Sure, why not? Roleplaying games (real ones, not electronic ones) demand more from players than any other kind of game, but they also offer far more in return. If you want your kids to really stretch their imagination and creativity, get 'em on to RPGs. The 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons starter set will be out in November. Get it, play it, love it.foogan post=9.69074.649436 said:
Should my children play games?
- Thread starter Ionait
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It sounds reasonable that if you shield a child forever from violence and sex, then when they do encounter that stuff when they're older they will be ill-equipped to handle it properly. I can't cite the source (can't remember) but I read it somewhere. Probably Wikipedia or something.
At any rate, the important thing is to not go extreme in either direction. For instance showing a child Watership Down is probably the worst idea ever. Oh, sorry... I forgot that I'm on the internet. What I meant to say was, "EVAR".
At any rate, the important thing is to not go extreme in either direction. For instance showing a child Watership Down is probably the worst idea ever. Oh, sorry... I forgot that I'm on the internet. What I meant to say was, "EVAR".
Ionait, the story of your childhood and videogames mirrors my younger sister's.
I introduced my younger sister to videogames at a very young age. I think she was 4 or 5 when I started getting her playing simple games like Puchi Carat.
By the time she was 7 she was playing Halo co-op with me, and watching me play the Silent Hill series.
Unfortunately, at the same time, my older sister introduced her to Grand Theft Auto III, and lil' sis was pretty into it at one stage. However, knowing I couldn't really stop her, as she could play whatever she wanted when I wasn't around, I simply sat her down one day and asked her what she thought about those games; whether she thought it was right to do all the acts she'd seen in videogames with mass violence. She obviously said 'no'.
She's got a good head, and understands the difference between right and wrong. And despite mainly being surrounded by violent games, although she likes watching me play them, she'll choose a God/ sim game like Beach Life, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon and Zoo Tycoon any day. She's chosen what games she mainly likes, and it's got nothing to do with what she was surrounded by before.
Even now, every so often, I'll ask her again what she thinks about games and not only does it help her by being educated what's right and wrong, it helps me understand how she thinks politically and how smart she is at reading characters in stories.
Now, at the age of 11, she's witnessed just about every single major violent game apart from Manhunt, and no one has had a problem with her socially. Our mother did question some of the videogames at first, but since buying a Wii for the pair of them, they've appreciated playing the hobby together even more (they're both playing Mario Party 8 right now in fact).
Basically, I think so long as you're keeping a friendly eye on what games they're playing, play them with your child, and continue to educate what is right and wrong within the games as opposed to real life, and teach them videogames are and should remain fantasy, I don't think there's any reason to worry that your child will grow up to be negatively influenced by videogames.
Even better, as your kid's parents also appreciate videogames, this shouldn't be a chore at all. Videogames are also lot more mainstream and socially acceptable than they used to be thanks to the Wii and the internet.
I introduced my younger sister to videogames at a very young age. I think she was 4 or 5 when I started getting her playing simple games like Puchi Carat.
By the time she was 7 she was playing Halo co-op with me, and watching me play the Silent Hill series.
Unfortunately, at the same time, my older sister introduced her to Grand Theft Auto III, and lil' sis was pretty into it at one stage. However, knowing I couldn't really stop her, as she could play whatever she wanted when I wasn't around, I simply sat her down one day and asked her what she thought about those games; whether she thought it was right to do all the acts she'd seen in videogames with mass violence. She obviously said 'no'.
She's got a good head, and understands the difference between right and wrong. And despite mainly being surrounded by violent games, although she likes watching me play them, she'll choose a God/ sim game like Beach Life, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon and Zoo Tycoon any day. She's chosen what games she mainly likes, and it's got nothing to do with what she was surrounded by before.
Even now, every so often, I'll ask her again what she thinks about games and not only does it help her by being educated what's right and wrong, it helps me understand how she thinks politically and how smart she is at reading characters in stories.
Now, at the age of 11, she's witnessed just about every single major violent game apart from Manhunt, and no one has had a problem with her socially. Our mother did question some of the videogames at first, but since buying a Wii for the pair of them, they've appreciated playing the hobby together even more (they're both playing Mario Party 8 right now in fact).
Basically, I think so long as you're keeping a friendly eye on what games they're playing, play them with your child, and continue to educate what is right and wrong within the games as opposed to real life, and teach them videogames are and should remain fantasy, I don't think there's any reason to worry that your child will grow up to be negatively influenced by videogames.
Even better, as your kid's parents also appreciate videogames, this shouldn't be a chore at all. Videogames are also lot more mainstream and socially acceptable than they used to be thanks to the Wii and the internet.
Ionait, it's like everything else. Worrying specifically about video games is like when parents were concerned about their kids listening to rock n' roll. ;-) Your concern seems to be mostly about your child not wanting to do anything else other than play games. Everything in moderation, I say. You'll be practiced with laying the ground rules and enforcing them when it comes to eating their vegetables, going to bed on time, not drawing on the walls with permanent ink markers and so on. Video games will be no different.
Currently, my 3-year-old and I enjoy quite a few games on the Wii. Mario Kart, Elebits, Raving Rabbids, Zack & Wiki are pretty fun and don't require a huge learning curve. He's quite competent at them. Kids are quick learners, I tell ya. We play the games together, of course, because there's no way I'll let him touch the discs or the console. ;-)
My recommendation is to get the cable cut off. TV programming is a bigger waste of time than video games. I haven't watched a show on cable in about 4 years and it's marvelous. You don't know how wonderful life can be until you haven't seen a TV commercial in over a year.
Currently, my 3-year-old and I enjoy quite a few games on the Wii. Mario Kart, Elebits, Raving Rabbids, Zack & Wiki are pretty fun and don't require a huge learning curve. He's quite competent at them. Kids are quick learners, I tell ya. We play the games together, of course, because there's no way I'll let him touch the discs or the console. ;-)
My recommendation is to get the cable cut off. TV programming is a bigger waste of time than video games. I haven't watched a show on cable in about 4 years and it's marvelous. You don't know how wonderful life can be until you haven't seen a TV commercial in over a year.
Aw, man, I so agree. I don't watch TV at all, because whenever I do all I see is the evil manipulation and paranoia. On the contrary, videogames like Metal Gear Solid have taught me to think for myself.
Peodophilia. At least, that's the fear here in the UK. I certainly don't like the idea of my sister going on forums and talking with complete strangers. But when the time comes that she can get hold of the internet on her PC and starts going on these sites, all I can do is educate her of what has been known to have happened in the past and let her make her own opinion. That's all I can do.
That being said, I went on chat forums when I was about 14 or 15, and didn't have a problem. However, I'm a guy and, I don't mean any disrespect or offense here, but women tend to be more open and personal in conversation and 'possibly' more vulnerable to peodophilia because of it.
The game itself wasn't that bad. My problem with it was the preview made it look like the most gorgeous game ever, but that was just cut scenes. When you weren't watching the cinematics, it looked like the artists only used MS Paint to make it. I'm well aware of current games doing this now, but back then I was pretty young and it really disappointed me.Ionait post=9.69074.649424 said:
The game itself wasn't that bad. My problem with it was the preview made it look like the most gorgeous game ever, but that was just cut scenes. When you weren't watching the cinematics, it looked like the artists only used MS Paint to make it. I'm well aware of current games doing this now, but back then I was pretty young and it really disappointed me.
What possible effects could there be? Unless your child is crazy in the coconut, I don't see what difference video games are going to make. You should be more concerned about what's shown on television. Some of the programming is so violent that even I don't want to see it.Ionait post=9.69074.649036 said:
I just thought I'd present an argument about video games and violence. I suppose there are some studies that show that violent video games increase aggression, but I believe that there are cathartic effects to playing games as well. After all why really kill people when you can commit as much violence as you'd like with no danger to yourself in fantasy? Looking back to times before we had much violent media, we see the most violent wars in American and European history. There occured both world wars, the American Civil war, before that tons of medieval fighting, before that Roman Conquest and gladiator matches, etc. Nowadays we still have war, but also an extreme distaste for it. With war simulation games resulting often in player death, I think it seems logical that people would attempt to avoid that happening in reality. On a domestic level, I've seen graphs that suggest a decrease in violent crime with the increase in violent video games, supposedly based on federal reports, but I question their validity.
Perhaps violent media played no part in this, and we should attribute everything to economic developement. However, taking this argument also limits how much one could attribute violent games with adverse effects as well.
I don't mean to argue for allowing children to play violent games at a young age, as I think this could lead to philosophically pessimisstic views on reality. However, less violent video games offer a lot of things, like patience, helping others, problem solving and observation, reading and vocabulary, etc. As long as you keep your kid from devoting all their energy to games and not other, healthy activities like exercise, art, etc. I doubt you'll run into many problems. However, from personal experience I'd like to say that limiting game time, etc. is only so effective. My parents limited the time I spent with games, signed me up for sports, activites, etc. which I participated in completely and I still ended up less a social person than they hoped I think. They also paid diligent attention to movie and video game ratings until I was a teenager, and I've ended up with a full ride to a good school, all A's, good friends, and only occassionally have a few drinks (but hey, that's legal in the parts of Canada where I'm from).
Hope this helps, and I hope it wasn't too long.
Perhaps violent media played no part in this, and we should attribute everything to economic developement. However, taking this argument also limits how much one could attribute violent games with adverse effects as well.
I don't mean to argue for allowing children to play violent games at a young age, as I think this could lead to philosophically pessimisstic views on reality. However, less violent video games offer a lot of things, like patience, helping others, problem solving and observation, reading and vocabulary, etc. As long as you keep your kid from devoting all their energy to games and not other, healthy activities like exercise, art, etc. I doubt you'll run into many problems. However, from personal experience I'd like to say that limiting game time, etc. is only so effective. My parents limited the time I spent with games, signed me up for sports, activites, etc. which I participated in completely and I still ended up less a social person than they hoped I think. They also paid diligent attention to movie and video game ratings until I was a teenager, and I've ended up with a full ride to a good school, all A's, good friends, and only occassionally have a few drinks (but hey, that's legal in the parts of Canada where I'm from).
Hope this helps, and I hope it wasn't too long.
I think the best thing you can do is find games that you can play together. Also, regulate the amount of time she spends indoors and outdoors. Maybe get a puppy; that's what my parents did to get me out of the house.
I got GTA3 on my tenth birthday from my parents and I turned out fine so far *touch wood*. I have no impulses to commit wrong doings and I haven't killed many people.
hmm...
As long as you teach them that the game is indeed, a game, and some of the stuff that happens in them is not a good idea IRL, they should be fine.
Oh, right, I'm a nonviolent person been playing games for EVAR, used to go to my buddies house, drive through town in a tank in GTA3. And mercilessly stomp people into a bloody pulp in Mario. Think on that one.
As long as you teach them that the game is indeed, a game, and some of the stuff that happens in them is not a good idea IRL, they should be fine.
Oh, right, I'm a nonviolent person been playing games for EVAR, used to go to my buddies house, drive through town in a tank in GTA3. And mercilessly stomp people into a bloody pulp in Mario. Think on that one.
I know plenty of parents who let their kids play games. But all of them have a consistent idea of A)Not letting the game be the babysitter and actually playing with them and B)Educating them on what it means to play a game vs. what to do in real life.
All the horror stories you hear about games can be traced back to an irresponsibility on the part of the parent to properly deal with their kids or show them about games' fantasy vs. the world's reality. For some reason, parents allowed kids to go wild with their game time or refused to deal with kids when other priorities needed to be emphasized. They failed to deal with their kids' problems when they came up, encouraging an escapism into games that became altogether unhealthy. I hate to put so much on parents, but the only reason I do is because mine tried to teach me right from wrong and about the value of doing many things, not just games.
I'm not about to advocate getting a 6 year old GTA4, but I think it's absolutely fine to introduce gaming into your children's lives, as long as you're there doing the guiding and educating.
All the horror stories you hear about games can be traced back to an irresponsibility on the part of the parent to properly deal with their kids or show them about games' fantasy vs. the world's reality. For some reason, parents allowed kids to go wild with their game time or refused to deal with kids when other priorities needed to be emphasized. They failed to deal with their kids' problems when they came up, encouraging an escapism into games that became altogether unhealthy. I hate to put so much on parents, but the only reason I do is because mine tried to teach me right from wrong and about the value of doing many things, not just games.
I'm not about to advocate getting a 6 year old GTA4, but I think it's absolutely fine to introduce gaming into your children's lives, as long as you're there doing the guiding and educating.
i have been gaming for 16 years now, ever since i was three, and i have only gotten into a couple of fights in my life, none of them were very serious. im usually a pretty calm person, but when something des piss me off, gmaes to help me relieve the tension. i find absolutely ludicrous that people believe that pressing a button will make someone more aggresive, even if the reaction of that button press is a violent image on a t.v screen. if a kid is planning to do something dangerous, no game or outside influence forced him to do this, it was him and him alone.
now, i agree that there are games that tiny childeren should not play, but limiting them to kiddie games like viva pinata and other crap would be just torture. but i am an adult, and with all the shit i go through in my daily life, i need to kill stuff, preferably in a video game, not in the real world. ill admit, i was influenced at an ealry age by violence, but not by a game, by a show called celebrity deathmatch, i was five at the time, so that got into violence at an early age, but i wasn't stupid, i knew that i culdn't actually chop someone's head off with a sword. people seriously underestemate the intelligence of kids these days. they see them as helpless little babies needing to be protected, but lets face, they probably experience more violence in school than the parents realize, i know i was.
now, i agree that there are games that tiny childeren should not play, but limiting them to kiddie games like viva pinata and other crap would be just torture. but i am an adult, and with all the shit i go through in my daily life, i need to kill stuff, preferably in a video game, not in the real world. ill admit, i was influenced at an ealry age by violence, but not by a game, by a show called celebrity deathmatch, i was five at the time, so that got into violence at an early age, but i wasn't stupid, i knew that i culdn't actually chop someone's head off with a sword. people seriously underestemate the intelligence of kids these days. they see them as helpless little babies needing to be protected, but lets face, they probably experience more violence in school than the parents realize, i know i was.
I think you should give her the option to play games(but don't force her). Obviously don't let her go online till she is at least 15. Mainly so other gamers don't get angry with her, but also so she isn't harrased by every male on the internet.
Reasons to let her play:
1) She will see violence, sex, and gore either way. It is better that you show it to her, so she can understand it.
2) As long as she understand that the game is not real, and that killing is wrong she will be fine. It is important that she realizes misery is not cool.
This is coming from someone who grew up watching his Dad play duke nukem and blood, and I turned out fine.(Apart from hating my fellow man, but that is mainly the cheap xbox 360 microphones fault)
Reasons to let her play:
1) She will see violence, sex, and gore either way. It is better that you show it to her, so she can understand it.
2) As long as she understand that the game is not real, and that killing is wrong she will be fine. It is important that she realizes misery is not cool.
This is coming from someone who grew up watching his Dad play duke nukem and blood, and I turned out fine.(Apart from hating my fellow man, but that is mainly the cheap xbox 360 microphones fault)