The amount of time children spend gaming frightens many parents. But there are skills being developed and a bonding opportunity waiting to be enjoyed – it’s not all bad.

I made my first kill the other day. No blood, no gore, just a puff of digital smoke and sparkles, but my pulse is racing. I’m playing the social and compelling game of Fortnite as a novice on a course to help parents understand why their kids love gaming.

My balloon is punctured when I overhear my two sons sniggering and aping my avatar.

But, as Kit Brunswick at Guild Esports tells us, gaming is where we can meet our children in their world – and understand and communicate with them.

He should know – as head of safeguarding at the London-based esports academy, he looks after the young elite players, some of whom compete internationally for hundreds of thousands of pounds. He’s previously worked in welfare and safeguarding at football clubs – where young players could use redrawn video game island maps to talk about their...