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GameWell 2024: Challenging Misconceptions and Embracing Gaming as a Positive Family Force
On October 25-26, Dare to Dad’s GameWell 2024 summit brought together experts, parents, and industry leaders at an international level to challenge prevailing misconceptions around video games. This groundbreaking event offered fresh perspectives on the impact of video games on families and positioned gaming as a potent tool for deeper connection and constructive engagement.
Co-founded by Harvard/Yale-trained pediatrician Dr. Bobo Blankson and USC-trained educational leader and life/parent coach Dr. Lester Clowes, Dare to Dad is on a mission to empower fathers and families to embrace video games as an ally, rather than a threat. In their vision, video games - long criticized as a corrupting influence - hold unique potential to cultivate stronger family bonds. With GameWell 2024, Blankson and Clowes sought to dismantle outdated stigmas surrounding gaming and to in turn provide research and information around key questions parents today are facing, such as “Should I think of my kid’s digital friends as ‘real’ friends?” or “How much screen time is too much?” The goal of the summit was to reframe areas of conflict into opportunities for connection between parents and their children.
“Our message is that gaming isn’t the enemy; it’s a tool - a chance for parents to meet their kids where they are and build trust,” said Dr. Blankson. “GameWell 2024 was about reframing the dialogue, giving families the knowledge they need to engage confidently in the digital world.”
Expert Voices on Digital Wellness and Gaming's Role in Family Dynamics
GameWell 2024 offered an unprecedented platform for parents seeking to balance the role of gaming in their children’s lives. Featuring insights from key players in the gaming industry, mental health professionals, and educators, the summit emphasized collaboration and empathy over control and restriction.
Participants included representatives from major gaming companies like Blizzard, Roblox, and Riot Games, alongside wellness experts from the World Health Organization, the Digital Wellness Lab, and the Digital Wellness Initiative. Together, they tackled essential questions: How can parents understand and harness the social, educational, and professional potential of gaming? And how can they avoid falling into the trap of fear-based narratives that have historically misunderstood youth culture?
Key Discussions at GameWell 2024:
- Building Healthier Digital Habits: Educators and wellness advocates shared strategies for balancing screen time with other life activities, helping families find a sustainable rhythm that doesn’t pit technology against well-being.
- Understanding Gaming’s Social Value: Contrary to stereotypes, gaming environments often foster complex social relationships that can benefit youth. Industry experts and psychologists discussed how parents can recognize positive social dynamics in gaming - emphasizing support over restriction.
- A New Perspective on Gaming Careers: In a world where digital skills are in high demand, GameWell 2024 highlighted gaming as a springboard for potential career paths. Esports pioneer Dennis Fong and other industry insiders offered insights on how gaming cultivates real-world skills like teamwork, strategic thinking, and resilience - qualities that employers value.
The summit’s interactive format included live workshops, breakout panels, and Q&A sessions, facilitating open dialogue between parents and experts. These discussions underscored that the stakes are high: understanding and engaging with their children’s digital interests is no longer optional for parents who want to keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Dare to Dad’s Bold Stand: Redefining Fatherhood and Digital Engagement
For Dare to Dad, GameWell 2024 represents more than just a conference - it’s a movement challenging fathers to take an active, supportive role in their children’s digital lives. Dr. Clowes, who co-founded Dare to Dad with the goal of reaching a million fathers, emphasized that digital parenting today demands not just knowledge, but empathy and proactive engagement.
“Digital parenting is no longer about fear or control - it’s about seeing gaming for what it can be: a bridge to stronger family relationships,” said Dr. Clowes. “The time has passed for parents to avoid digital spaces. At GameWell 2024, we encouraged parents to join these spaces with curiosity, not suspicion, and to see gaming as a shared experience.”
Rather than criticizing gaming companies or youth interests, Dare to Dad sees the digital landscape as an opportunity for parents to shift from judgment to involvement. By encouraging dialogue and building a community around understanding, Dare to Dad is giving fathers (and mothers) the tools to empower their families in a digital age where so many feel left behind. GameWell 2024 offered attendees a vision of family life that doesn’t view gaming as a distraction, but as a way to connect, communicate, and grow.
The summit’s recorded sessions will remain freely accessible at www.gamewell24.com through November 25, 2024, providing parents and families a sustained resource to revisit these impactful discussions and strategies.
About Dare to Dad
Dare to Dad was founded by Dr. Bobo Blankson, a Harvard/Yale-trained pediatrician, and Dr. Lester Clowes, an educational leader and life coach from USC, to offer fathers a platform for transformative engagement with their children. Dare to Dad reaches thousands through podcasts, coaching, and events like GameWell 2024, and their mission is to “level up” the parenting game of one million dads across the world. They want to equip fathers with the tools and insights they need to play an active, informed role in their children’s lives - and thereby positively impact families attempting to navigate the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving world.
Media Contact
Dr. Lester Clowes
Co-Founder, Dare to Dad
Email: lester@lesterclowes.com
Website: www.daretodad.io
Facebook: facebook.com/daretodadpodcast
Instagram: instagram.com/daretodadpodcast
Contact Info:
Name: Dr. Lester Clowes
Email: Send Email
Organization: Dare to Dad
Website: http://www.daretodad.io
Release ID: 89146259
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