# of Video Game Hours for YOUR Children

[Traditional_Ale]

I agree with the Captain, even though he was speaking in hyperbole. I don't own a TV and the only video games I play are NHL and FIFA12 with my brother at his place. I don't have kids, but I think if they want to spend their time doing something sedentary and lame beyond a couple hours a week then they can go buy their own XBOX and TV. If they can manage to put that together for themselves then their gaming habits are none of my business.

Instruments or sports equipment is an entirely different matter.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

you see yourself getting too old for video games? i honestly believe and hope that when i'm in my 70's, i'm beating down little brats in Battlefield 22 or Team Fortress 17

That's why there's a "when/if" after.

Why? I played violent games at that age. Did you play a lot of educational games at that age?

Beyond Pokemon, that's all I had before I was 10.

[Cluelessboy]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Why? I played violent games at that age. Did you play a lot of educational games at that age?

Because its bad exposure to kids, kids that young shouldnt be exposed to voilent mature content like that. Like would you let your kid watch a documentary on a real life serial killer? If i had kids my kids wouldnt be exposed to any of that. Even if theyre around when im watching something violent i change the channel.

[burn_this_city]

Explain why it's bad? Just saying so doesn't make it true. I watched plenty of horror movies and played violent video games. The important thing is that parents teach their kids to distinguish between reality and tv/video games.

[Cluelessboy]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Explain why it's bad? Just saying so doesn't make it true. I watched plenty of horror movies and played violent video games. The important thing is that parents teach their kids to distinguish between reality and tv/video games.

Well the thing is a lot of parents these days are unable or unwilling to teach their kids between reality and video games.

For instance my Bro in laws 13yr old nephew has a serious addiction to violent games, hes been playing since he was in elementary and has even gone to rehab twice to no avail. Literally every min hes home, hes playing games till bed time.

But generally i just think kids at that age should just be focused on education and learning and happy things. theres many things for them to do that arent violent games. Remember, us humans learn easier when we are younger, so this would only benefit the kids. Like learning a second language....much easier when youre young than when youre an adult. Make the most of it when theyre young.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Cluelessboy

Even if theyre around when im watching something violent i change the channel.

whop whop whop whop...i think i hear choppers!

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Explain why it's bad? Just saying so doesn't make it true. I watched plenty of horror movies and played violent video games. The important thing is that parents teach their kids to distinguish between reality and tv/video games.

Watching violent acts will desensitize someone to violence.
Watching porn will desensitize someone to sexual acts.
Watching children's TV programming (or Fox News) will desensitize you to people acting like total idiots on TV.

That is pretty basic logic, and if you don't think so, I am sure a quick google search could show you many studies that could confirm the basic principles of desensitisation, and normalization of violent/sexual/etc acts.

If that is a bad thing or not, I don't really know, but it certainly isn't clear cut one way or another. For me, I don't feel like my kids need to be exposed to that right now, but they are 2 and 4, so not really in the violent video game age range. Although, my daughter loved "petting" sheep until they died in Minecraft, so maybe she is a serial killer in the making.

edit: and as much as I hate to agree with Option84, I can see how an episode of Walking Dead would scare the hell out of my 4 year old. I doubt they would enjoy someone's torso being ripped apart by a walker and devoured, so there isn't any point to them watching it (or being around when I watch it). Little kids shouldnt need to deal with that, they should be happy and just be kids.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Cluelessboy

Well the thing is a lot of parents these days are unable or unwilling to teach their kids between reality and video games.

For instance my Bro in laws 13yr old nephew has a serious addiction to violent games, hes been playing since he was in elementary and has even gone to rehab twice to no avail. Literally every min hes home, hes playing games till bed time.

But generally i just think kids at that age should just be focused on education and learning and happy things. theres many things for them to do that arent violent games. Remember, us humans learn easier when we are younger, so this would only benefit the kids. Like learning a second language....much easier when youre young than when youre an adult. Make the most of it when theyre young.

Forget rehab. Just take the effing console away.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Cluelessboy

Well the thing is a lot of parents these days are unable or unwilling to teach their kids between reality and video games.

For instance my Bro in laws 13yr old nephew has a serious addiction to violent games, hes been playing since he was in elementary and has even gone to rehab twice to no avail. Literally every min hes home, hes playing games till bed time.

But generally i just think kids at that age should just be focused on education and learning and happy things. theres many things for them to do that arent violent games. Remember, us humans learn easier when we are younger, so this would only benefit the kids. Like learning a second language....much easier when youre young than when youre an adult. Make the most of it when theyre young.

No way!!! That can't be serious. He's 13, how about no video games in the house, its not like he's going to go through a painful physical withdraw period.

Whoever sold his folks on the concept of stupid rehab for video games must be running a private rehab facility.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Watching violent acts will desensitize someone to violence.
Watching porn will desensitize someone to sexual acts.
Watching children's TV programming (or Fox News) will desensitize you to people acting like total idiots on TV.

That is pretty basic logic, and if you don't think so, I am sure a quick google search could show you many studies that could confirm the basic principles of desensitisation, and normalization of violent/sexual/etc acts.

If that is a bad thing or not, I don't really know, but it certainly isn't clear cut one way or another. For me, I don't feel like my kids need to be exposed to that right now, but they are 2 and 4, so not really in the violent video game age range. Although, my daughter loved "petting" sheep until they died in Minecraft, so maybe she is a serial killer in the making.

edit: and as much as I hate to agree with Option84, I can see how an episode of Walking Dead would scare the hell out of my 4 year old. I doubt they would enjoy someone's torso being ripped apart by a walker and devoured, so there isn't any point to them watching it (or being around when I watch it). Little kids shouldnt need to deal with that, they should be happy and just be kids.

Totally agree that it's desensitizing, I also agree that a 4 year old shouldn't watch someone being ripped apart. I remember being 5 watching Alien 1 when the chest ripper came out of the guy. I also think sheltering your kids to age 10, like option suggested is a bad idea. They are going to be exposed to it whether you like it or not, at least in your home you can be there to explain it's not real.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Totally agree that it's desensitizing, I also agree that a 4 year old shouldn't watch someone being ripped apart. I remember being 5 watching Alien 1 when the chest ripper came out of the guy. I also think sheltering your kids to age 10, like option suggested is a bad idea. They are going to be exposed to it whether you like it or not, at least in your home you can be there to explain it's not real.

I think there is a difference between sheltering your kids and choosing not to have that kind of program material in your home but still being there to explain things. As you rightfully said, they will pick it up along the way.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I think there is a difference between sheltering your kids and choosing not to have that kind of program material in your home but still being there to explain things. As you rightfully said, they will pick it up along the way.

I'd rather not have another 10 year old teaching my kid about violence.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I'd rather not have another 10 year old teaching my kid about violence.

They might introduce them to it, but you'll find out and be able to be the good parent. It's natural. How many things did you find out about for the first time from other kids instead of parents or teachers?

[burn_this_city]

Not much to be honest. My parents were pretty good at exposing us to everything. The only thing I can think of is guns, my folks never owned any, and my buddy had a pellet gun when we were growing up. Also porn, can't forget d/ling porn with a 14k modem at my friend's house.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Also porn, can't forget d/ling porn with a 14k modem at my friend's house.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Russic;

If my boy can grow up to be respectful, polite and reasonably hard-working I don't really care how much time he spends playing games.

And the rub is trying to figure it out as you go along

[Sr. Mints]

I wish my folks made me stick to piano (or something.) I wish they would not let me quit karate...or curling or baseball or soccer. I wish they made me do homework every night--at least so I could have developed some kind of rhythm or structure for when I was older. Having to learn to study while you're in University isn't they way to do it.

They only thing I did do was play hockey and video games, read, and watch TV--and while I think I'm a fairly well adjusted person, I think it could only have benefited me if they had been more rigid with me and had me, y'know, do stuff.

I don't have kids, but I will definitely encourage them to do as many activities besides video games as they can handle in a day. A few hours a week playing games would be fine though.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I wish my folks made me stick to piano (or something.) I wish they would not let me quit karate...or curling or baseball or soccer. I wish they made me do homework every night--at least so I could have developed some kind of rhythm or structure for when I was older. Having to learn to study while you're in University isn't they way to do it.

They only thing I did do was play hockey and video games, read, and watch TV--and while I think I'm a fairly well adjusted person, I think it could only have benefited me if they had been more rigid with me and had me, y'know, do stuff.

I don't have kids, but I will definitely encourage them to do as many activities besides video games as they can handle in a day. A few hours a week playing games would be fine though.

You know it's never too late to learn something new right? Like piano/music. No other activity unites left and right brain like it, so it doesn't matter how old you are when you start. Unless you want to play Violin or Cello. Then you're eff'd.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Cluelessboy

Because its bad exposure to kids, kids that young shouldnt be exposed to voilent mature content like that. Like would you let your kid watch a documentary on a real life serial killer? If i had kids my kids wouldnt be exposed to any of that. Even if theyre around when im watching something violent i change the channel.

I remember getting ahold of my older sisters copy of a Jeffrey Dahmer book. This was probably 1992, after he was arrested and in jail, but he was still alive. I was probably 10 at the time. It was a disturbing story! But I knew it was real life, and I knew the difference. Hearing those stories didn't ruin me, I was fascinated, and disgusted.

My parents were amazing, and taught my to know real life from fantasy.

Basically, you don't know jack squat.

[ma-skis.com]

my kid's 5, on average, I'd say an 1 to 1.5h of screen time, (ipad, tv, movies) weekday's it's less, weekends it's more depending on what needs to be done day to day.

It's not so much violence thing, my kid get's nightmares or scared of the bad guys on some shows or whatever. Right now, kung fu panda is too scary. No console yet, I can just see that my kid will have issues with it, there are times he struggles to put the ipad down and he's still learning when he needs to stop or quit the game.

side note: It's probably how easy (rewarding) games are nowadays, makes it so much easier to move forward and be successful and continue playing. Remember how hard simon's quest 2 was? All I could do with that was put it down.


Regardless, we will probably wait till he's 8 or 9 before we introduce the console to him

I try to play with my kid when I can, but I try to make more effort to take him outside and run around instead of sitting to play games, but mostly it's a tool to get dinner ready, get ourselves ready in the morning, waiting for the bus or something.

If he could put the game down more easily, we'd probably allow more screen time each day, but right now, it's trying to teach limits.