Video Games

[Pheidippides]

While I don't see video games as that big of a threat, I think he was right on with this comment regarding unity. The lack of a unified front in parenting can be disastrous. And that requires both parents occasionally making compromises.

Bingo. Kc's added context gives greater color to the talk, although I stand by what I said about the woman. You obviously have more parenting experience than me but one thing that my wife and I learned early is that we can disagree about things between ourselves - even in front of the kids - but we can't be divided when it comes down to us against the kids in a battle of wills. They outnumber us.

[1337coug]

I may be in the minority, but I don't find video games the least bit addictive. I enjoy them and when I have free time I play, but the only time I feel like I need to play a game is when a new call of duty or grand theft auto comes out, and that only lasts for a few days. During the summer I when I get busy I hardly play at all and I hardly notice.

[FMCoug]

The discussion about the dangers of video games is fine I suppose but the video game itself was not the reason the example was used in this talk. Unfortunately, I suppose FM already knew this...

I think that is pretty clear. I didn't bring up the unity issue because I think we'd all agree with him on that. But he at least implicity endorsed the sister's take on video games, if not explicity.

EDIT: Also, based on the LDS community's use of the part on sleepovers (another example ... not the main point of the talk) as a GA hammer for the no sleepver rule, I don't think I am at all out of line assuming people would take this example out of context as well.

And for the record, I have NO issues with any parents making the decisions they feel are best for their kids. What I take issue with is parents who point out talks like this (taken out of context) as their reasoning, with the implication that those who don't have the same rules are somehow less righteous.

[RobinFinderson]

It is probably different in Utah, but here in Los Angeles, the 'neighborhood' concept that many of us experienced in our childhood, no longer exists. As a child, I had neighbors with kids my age living across the street, next door, several doors down, and behind us on the other side of the alley. In contrast, today we live in an apartment with hundreds of other units, and we have NEVER seen any kids in the complex that are close to LR's age. For us, going outside to play was the equivalent of logging in to see who might be online. But now, LR's friends are scattered all over a city that takes 30 minutes to traverse, without traffic. Video games, where people can join up and play with friends, are replacing the social experience of the 'neighborhood.'

[FMCoug]

It is probably different in Utah, but here in Los Angeles, the 'neighborhood' concept that many of us experienced in our childhood, no longer exists. As a child, I had neighbors with kids my age living across the street, next door, several doors down, and behind us on the other side of the alley. In contrast, today we live in an apartment with hundreds of other units, and we have NEVER seen any kids in the complex that are close to LR's age. For us, going outside to play was the equivalent of logging in to see who might be online. But now, LR's friends are scattered all over a city that takes 30 minutes to traverse, without traffic. Video games, where people can join up and play with friends, are replacing the social experience of the 'neighborhood.'

This is a great point. Even in the Dallas 'burbs, we didn't know our neighbors like we do here. This is actually one of the things that I love about living in Utah. Due to the small size of wards (geographically), their ward friedns are the neighbor kids. Something you don't get other places.

[TripletDaddy]

It is probably different in Utah, but here in Los Angeles, the 'neighborhood' concept that many of us experienced in our childhood, no longer exists. As a child, I had neighbors with kids my age living across the street, next door, several doors down, and behind us on the other side of the alley. In contrast, today we live in an apartment with hundreds of other units, and we have NEVER seen any kids in the complex that are close to LR's age. For us, going outside to play was the equivalent of logging in to see who might be online. But now, LR's friends are scattered all over a city that takes 30 minutes to traverse, without traffic. Video games, where people can join up and play with friends, are replacing the social experience of the 'neighborhood.'

well, that and your son lives in an urban apartment complex, not in a neighborhood like where you grew up.

[Surfah]

Surface's brother punched a hole in the wall because he couldn't watch Tombstone?

Yes. This was a while back when HD TV's were still kind of rare but my parents had one in the family room. It was a Sunday afternoon and I just changed out of my Sunday best to sit down and watch the Lakers play in high def. I find my brother camped in front of the TV watching Tombstone. I turned it off for him and the fuse was lit. Kaboom.

[BoylenOver]

I may be in the minority, but I don't find video games the least bit addictive. I enjoy them and when I have free time I play, but the only time I feel like I need to play a game is when a new call of duty or grand theft auto comes out, and that only lasts for a few days. During the summer I when I get busy I hardly play at all and I hardly notice.

I'm a lot better nowadays about playing for only a few hours, and only on the weekends, but when I was a teenager I would find myself playing 5 or 6 hours a day 4-5 days a week during summer vacation. And I know it was the primary getaway for my academically-challenged brother (video games were not the reason he struggled in school, but it was the activity he elected to engage in while neglecting academics).

[Paperback Writer]

While I don't see video games as that big of a threat, I think he was right on with this comment regarding unity. The lack of a unified front in parenting can be disastrous. And that requires both parents occasionally making compromises.

Bingo. Kc's added context gives greater color to the talk, although I stand by what I said about the woman. You obviously have more parenting experience than me but one thing that my wife and I learned early is that we can disagree about things between ourselves - even in front of the kids - but we can't be divided when it comes down to us against the kids in a battle of wills. They outnumber us.

I'd also add that compromise can mean that one (or both) parents need to examine why they are "uncomfortable" with something. I feel that too often a parent's "uncomfort" always gets interpreted as some divine prompting. And sometimes they are, I don't want to discount that, but other times they're due to personal feelings based on past experiences.

An example of this was that my spouse was against our son playing competitive football. Her family has no interest in sports whatsoever, she has no brothers, and her "uncomfort" was due to fears about serious injury and concerns about academics suffering. She also cited a potential conflict with attending Seminary and then to top it off a SP member gave a talk about families making poor choices with priorities and cited football as one of his examples. So she was very uncomfortable with our son playing football...and wanted me, as the Father, to break the "bad news" to him so she could stay in his "good graces" (a similarity I see between this situation and the parents and kid with video gaming). Since I played football on a HS state championship team, I had a very different view of our son playing competitive football.

So instead of just saying "No" to our son because one of us was not comfortable with it, we discussed between parents and at length my wife's concerns and also looked at potential benefits of playing HS football. The compromise was to permit our son to play one year and then re-evaluate. It ended up being a big positive for everyone involved. He was fortunate to avoid serious injury but he also did his part in participating in strength and conditioning. He never missed a day of Seminary because that was a condition of his playing football. And his already high grades improved to straight A's. He also made some very good friends and had a positive social experience.

Sorry for the length. I just cringe at the counsel that if one parent feels uncomfortable about something then the other should automatically support the other in the decision. Parents should examine why they are uncomfortable with something, discuss it, compromise if needed, and then present a unified front to the child. It can lead to a positive discussion with the child because the parents have already explored the conflict and thus are prepared to share their thoughts and concerns as parents with the child and are better prepared to receive and respond to the child's reasoning. Otherwise, the child can easily view the parental decision as "they just don't trust me" or "they think they are right only because they are the parents" or "Mom or Dad are uncomfortable with everything I want to do".

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

This makes me wonder whether SuperGabers has ever written to the brethern during our marriage to toss me under the bus. Super?

Her silence in this thread speaks volumes. So are you gambling guy or porn guy?

[marsupial]

Speaking of video games. We got Just Dance 2 for the Wii, and I'm telling you, I crack up watching my kids and their friends play it. It is great entertainment. I highly recommend it.

[HBCoug]

Speaking of video games. We got Just Dance 2 for the Wii, and I'm telling you, I crack up watching my kids and their friends play it. It is great entertainment. I highly recommend it.

Think of how much fun they'd have watching you play it. I've been known to throw my hands up in the air sometimes when I feel like celebrating and living my life.

[Pelado]

We have mostly deprived our children of the joys of video games. We are considering getting a gaming console. My wife wants something that will play Mario Cart, so we are only considering Nintendo consoles:

Switch
Wii U
Wii
GameCube
Nintendo 64
Super Nintendo
Mini Super Nintendo (with built-in games)

What do you and/or your kids use? Any particular reasons why we should or should not get any particular model?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Flystripper]

We have mostly deprived our children of the joys of video games. We are considering getting a gaming console. My wife wants something that will play Mario Cart, so we are only considering Nintendo consoles:

Switch
Wii U
Wii
GameCube
Nintendo 64
Super Nintendo
Mini Super Nintendo (with built-in games)

What do you and/or your kids use? Any particular reasons why we should or should not get any particular model?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

switch...no brainer

[Commando]

Yeah don't get an old outdated console that Nintendo doesn't even provide support for. You should only be considering the Switch for a bazillion reasons that we won't get into because they will bore you, probably. Mario Kart on the Switch is the latest greatest version... and you can also play some of the former versions of Mario Kart on the Switch Online feature.

My unfiltered opinion is that Mario Kart Double Dash for the GameCube is far and away the best Mario Kart. I hope they make it available for purchase on the Switch at some point.