Video Game Rage: Are Your Kids At Risk?

As a parent, the so-called "Halo killer" may have you nervously watching your kids as they jab at their joysticks. And it's no wonder: a 16-year-old gets addicted to a violent video game shot both his parents when they tried to limit his gaming time. Talk about every parent's worst nightmare.

Daniel Petric, the now 17-year-old in question, recently got 23 years to life for killing his mother (his father survived his wounds) and claimed insanity at his trial. An obsession with the sci-fi shooter game Halo 3 supposedly kept Daniel in his room playing the game for up to 18 hours a day -- and he began to confuse the land of Halo with that of reality.

Originally, Daniel said his father, Mark Petric, shot his mother and then turned the gun on himself. But his father survived and told police the truth. A local pastor in Wellington, Ohio, Mark has since forgiven his son and even testified on his behalf at his trial.

Another instance of a teenager flying into a rage after being deprived of a video game took place in 2006, in Arkansas. After grounding her grandson, Allen Gann, from playing games the night before for not doing his chores, he sat down and played a full day's worth, including Resident Evil, Smackdown vs. Raw and Midnight Club 2.

When she reminded him of the punishment, the 17-year-old flew into a rage, choking her and later, throwing a hammer at a state trooper. The teenager was then shot by the trooper in the leg and charged as an adult with aggravated assault. Not a pretty picture.

Add to this that the Washington DC sniper, Lee Boyd Malvo, played Halo regularly and the Columbine shooters were huge Doom fans, and you're left with an idea that violent games may lead to violent behavior in certain children.

So how do you make sure your kids keep their rage in check while playing their favorite video games? In a world obsessed with electronics—it may be tougher than you think. Cell phones, computers and video games occupy a huge place in our children's worlds and though we all had experience with some sort of technology growing up, none of us are equipped to understand exactly how it is affecting the next generation. In other words, it's lost in translation.

So, in addition to trying to understand how your child is living through this new, connected world, you may want to try to take things in moderation. If you want to cut down on game time, limit time gradually and check out a few handy tools, taken from Microsoft's GetGameSmart.org site, such a polls like Do You Know Your Gamers, the ability to download a pact that spells out the rules for all digital entertainment, and print out checklists that let parents track their kid's digital footprints.

Web site mothernature.com says addiction to video games is more common than we'd like to think, and could be a sign that something else might be wrong with your child. It could very well be an escape from problems at home or at school. A family counselor or therapist may not be a bad idea if video game habits change suddenly.

If your child has a problem listening to you when you suggest cutting down on gaming time, Steven Silvern, Ph.D., suggests a few tips. These include developing an incentive system, scheduling "reality" break times to discuss what's going on in the house with a family member or friend, make gaming a social occasion rather than letting your child play for hours alone and even playing games with your kids so you can share their experiences.

As you can see in these viral videos, some children behave like toddlers when their gaming privileges are taken away or managed. Nobody wants to see this from someone they love, so be aware, be vigilant and be sure to impose rules that the whole family can abide by.