[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I also read recently, that there are some kids that are so addicted to the games that they get the shales and can't sleep. That suggests some unhealth. I've also been told of family oriented games.
Moderation, moderation, moderation. You don't let your kid play video games all day. You make SURE they don't play video games all day. There are people (college studen age!!!) who've DIED from playing video games: they play MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) and they stop doing those oh-so vital things like eating and drinking. I remember another case where a guy's room mate got sucked in to an MMORPG, he wouldn't leave his room and took to going to the bathroom in the corner so he wouldn't mis any respawns in the game. When his room mate finally kicked him out because it stunk so bad, he told the horror story of what he found. It was pretty disgusting.
One MUST note that these cases are extremes, but they are also possabilities. My take in it is really simple: let your kid play his/her video games. ** It's great in your case, Jim, because it's allowed you to make a connection with your son**. If he plays video games, you don't need to worry. If you make sure that he isn't playing M/AO games, it will be fine. In which ways you wish to limit your child's gaming is up to you because you know what level of maturity they are at, you know what they can handle. It is your job to watch for obsessive behaviour (which is NOT neccessarily playing a couple of hours a day) and to deem what is appropriate for your child to play.
People blame violence in their children on video games. The fault is with the PARENTS, not the video games. You shouldn't let your 12 year old play M rated games, it's normally fine for a teen to play games that are rated higher than their actual age, but it is the job of the PARENT to deem what is appropriate as children's maturity varies. If your child cannot tell the difference between what is ok and what isn't, or what the difference between a videogame or TV and real life is, then you obviously don't want to let them play violent games or watch violent movies. There are cases where the child is mature enough to make their own decisions. I've been playing first peron shooters since I was in elementary school (granted they have gotten a bit more intense since my Quake I and Doom days) and I'm probably less prone to violence to the average person my age. It's between the parent and the child, but it is ultimately up to the parent to watch their child's behaviour.
**I'm sorry, Jim, I didn't want this topic to take this turn as it really isn't the point, bu I felt that this was important to note: you and your son have created a bond through a video game, don't let some sniveling politician trying to sound good to overly concerned and overcontrolling parents fool you in to thinking that THEY can raise your son better than you can.** If you watch your child, they wont become obese because all they do is play videogames. Just keep your children in check, you don't need to watch their every move, but if you notice something wrong, take action. It's just like everything else, you want to play an active role and make sure that your child knows wrong from right.
Ok, so that's done with.
And please note, the text directed towards you, Jim are between the asterisks (well, and this paragraph here), the rest of it is just statements in general. I have no doubt in you that you are an excellent parent and can raise your children well, I just want you and everyone else to be aware of what is going on and to remember to make their own choices based on what is right for their children, not what some politician trying to get votes tells you is right. I hope that the progress continues, Jim, and that you'll have more good news for us in the future.
P.S. If I can think of any good games for you and your son to play, I'll be sure to post here. Does he play the computer too, or just his Gamecube?