approach to the wired world of pandemic parenting: What if they all tried playing video games together?

They were all game, and it worked out fairly well. "We definitely got closer over it," Collin said. "It was fun to see how good my mom was at it naturally, and my dad said it helped him understand the comfort and connection I get playing. It was fun to teach them, too." 

Can't beat 'em, join 'em – with moderation.

I've heard similar sentiments from dozens of other kids and parents, too. 

"It never entered my brain that (gaming) was something I would do prior to the pandemic," 35-year old Brooke Monson told me over the phone. Monson, who lives outside Salt Lake City, said she used it to connect with her 12-year-old stepson, Henry. 

"The thing that's been huge for our family is that Henry's mom had to take a job in another state last year, and they moved away. Have you tried to Facetime with a 12-year old? It's all one-word answers, 'How's your day?' 'Fine,'" Monson said. "Now we log on and play Fortnite Battle Royale, and spend an hour, sometimes two, doing something together. We're able to talk, connect, and just hang out. It feels like he's back home with us. It's been such a good way for him and me to bond." 

"Gaming is a bonding tool, 100%," adds Joel Willis, editor in chief of The Dad, a humorous lifestyle website about modern parenting. "When I grew up, we often spent family time watching a TV show together. Gaming is like that, except experiential, interactive, and cooperative, which leads to just so much more connection." 

As a father of two, Willis says gaming, especially during the pandemic, has become a "connecting rod" between him, his 12-year old daughter, and his 9-year-old son. 

"It's not an isolating experience like we used to think. Kids aren't playing alone for hours on end. We're in the Golden Age of social gaming," Willis explains. "Playing Fortnite with my son, it's constant conversation. 'I got your back, do this, do that.' We help each other out. In between all those commands and collaboration, we talk about his life and school. Same with my daughter. I love that I can share this time with them." 

© Joel Willis Joel Willis, of The Dad and The Dad Gaming League, plays Fortnite with his 9-year old son.

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Willis also discovered from his work with The Dad that millions of other families feel the same way. In late 2019, Willis started a gaming community, first in a Facebook group and then over Twitch and other platforms. 

Within a few months, the number of parents sharing moments around gaming with their kids grew large enough to attract the attention of sponsors, and The Dad Gaming League was born. Today, it's reached more than three million people (moms, dads, and grandparents are all welcome), garnered more than 110,000 followers across four channels, and 11 Facebook groups with 30k+ members. 

"During physical distancing," Laura Higgins, Director of Community Safety & Digital Civility at Roblox said via email, "We even saw grandparents getting involved in family play as a way to spend time and stay in touch with grandkids."

According to Higgins, "Playing together is a great way to get more involved in your kids' online lives." And don't worry if you're terrible at gaming, she says. "This gives your kids an opportunity to teach you." 

© Joel Willis Joel Willis and his family during a break from gaming. Rules of the gaming road 

This is the part of the story where we remind ourselves that online activity is all well and good as long as no one is sitting all glassy-eyed in a puddle of their own drool for hours on end. Of course, everyone still needs to get up and out of the house, exercise, get fresh air and actually engage with people in real life, too. 

The struggle is real here, too.

Just like we have rules about manners, safety, morality, healthy habits, and social skills in the offline world, parents need to guide kids through similar expectations in the online world, too. 

"We definitely have rules in place that are nonnegotiable," Monson shared. "We turn off in-game chat where other people can talk to him. There's toxicity in the gaming world, a lot of it, so we're always on the lookout for that. He knows he can talk with us about it, too. You have to know your child. It's easy for them to get overstimulated. We don't play close to bedtime."

Other great rules to note? No spending real money. Many gaming and tech platforms seduce players to level up with cash – sometimes thousands – for the chance to "win" in-game perks, beat other players, or keep daily streaks from dying. 

►Paying to level up: In-game purchases are out of control, that's why I try to 'suck it up'

And there’s all that what-if stuff. Studies have also shown a correlation between unchecked time online and depression, anxiety, obesity, aggression, and even addiction. All of that gets even more concerning when kids have access to inappropriate content for their age. 

“Parents need to educate themselves on the games, dive into the settings and know how they work,” Willis adds. He also encourages parents to: 

Periodically go through your kids’ friend lists and talk to them about each person, to confirm it’s someone they actually know.” 

It might sound overwhelming, but Willis and many other says the real-world rewards in getting closer with your kids is worth it. That is, just as long as no one breaks the most important Dad Gaming League rule of all, “to never, ever let our kids beat us in Mario Kart." 

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech columnist. Email her at jj@techish.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JenniferJolly.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kids into Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox this summer? Get in the game with them, parents.

"Joining the Dream SMP is a day I will remember forever": Minecraft streamer Hannahxxrose on her journey as a content creator

In today's ever expansive and highly competitive realm of gaming, the status of Minecraft as a virtual behemoth is well-established and can seldom be questioned.

One of the most popular sandbox games ever, Minecraft has enabled several YouTubers and streamers to hone their creativity and thereby maximize the boundless potential that the game has to offer.

One such streamer is Hannahxxrose, who has garnered a stellar fan following across various social media platforms, thanks to her exploits in Minecraft's Hypixel Bedwars and Ultra Hardcore modes.

A renowned name within the Minecraft PvP community, Hannahxxrose has successfully cultivated a wholesome brand of content that is both engaging and endearing, in equal measure.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda's Saahil Agnelo Periwal, the Minecraft YouTuber opens up about her journey as a creator and the evolution of her content over the years.

Here is an excerpt of the conversation:

Q. With more than 850K followers on Twitch and 500K plus subscribers on YouTube today, you have amassed a stellar following from fans online.

What got you started ? Tell us a bit more about the inspiration and the journey that led to the creation of HannahxxRose as a YouTuber/ content creator.

Hannah: I started playing Minecraft almost 7 years ago when I was 14 years old, which is when I started my YouTube channel! I started creating content because when I was younger, I didn't have a lot of female Minecraft content creators to watch.

I wanted to create videos to help fill that void and inspire other female gamers to create content themselves! I started streaming on YouTube back in 2016 where I streamed Minecraft minigames, and eventually moved to Twitch in 2019.

Q. Growing up, tell us what kind of video games you played and how and when you were introduced to the world of Minecraft.

Hannah: Growing up, I loved playing on the Playstation 2 and on the family PC. When I was super young some of my favorite PC games were Zoo Tycoon and Rollercoaster Tycoon. I remember getting Zoo Tycoon 2 through cereal box vouchers and playing that for hours on end. On the Playstation, some of my favorite games were Thrillville, Spyro, and Guitar Hero. Eventually I moved completely to PC games and really enjoyed the Sims 3 series.

In 2013, I really loved watching YouTubers like Joey Graceffa and CaptainSparklez play Minecraft Hunger Games, which is where I was first introduced to Minecraft!

Q. Was being a Minecraft streamer/ YouTuber always your preferred goal in life? If not a Minecrafter, what would you choose to do/ your hobbies outside of Minecraft?

Hannah: I think deep down being a streamer and YouTuber was always my goal in life. Throughout high school and college, I would spend almost all of my free time working on my streams or YouTube videos, so I'm really glad things worked out the way they did! Some things I like to do outside of streaming is go thrift store shopping with my sister, traveling to conventions like Vidcon and Twitchcon, and even just simply driving around with friends in real life!

Q. A majority of your content is based on Hypixel's Bedwars. Could you tell us a bit more about the genre and what makes it so exciting?

Hannah: Minecraft Bedwars is one of the biggest minigames in Minecraft! Every player initially starts with a bed, and the goal is to protect that bed from being broken by enemies. Once your bed is broken, you can't respawn anymore, and the last person alive wins! Bedwars is a super fast-paced game with a ton of unique items that make it fun.

For example, you are able to use TNT to jump across the map in crazy ways that differ from regular Minecraft. I think people love Bedwars so much because it's such a simple game that's easy to get into, but so complex with the many different strategies and crazy ways to play the game.

Q. One of your most watched YouTube videos revolves around your first day on the Dream SMP. What was that experience like?

Hannah: The first day of the Dream SMP was definitely one of the craziest days I've had so far on YouTube! When Dream invited me to the SMP, I was super excited and shocked. My friend Purpled, who is a content creator on the SMP, gave me a tour, and it was really fun getting to know everybody! Joining the SMP is a day I will remember forever in my content creation journey.

Q. Could you tell us a bit more about the HannahxxRose character in-game ?

Hannah: The Dream SMP is widely known for its storyline and lore. My character has a bit of a storyline so far. It started by being locked down with "The Egg," which was a toxic entity on the Dream SMP. My character is extremely in touch with nature, especially roses. The Egg corrupted my character, and she was under its "mind control" for a while on the Dream SMP.

My character grows stronger with the roses surrounding her house, and can even control the environment around her to an extent.

Q. For players/ streamers who are just starting out as a YouTuber, particularly in Minecraft, what advice/ suggestions do you have for them?

Hannah: The best advice I can give to new content creators is to keep creating what they love. If you can create original content and use new platforms like TikTok to grow to a larger audience, you can be successful. Don't let a lack of motivation keep you from living your dreams.

Q. Apart from Minecraft, which other games do you enjoy playing/would be interested in?

Hannah: Apart from Minecraft, I really enjoy playing The Sims and Fortnite. I stream Fortnite occasionally with some members of the Dream SMP, and it's always super chaotic and fun. I've loved the Sims franchise ever since I was young and still love it to this day.

Q. Do you plan on moving onto IRL based content such as vlogs in the near future? What can fans expect from HannahxxRose in the near future?

Hannah: I think that vlog content is definitely something I'd like to get into! I'm a huge fan of the beauty community on YouTube, so makeup/fashion content is possibly something I'd like to do! My fans could definitely expect vlog content at Vidcon near the end of the year.

Q. Is there anyone else in the Minecraft community who you are close to and frequently connect with?

Hannah: I've made some of my best friends in the Minecraft community, specifically the Hypixel Bedwars community.

Some of those creators include Astelic, Wallibear, and Purpled, who all make Minecraft Bedwars content themselves.

Q. In your opinion, what do you think are the reasons behind Minecraft's global popularity and the fact that it remains as relevant as ever, despite an abundance of games in the market.

Hannah: I think Minecraft is a game that comes in waves when it comes to content creation. Sometimes Minecraft will die down on YouTube and Twitch, but it always comes back. I think in the previous year, Dream popularized Minecraft again with his "Minecraft Manhunt" videos and by creating the Dream SMP.

Minecraft is such a simple game that a person at any age can enjoy. I think its simplicity, combined with the unlimited amount of possibilities when it comes to minigames, servers, and modding, makes it the most popular game in the world.

Q. Who are some of your favourite streamers and creators across YouTube and Twitch, and whom you consider as your inspiration ?

Hannah: Some of my favorite streamers and creators are definitely KarlJacobs, TapL, and xNestorio. They all inspire me in different ways and create videos and streams that really set the standard of Minecraft content today, and I am thankful to call them my friends.