Cover story, continued ...
LEARNWHATTHEY’RE PLAYING
games will allow you to add funds to a player’s account piecemeal or connect a bank account directly. Always choose the first option. That way, your child will never spend an exorbitant amount without you realizing what’s happening.
Both consoles and games have settings that will allow you to adjust which types of chats are permitted and who can access them. If your child wants to set up a private chat with their friends, you can configure it so nobody else can enter. This middle ground allows for the positives of a shared online experience while limiting the negatives. Games are expensive to make, so developers and publishers have to be creative when it comes to monetization methods. One fashionable model uses in-game purchases, called microtransactions, to bolster revenue. At best, these add-ons are optional content that have a minimal impact on the gamer’s experience. At worst, they’re a rapacious play- to-play tactic designed specifically to obtain more money from players. MONITOR MICROTRANSACTIONS Horror stories of children spending thousands of dollars on in-game purchases are not uncommon, so it’s important to keep financial information out of your child’s hands. Most
Before we get to the online-specific portion of this guide, here’s some advice that’s as true today as it was when people still called games “the Nintendo”: Learn about the games your kids play. The Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) provides movie-style ratings for all titles, as well as descriptions of what you’ll find in the gameplay. You can also learnmore about a game through a quickWikipedia or YouTube search. In doing so, youmay learn some hip slang tomake yourself sound cool around your tween’s buddies. If even you’re totally confident that the content of a game is appropriate for your child, you can’t protect them fromwhat a stranger may say over chat. Online voice and text chats are notoriously toxic places, full of bigoted comments, bad attitudes, and bullying. Unless you’re okay with your child engaging in trash talk with college boys and 40-year-olds, it’s best to entirely disable the public chat feature for young children. DISABLE PUBLIC CHAT
PRACTICE SAFE ONLINE BEHAVIOR
The same tips that apply to every area of our digital lives also apply to gaming. A username like“bigdog2k19”may sound dumb, but it protects a child’s anonymity. All online accounts should have strong passwords, and children should never respond to unsolicited messages. Teaching your kids these tactics early will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Online gaming can be a pastime parents regard with skepticism or contempt. Whether you think it’s a revolutionary new form of entertainment or a nonsensical pursuit, you owe it your kids to learn a little about online gaming.
Fire and Ice When Do You Apply Heat or Ice to an Injury?
your healing process. However, icing your chronic pain can be detrimental due to the stiffening reaction that decreases swelling. This is the opposite of the muscle relaxation you need for chronic pain relief. Eventually, heating treatments can be worked into a healing plan, but ice is a quick solution to a small problem. As with most treatments, what works for one person may not work for another. If icing an injury feels best for you and you see improvement, continue icing away your pain. Additionally, some patients find relief while rotating between cooling and heating. Regardless of your preferred method, it’s best to seek professional guidance in order to find a viable long-term solution.
Many medical professionals suggest using heat treatment for 30 minutes to four hours, depending on what is needed to fully relax the muscle. Heat often works best for chronic pain because it supports blood flow and loosens your muscles. Heat treatments can also be used to relieve stress and tension, but you should never use heat on an open wound or fresh injury. Ice: Cooling treatments can also be found in cream or wrap form, but a bag of peas or ice from your freezer will work just as well. Ice should be used for short periods throughout the day. Icing treatments are best for bruised wounds and minor injuries because the cold can reduce the swelling in your blood vessels — the cause of bruising — and expedite
When it comes to relieving pain, everyone has an opinion. Your mom might suggest taking pills and a nap, while your neighbor swears it’s best to walk it off. Meanwhile, yearly advancements offer more options — and opinions — for patients seeking relief. Among the plethora of available treatments, two remain constant — heat and ice. However, many people don’t know which to use, and unfortunately, the wrong decision can make your pain or injury worse. If you are unsure which method is best for you, here’s the answer to your heating or icing dilemma.
Heat: These treatments can come in several forms, such as creams, pads, and wraps.
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