OT Kids and computers

[hans kraay fan club]

This quote is probabaly the saddest in a realy sad thread:



So so so much is wrong with that statement and it's coming from a guy who is well respected on this forum; other people will listen to your view more readily than some posters.

There are loads of studies you can find online which have found gaming improves different aspects of cognitive function.

Please don't 'begrudge' your kids for playing games, it'll only make them feel bad or even resent you for not understanding why they play. If you take an interest in their games, ask them questions, what they're up to etc it'll make you closer, give you talking points and they'll want to talk to you to tell you what they've been up to in their game. If you have time to try and learn to play, nothing will make you closer than giving them a game of FIFA or doing multiplayer zombies with them on COD.

There's quite a lot of assumption in your response, I'm afraid.

I don't begrudge them playing games in the slightest. I just limit the time they spend doing it (and plenty of scientific studies back up my view on that aspect of it). After safari, FIFA14 is the most used app on my iPad - again, you've assumed that I don't get involved. I play it myself, as well as against the kids.

I'll never be encouraging them to play Call of Duty, or anything similar though, sorry.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

There's quite a lot of assumption in your response, I'm afraid.

I don't begrudge them playing games in the slightest. I just limit the time they spend doing it (and plenty of scientific studies back up my view on that aspect of it). After safari, FIFA14 is the most used app on my iPad - again, you've assumed that I don't get involved. I play it myself, as well as against the kids.

I'll never be encouraging them to play Call of Duty, or anything similar though, sorry.

Ah sorry the last paragraph was aimed at some of the other posters who seemed to think they're kids were ****-ups because they loved computer games, maybe I should have made that more clear. (Reading it back it does seem the last paragraph was aimed at you, it wasn't).

I think two - three hours a day is enough time to gain benefits of computer games, but some other posters on here are coming across as "my kids spend loads of time online with their friends playing games, they're having a shit childhood and will grow up to be men with a weak handshake" and that's an outdated view.

 

[phoenix]

videos of minecraft by any chance?

You obviously know my son!

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I think maybe there's just a very pronounced generation gap now, split between those who grew up with gaming (at 26 I count myself among them) who see it as a 'normal' pastime and those that didn't.

With all things I'd say it's best to keep in moderation but times change and you now don't need to go loiter around a park bench/beach if you want to talk to your friends, you can instead stay home and do something you all enjoy together, being physically there isn't a requirement.

 

[father_and_son]

Go into your wifi router settings, and set it to connect and disconnect from the web at a time you think is right. That way, they get dumped offline, and can't get back on. If you still intend to surf after the time, I believe most routers allow you to control what devices can log on at what times, BT HomeHub does that.

She needs the wifi access to do homework just as much as she needs it to do her social networking. Short of standing behind her looking at the screen permanently, there is no easy way of controlling when she is using the wifi access to work and when she isn't!

 

[happypig]

3. They should get out getting pissed and living life (happypig) - Yes, drinking is obviously much better than increasing hand-eye coordination, teamwork, creativity and chatting to your mates .

Sorry, you've misunderstood me. What I meant was that at aged 17 I'd ditched college and was a bit of a waster, working in a crap job and getting pissed up at the weekend. I'm very glad my boy isn't following me in that respect.