“Parenting a Gamer is a thoughtful, grounded, and deeply relevant guide for families raising children in a world where gaming is not a hobby on the sidelines, but a meaningful part of many young people’s lives.

Andrew Fishman brings a rare and valuable dual perspective to this work. His lived experience as a gamer shows up in his fluency with gaming culture, game mechanics, and the realities of online play, while his clinical training allows him to clearly explain how gaming intersects with development, motivation, emotional regulation, and identity. He understands not only what kids are playing, but what gaming does for them—and sometimes, what it replaces.

Fishman neither dismisses parental concerns nor vilifies games. Instead, he offers a balanced, psychologically informed look at how gaming can support skill-building, connection, and enjoyment, while also naming the very real challenges families face when gaming becomes a source of conflict, dysregulation, or withdrawal from other areas of life.

The book is especially strong in its use of concrete examples and parent-ready language. The suggested conversations help parents move away from power struggles and toward curiosity, collaboration, and influence—an approach that protects the parent–child relationship while still supporting healthy limits.

This is an essential read for parents trying to navigate gaming with clarity rather than fear, and a valuable resource for clinicians, educators, and anyone working with children and adolescents today.”

— Margo Jacquot, PsyD, president-elect, Illinois Psychological Association