A recent survey found that 90% of youngsters aged eight to fifteen own their own video games console. But should video games be banned to avoid harmful influences on children? Firstly, video games have a direct effect on health. Playing them means that children get less outdoor exercise. As a result, they can become overweight or even obese. On the other hand, the mental health benefits are undeniable. For example, playing video games helps youngsters relax and let off steam, which in turn reduces stress. Secondly, video games are linked to education issues. Critics say they should be banned because they cause children to neglect their schoolwork. Consequently, their grades and classroom performance suffer. However, it has been shown children can actually learn from playing video games. They develop different abilities such as coordination skills and logical thinking. Finally, many computer games have some violence. in them. People in favour of banning them say that they affect youths' behaviour in the outside world. They copy the violence they see on the screen and become more aggressive. In contrast, there are others who claim that teens are intelligent enough to tell the difference between games and the real world. They know that the violence they see on their video screen is fake. All in all, there are arguments both for and against banning video games. I strongly believe parents should decide which games their children play and for how long. Therefore, there is no need to ban them.