SENGChat - Developing False Mastery: The Siren Song of Video Games

Brilliant kids, brimming with   potential, only slightly aware of the power they possess. These are the kids who are quickly   identified as able to do anything they put their mind to. But their minds are occupied by something  else. Videogames, YouTube, Twitch,   Streamers, Screens. Sure, they have other activities, they still perform well enough in school, they have a friend or two they see from time to time, but   ultimately it's screens they choose when given free choice.

Helping parents understand the   "why" outside of the psychological reasons games are so alluring is   key to helping parents understand the "how" when it comes to   helping their kids develop skills outside of gaming. There is a neurological   need that gifted children exhibit that is pseudo-satisfied by gaming.

Gaming is a symptom. While it can become the center focus in a   family's dynamic, ultimately, it is not causing the problem of a child who   can't seem to pull away and focus on higher priority tasks. You are working against an underdeveloped   brain and, many times, an underdeveloped body. There are key issues that need to be   addressed to help break the reliance on gaming and it's not all about the   psychological symptoms exhibited by the child.

Neither inherently good nor   evil, videogames are a scapegoat that becomes an alluring villain. If only we   could vanquish the gaming, our child's potential would activate. Come learn why this is a myth and to find a   better way to move forward.

About the Presenter:

Mark Talaga has been counseling gifted individuals for over 10 years and is the owner and director of the Center for Identity Potential. Mark's experience with gifted counseling began in 2012 under the mentorship of Andy Mahoney, a pioneer and expert in the field of counseling the gifted.

Mark is a former video game professional who utilizes his knowledge of gaming and technology to create a strong relationship with many of the kids with whom he works.

Through his own struggles, Mark has developed an expertise to help gifted children activate their potential and live more authentic, fulfilling lives.