I agree 100%, Sly. The obvious question that follows from that, though, is how much time on the computer is too much for a kid?
I agree 100%, Sly. The obvious question that follows from that, though, is how much time on the computer is too much for a kid?
-Govtcheez
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Leave that up to parental intuition.
Just look at your kid on the computer every so often, and you'll know when he/she needs a break.
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The issue with video games and children that should be considered are this:
1. Monitor what they play and explain to them reality and fiction. if you shoot someone in real life, they dont come back and you dont have a reset button if you're somewhere you dont like.
2. dont allow the video games to be the babysitter. kids need to know how to interact with human to get along in this society. they can be taught how to manipulate the computers to do what they want. they dont need to think human are the same way.
3. get involved in your children's lives. if they dont get your attention positively, as in praise for an acheivement, kids have a tendency to get your attention negatively. the ultimate goal, even if it's negative, if that they feel they have your attention.
my son loves to play games. he's been on a computer since he was 3 years old. he's 7 years old now and he'll stay on the ps2 or toontown all day from the point he wakes up until it's time to go to sleep if you let him. Hell, a grown up will do that if they have the whole day to waste. video games have broken up some marriages and i've witnessed this beforehand as well. i'm not putting games down in no way, but prioritize when it comes to your kids. they wont be the only ones to suffer from it if you dont. =X
So what you're saying is basically, "be a responsible adult & parent"?
That's what I don't get - that makes perfect sense to anyone actually interested in video games or computers, but the people trying to push crap like this have never even touched them.
-Govtcheez
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yeah. i'm not saying, by any means, that video games are bad. i've enjoyed first person shooters and the family even gets together to chase each other around and cap each other off a few times. there have been days that we've let our son spend a full day on the computer or on a video game console. we all need days like that. the most important part was that we didnt let computers, weather learning, games or whatever, and video games rule his life. we understand that computers are the future and are now. we have 6+ computers in our house, n64, ps1 & 2 and we plan on getting other computers and other game consoles. we have mp3 players and gadgets that can keep us entertained, but we also take the time out to show our kids that those are not important and shouldnt rule their lives. you really have to pay attention to your kid, as someone mentioned earlier. they will tell you what they need, sometimes not in plain english. i've noticed when i dont pay attention to my son he starts to act up until he gets my attention. he really wants my attention, even if it means negatively. kids constantly look for your approval. they want to impress you. they mimic you. let them be themselves, they need that, but they need to know what they do is approved of. hell, we look for that as adults.
Sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on this parenting thing.
-Govtcheez
[email protected]
hell. it's hit or miss. nobody ever gives you a manual and points you in the right direction. you just have to remember you were a kids once, what disappointed you and learn from your mistakes. kids want attention. they want to know they have boundries. think about it this way. our son was born early so we had to put beanie babies around him because he had to have a sense of 'boundries'. as he grew up, he still has to have a sense of bourndries. if he gets overstimulated, as other kids do, they need to be pulled out of the stimulation and allowed to desensitize for a bit then they'll be fine to hit it again. we, as adults, have laws which are our boundries. we always push those buttons to see what we can get away with, but if we didnt have those boundries, what would we do. some dont have respect for those boundries, others feel those boundries should be compromised, or be able to bend, for them. we're actually just children in big bodies, but some of us forget where we came from and get sour about life. =(
As a sidenote, WoW is getting parental control in the next patch. The account holder can implement a schedule, when the account can be played. A special password for creating and changing the schedule is issued and kids will be kicked out of the game if they are staying online too long. A nice feature, but only a tool. Responsibility is still with the parents.
hth
-nv
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Interesting feature. I like the idea but you are right, its only a tool.
I thing the interesting/new thing about this story is the fact it is set in China.
I thought these type of lawsuits were the provice of US/Western lawyers.
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I tend to get addicted to games. They definetly have an influence over my life. I played Diablo II for 5-8 hours/day in grade 7, off and on for 5 years. I played Morrowind a ton.
As for WoW, I pulled over 50 all-nighters, was on for at least 10 hours/day, and had to take half a year of grade 11 off in order to get my head straight (which it is not, somewhat). I logged over 1700 hours in 6 months, and game programming books I've been reading talk about 1600 in a year being "hardcore". I can't say it was as addictive as Diablo II was to me, but the graphics, and ventrillo, and the fact I was chilling to music most of the time really made up for it. Was I sleep deprived? yes. Did I get enough to drink? definetly not, but I still don't, thats just me (I don't drink much water). Have I killed myself yet? well I'm still here typing ain't I. Theres few problems I've developed with my addiction, none of which are serious or I couldn't have developed being a nerd, or an athlete. (e.g. I have a problem verbally expressing myself [sentences are more developed in my head, and come out wrong when said], bones in my toes aren't straight, little muscle in my legs). I usually went to bed around 6am, and got up around 3pm.
I wouldn't say that it influences any of my serious actions, but I definetly did skip school (pretended to be sick), stay up all night (even on test days), didn't do homework or study or .. read, or go out and have a life... almost ever (I went out once in 3 months).
Being experienced in knowing how long is too long (I did worry about my habits a lot), I would set the limit at 4 hours on the computer. I would also recommend not being allowed on 4 hours straight after school, because its hard doing homework when you are tired at 8-10pm.
Last edited by Dae; 11-26-2005 at 11:34 PM.
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>I wouldn't say that it influences any of my serious actions, but I definetly did skip school (pretended to be sick), stay up all night (even on test days), didn't do homework or study or .. read, or go out and have a life... almost ever (I went out once in 3 months).
How do you reconcile the first part of this sentence with the rest of it?
-Govtcheez
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One question Dae. Where the heck were your parents / guardians?
When my mom felt I was spending too much time on the computer she took steps to stop me because that was her responsibility.
Yeah, I did the same thing with WoW. I played faar too much, missed most of my classes in my second university term. I went to so few classes, in fact, that I met some of my profs for the first time at the midterm. When I nearly failed out of university, I managed to scale it back. Right now, I'm working full-time, and maybe play WoW for 1-2 hours a night, and maybe 3-4 hours each day on weekends. Yes, it's a horribly addictive game, but after taking it to the extreme, I've realized that there are far more important things than games.
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I'm not sure but there was a story about a asain couple who played WOW for too long and came back home with their baby dead. "We where only going to play for a bit at the internet cafe." So maby it is... I'll be getting into Guild Wars soon so I hope it isn't like WOW where i'll skip every day tasks for a game.
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