TV and Video Games
indymediaroom
Hi, I'm new. I was checking out Sandra Dodd's inspiring website and there's one thing I just
don't get. I would like to further understand why unschooling would involve allowing your
kids to watch TV and play games as much as they like? Maybe I just can't jive with this
because my spouse and I don't watch TV for a multitude of reasons. We don't even have a
TV.
I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I probably dislike TV a little
more than you dislike books.
Susan
don't get. I would like to further understand why unschooling would involve allowing your
kids to watch TV and play games as much as they like? Maybe I just can't jive with this
because my spouse and I don't watch TV for a multitude of reasons. We don't even have a
TV.
I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I probably dislike TV a little
more than you dislike books.
Susan
Sandra Dodd
-=-I was checking out Sandra Dodd's inspiring website and there's one
thing I just
don't get. I would like to further understand why unschooling would
involve allowing your
kids to watch TV and play games as much as they like? -=-
Did you read those pages or just glance?
I thought it was explained pretty well. But if you're very new to
unschooling, it can take a while to relax into the place where
everything starts to look like one big world of input and choices.
-=-I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I
probably dislike TV a little
more than you dislike books.-=-
I doubt it, since you don't have a TV and I have a couple or three
thousand books, and have bought three in the past week, and am antsy
to get some back that I loaned out.
I like books fine. I don't like book-snobbery. I dislike the
ignorant assumption that reading any book is better than watching any
movie, or that reading any book is better than singing or riding a
bike or working in the garden, or that reading a book without
pictures is superior to reading a book with pictures.
-=-I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I
probably dislike TV a little
more than you dislike books.-=-
What you like and what I like might not be what our kids like, but
without letting them make decisions, how will they know what they like?
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
thing I just
don't get. I would like to further understand why unschooling would
involve allowing your
kids to watch TV and play games as much as they like? -=-
Did you read those pages or just glance?
I thought it was explained pretty well. But if you're very new to
unschooling, it can take a while to relax into the place where
everything starts to look like one big world of input and choices.
-=-I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I
probably dislike TV a little
more than you dislike books.-=-
I doubt it, since you don't have a TV and I have a couple or three
thousand books, and have bought three in the past week, and am antsy
to get some back that I loaned out.
I like books fine. I don't like book-snobbery. I dislike the
ignorant assumption that reading any book is better than watching any
movie, or that reading any book is better than singing or riding a
bike or working in the garden, or that reading a book without
pictures is superior to reading a book with pictures.
-=-I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I
probably dislike TV a little
more than you dislike books.-=-
What you like and what I like might not be what our kids like, but
without letting them make decisions, how will they know what they like?
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bob Collier
Here's an interesting thing.
My wife and I have two children born ten years apart.
We've always allowed both of our children to do whatever they like.
Watch TV all day long, if that's what they want. Whatever.
Our daughter excelled throughout 12 years at school in the UK and
Australia. Including three years at a posh private all girls school
in London where she excelled amongst the excellent. She graduated
from high school here in 2002 in the top 1% of students in the
Australian Capital Territory. She's currently in the final year of a
five year Law degree at the University of Canberra and a degree in
Forensic Science at the Canberra Institute of Technology that she's
been running alongside it for the past three years. She already has a
BA that she completed two years ago. She was inspired to take the
degree in Forensic Science by watching CSI on TV.
Our son went to school for two years before my wife and I took him
out in 2002 at his request, since when he's been at home with me.
The 'house rules' that were operational before he went to school have
continued to apply. He can do whatever he likes. Amongst other
things, what he likes most of all is playing videogames and watching
TV. So that's what he does most of the time. When he was at school,
he spent most of his second year in a remedial reading class. He came
out of school hating books and refuses to read them. He hasn't had a
reading lesson since he left school, yet his reading is excellent.
His critical thinking is excellent. Nobody taught him that. He
learned it by osmosis. How far ahead he is of where I was when I was
his age in his understanding of the world he lives in is truly
awesome. Playing video games, watching TV and DVDs gives him constant
access to learning opportunities that are denied to children confined
to school classrooms for most of their time. His latest interest is
CSI.
Freedom of choice is a far deeper - and more important - issue than
what people appear to be doing on the surface.
Some random neural firings. :)
Bob
--- In [email protected], "indymediaroom"
<indymediaroom@...> wrote:
My wife and I have two children born ten years apart.
We've always allowed both of our children to do whatever they like.
Watch TV all day long, if that's what they want. Whatever.
Our daughter excelled throughout 12 years at school in the UK and
Australia. Including three years at a posh private all girls school
in London where she excelled amongst the excellent. She graduated
from high school here in 2002 in the top 1% of students in the
Australian Capital Territory. She's currently in the final year of a
five year Law degree at the University of Canberra and a degree in
Forensic Science at the Canberra Institute of Technology that she's
been running alongside it for the past three years. She already has a
BA that she completed two years ago. She was inspired to take the
degree in Forensic Science by watching CSI on TV.
Our son went to school for two years before my wife and I took him
out in 2002 at his request, since when he's been at home with me.
The 'house rules' that were operational before he went to school have
continued to apply. He can do whatever he likes. Amongst other
things, what he likes most of all is playing videogames and watching
TV. So that's what he does most of the time. When he was at school,
he spent most of his second year in a remedial reading class. He came
out of school hating books and refuses to read them. He hasn't had a
reading lesson since he left school, yet his reading is excellent.
His critical thinking is excellent. Nobody taught him that. He
learned it by osmosis. How far ahead he is of where I was when I was
his age in his understanding of the world he lives in is truly
awesome. Playing video games, watching TV and DVDs gives him constant
access to learning opportunities that are denied to children confined
to school classrooms for most of their time. His latest interest is
CSI.
Freedom of choice is a far deeper - and more important - issue than
what people appear to be doing on the surface.
Some random neural firings. :)
Bob
--- In [email protected], "indymediaroom"
<indymediaroom@...> wrote:
>and there's one thing I just
> Hi, I'm new. I was checking out Sandra Dodd's inspiring website
> don't get. I would like to further understand why unschoolingwould involve allowing your
> kids to watch TV and play games as much as they like? Maybe I justcan't jive with this
> because my spouse and I don't watch TV for a multitude of reasons.We don't even have a
> TV.probably dislike TV a little
>
> I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I
> more than you dislike books.
>
> Susan
>
Fetteroll
On May 2, 2007, at 8:41 PM, indymediaroom wrote:
Shakespeare as they want?"
"Why would unschooling involve allowing your kids to go play in the
backyard as often as they want?"
"Why would unschooling involve allowing your kids to read as many
books as they want?"
What do you fear will happen if your kids watch TV and play (I assume
you mean video) games?
Basically your question is saying: "I know the dangers of TV and
video games. Why would unschoolers expose their children to such?
Are they ignorant of the dangers? Don't they care?"
There are other possibilities:
That we know something about TV and video games that you don't.
That we know that with pressures and limitations and stress that
children (and adults) make different choices than they do when in an
environment of freedom where interests are treated with respect.
There's a lot of words -- almost like a book ;-) about TV and games at:
http://joyfullyrejoycing.com/
If you scroll down on the left there are sections on video games and
TV that probably cover any fears you have.
their choices."
is "dislike book worship."
If you're trapped in a room with no access to the real world out
there beyond the walls and the only way to experience the world is
through the books in the room, then books are really important.
If you have 30 students that you need to pour x amount of knowledge
into, then being able to hand the knowledge to the kids in the form
of a book makes the process run smoothly and, most importantly, cheaply.
If you live in the 19th century where the easiest (and for some only)
way for you to access the world is through the printed word, then
books and newspapers and magazines are really important.
If you've grown up in a society where the Ultimate Truth is contained
in one holy book, then the written word seems to hold a special power.
That's a bit of the source of our worship of books. But it isn't the
books that deserve our appreciation. It's the ability to transport
ourselves to different worlds and different times. It's the ability
to visit Africa and Mars and Hogwarts. It's the ability to hear the
words of people who are dead or thousands of miles away or speak a
different language. The printed word is no longer our only access. It
isn't even the best access.
But "not the best" doesn't mean worthless. "Not the best" doesn't
even mean "not as good as". It just means there are other resources
that are worthy of appreciation depending on our needs and interests.
By putting books on a pedestal we devalue other resources that are
just as valuable, and, depending on the person or the situation, even
more valuable. A visual person won't get as much from a book as a
video (or from experiencing it). A subject that's highly visual like
an erupting volcano, a Shakespeare play ;-), a running cheetah have
their essence stripped from them when reduced to words on a page or a
still picture. In fact it's down right arrogant for those who learn
well through reading to disparage visual interpretations of stories
as being "less than". Visual people (like artists) need to absorb
visuals as word people (like writers) need to absorb words.
Books don't need to be on a pedestal any more. Nor do they need to be
kicked out of the club. They are part of a tapestry of access to the
world that includes visiting and TV and videos and CDs and the
internet and playing and video games and talking and lectures and ...
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> why unschooling would involve allowing your"Why would unschooling involve allowing your kids to see as much
> kids to watch TV and play games as much as they like?
Shakespeare as they want?"
"Why would unschooling involve allowing your kids to go play in the
backyard as often as they want?"
"Why would unschooling involve allowing your kids to read as many
books as they want?"
What do you fear will happen if your kids watch TV and play (I assume
you mean video) games?
Basically your question is saying: "I know the dangers of TV and
video games. Why would unschoolers expose their children to such?
Are they ignorant of the dangers? Don't they care?"
There are other possibilities:
That we know something about TV and video games that you don't.
That we know that with pressures and limitations and stress that
children (and adults) make different choices than they do when in an
environment of freedom where interests are treated with respect.
There's a lot of words -- almost like a book ;-) about TV and games at:
http://joyfullyrejoycing.com/
If you scroll down on the left there are sections on video games and
TV that probably cover any fears you have.
> Maybe I just can't jive with this"I don't read books so why would I allow my spouse to?"
> because my spouse and I don't watch TV for a multitude of reasons.
> We don't even have a TV.
> I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions,Which is saying "I'll let my children choose as long as I approve of
their choices."
> but I probably dislike TV a little more than you dislike books.I think a better interpretation of what Sandra has said on her site
is "dislike book worship."
If you're trapped in a room with no access to the real world out
there beyond the walls and the only way to experience the world is
through the books in the room, then books are really important.
If you have 30 students that you need to pour x amount of knowledge
into, then being able to hand the knowledge to the kids in the form
of a book makes the process run smoothly and, most importantly, cheaply.
If you live in the 19th century where the easiest (and for some only)
way for you to access the world is through the printed word, then
books and newspapers and magazines are really important.
If you've grown up in a society where the Ultimate Truth is contained
in one holy book, then the written word seems to hold a special power.
That's a bit of the source of our worship of books. But it isn't the
books that deserve our appreciation. It's the ability to transport
ourselves to different worlds and different times. It's the ability
to visit Africa and Mars and Hogwarts. It's the ability to hear the
words of people who are dead or thousands of miles away or speak a
different language. The printed word is no longer our only access. It
isn't even the best access.
But "not the best" doesn't mean worthless. "Not the best" doesn't
even mean "not as good as". It just means there are other resources
that are worthy of appreciation depending on our needs and interests.
By putting books on a pedestal we devalue other resources that are
just as valuable, and, depending on the person or the situation, even
more valuable. A visual person won't get as much from a book as a
video (or from experiencing it). A subject that's highly visual like
an erupting volcano, a Shakespeare play ;-), a running cheetah have
their essence stripped from them when reduced to words on a page or a
still picture. In fact it's down right arrogant for those who learn
well through reading to disparage visual interpretations of stories
as being "less than". Visual people (like artists) need to absorb
visuals as word people (like writers) need to absorb words.
Books don't need to be on a pedestal any more. Nor do they need to be
kicked out of the club. They are part of a tapestry of access to the
world that includes visiting and TV and videos and CDs and the
internet and playing and video games and talking and lectures and ...
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Fetteroll
On May 2, 2007, at 10:20 PM, Bob Collier wrote:
unschoolers, when read through the filters of control it sounds like
hands off parenting.
While my daughter can do anything she likes, she's in a family where
we're all interconnected. She isn't off on her own. She's living in a
supportive nurturing family where we all have the freedom to explore
our interests.
When someone *can't* do anything they want, then what they imagine
would happen if they could do anything they want doesn't match the
reality of those who live with that freedom.
When someone's TV is controlled, when they grasp to get as much as
they want, when they're occasionally given the freedom to watch and
find that they glut and watch even "garbage", they assume that's the
natural state of themselves (or human beings in general). That
without adults controlling us until we're old enough to have absorbed
the controls and obey them we assume we'd all be eating ice cream and
snack food and watching TV endlessly.
The reality is much different. When kids have the freedom to watch as
much TV as they want, they watch as much as they want, they read as
long as they want, they play with friends as long as they want and
then go do something else they want. They may watch more than parents
feel comfortable with. They may watch programs the parents wouldn't
have chosen for them. But they don't watch 24/7. When they know they
can have access anytime they want, then there isn't the tension to
cram in as much as they can.
Just as when a crisis is looming (a big storm for instance) that
makes food feel limited so people hit the grocery stores in droves,
stock piling food, it doesn't continue after people are certain the
limitations have passed. They go back to shopping when they need and
want.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> We've always allowed both of our children to do whatever they like.While that's a fairly accurate description of the freedom of
unschoolers, when read through the filters of control it sounds like
hands off parenting.
While my daughter can do anything she likes, she's in a family where
we're all interconnected. She isn't off on her own. She's living in a
supportive nurturing family where we all have the freedom to explore
our interests.
When someone *can't* do anything they want, then what they imagine
would happen if they could do anything they want doesn't match the
reality of those who live with that freedom.
When someone's TV is controlled, when they grasp to get as much as
they want, when they're occasionally given the freedom to watch and
find that they glut and watch even "garbage", they assume that's the
natural state of themselves (or human beings in general). That
without adults controlling us until we're old enough to have absorbed
the controls and obey them we assume we'd all be eating ice cream and
snack food and watching TV endlessly.
The reality is much different. When kids have the freedom to watch as
much TV as they want, they watch as much as they want, they read as
long as they want, they play with friends as long as they want and
then go do something else they want. They may watch more than parents
feel comfortable with. They may watch programs the parents wouldn't
have chosen for them. But they don't watch 24/7. When they know they
can have access anytime they want, then there isn't the tension to
cram in as much as they can.
Just as when a crisis is looming (a big storm for instance) that
makes food feel limited so people hit the grocery stores in droves,
stock piling food, it doesn't continue after people are certain the
limitations have passed. They go back to shopping when they need and
want.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bob Collier
Hi, Joyce
I found in the beginning that, while my wife and I did wonder if we
were giving our daughter permission to be glued to the TV screen all
day long, what actually happened was she went through a phase of
watching TV or videos for hours on end for only a matter of weeks and
then it completely tailed off to an occasional thing. Knowing she
could watch TV or videos whenever she liked, it became no big deal.
It's been the same with our son, pretty much. He has a genuine
passion for videogames and will play them for hours on end. Sometimes
I play, too, but he's so far ahead of me, if I do sit in, it's
usually to watch him play. The TV, videos and DVDs meanwhile have
become more occasional interests.
Yes, I suppose it might sound like hands off parenting, and the point
you make about this being integrated into family life, rather than it
being a case of "go off and do something", is very important to
understand. Also, that, just because there's no control doesn't mean
there's no influence, if I'm honest and open about my personal
feelings. Perhaps supervision without intervention might describe
it.
Not that it's always supervision. I'm a big fan in my own right of
things like Spongebob Squarepants, Ed, Edd 'n' Eddie and Jimmy
Neutron, etc.
Bob
--- In [email protected], Fetteroll <fetteroll@...>
wrote:
I found in the beginning that, while my wife and I did wonder if we
were giving our daughter permission to be glued to the TV screen all
day long, what actually happened was she went through a phase of
watching TV or videos for hours on end for only a matter of weeks and
then it completely tailed off to an occasional thing. Knowing she
could watch TV or videos whenever she liked, it became no big deal.
It's been the same with our son, pretty much. He has a genuine
passion for videogames and will play them for hours on end. Sometimes
I play, too, but he's so far ahead of me, if I do sit in, it's
usually to watch him play. The TV, videos and DVDs meanwhile have
become more occasional interests.
Yes, I suppose it might sound like hands off parenting, and the point
you make about this being integrated into family life, rather than it
being a case of "go off and do something", is very important to
understand. Also, that, just because there's no control doesn't mean
there's no influence, if I'm honest and open about my personal
feelings. Perhaps supervision without intervention might describe
it.
Not that it's always supervision. I'm a big fan in my own right of
things like Spongebob Squarepants, Ed, Edd 'n' Eddie and Jimmy
Neutron, etc.
Bob
--- In [email protected], Fetteroll <fetteroll@...>
wrote:
>like.
>
> On May 2, 2007, at 10:20 PM, Bob Collier wrote:
>
> > We've always allowed both of our children to do whatever they
>like
> While that's a fairly accurate description of the freedom of
> unschoolers, when read through the filters of control it sounds
> hands off parenting.where
>
> While my daughter can do anything she likes, she's in a family
> we're all interconnected. She isn't off on her own. She's living ina
> supportive nurturing family where we all have the freedom toexplore
> our interests.and
>
> When someone *can't* do anything they want, then what they imagine
> would happen if they could do anything they want doesn't match the
> reality of those who live with that freedom.
>
> When someone's TV is controlled, when they grasp to get as much as
> they want, when they're occasionally given the freedom to watch
> find that they glut and watch even "garbage", they assume that'sthe
> natural state of themselves (or human beings in general). Thatabsorbed
> without adults controlling us until we're old enough to have
> the controls and obey them we assume we'd all be eating ice creamand
> snack food and watching TV endlessly.as
>
> The reality is much different. When kids have the freedom to watch
> much TV as they want, they watch as much as they want, they readas
> long as they want, they play with friends as long as they want andparents
> then go do something else they want. They may watch more than
> feel comfortable with. They may watch programs the parentswouldn't
> have chosen for them. But they don't watch 24/7. When they knowthey
> can have access anytime they want, then there isn't the tension todroves,
> cram in as much as they can.
>
> Just as when a crisis is looming (a big storm for instance) that
> makes food feel limited so people hit the grocery stores in
> stock piling food, it doesn't continue after people are certainthe
> limitations have passed. They go back to shopping when they needand
> want.
>
> Joyce
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Kathleen Gehrke
--- In [email protected], "indymediaroom"
<indymediaroom@...> wrote:
I love books. LOVE them. I hold tv in slightly less than medium esteem.
Do not jump to conclusions about us unschoolers;]
Kathleen
<indymediaroom@...> wrote:
>probably dislike TV a little
>
>
> I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I
> more than you dislike books.Susan,
I love books. LOVE them. I hold tv in slightly less than medium esteem.
Do not jump to conclusions about us unschoolers;]
Kathleen
[email protected]
**I understand allowing your kids to make their own decisions, but I probably
dislike TV a little more than you dislike books.**
Pprobably you just haven't ever been in any unschoolers homes. :) I've
visited unschoolers all across the country, and the one thing so far they've all had
in common is bookcases. Stuffed bookcases. Bookcases stuffed with books,
even, as well as stuffed with puzzles and games and videos and just plain stuffed.
I love poking through other people's bookcases - it's fun for me to see what
they have that I also have, and even more fun to find new things beside old
familiar things.
Then there's my house. I have a book fetish. It's sad, really. There are too
many books for them all to be out and displayed in ways that make them
available to everyone living here without having to ask me for help. *I* know what's
in the house and where it is, but except for a few key collections actually in
bookcases (still thousands of books) the family hasn't a clue.
I'm sure you dislike TV a WHOLE LOT MORE than I dislike books.
Anyway. I'm inspired to tell a story I'm pretty sure I haven't shared on
these lists before.
I used to be very anti video game. In 1981 my parents gave me an
Intellivision system as a present for my then 3yo son. Oh man. I played and played and
played that game. I was obsessed. Well, that convinced me for sure. These things
are dangerously addictive. I controlled the time my kid could play the games
and I absolutely refused to buy that cool Nintendo system we kept hearing
about. It was too good.
And there things stayed for a very very long time. Eventually we got
computers and some computer gaming entered my kids lives, but still, I wasn't going to
have those video game systems in MY house. Too addictive.
In 1999 my younger son Patrick, then age 7, brought home a Game Boy Color
system from his best friend's house. His friend had loaned him the system for the
week because he wanted Patrick to level him up in the game they were
currently working on. I decided the best response was just to let him play it as much
as he wanted, not fight over it, given that the system would only be there for
a limited time. Well. The game boy sat in my son's room almost all week
unplayed, then the last two days he remembered he'd promised his friend he would
play the game for him so spent a lot of time making up for forgetting it all
week.
I thought about that a lot. First, the kid was really good at the games with
very restricted access. Why was I withholding from him something he was very
skilled at? Second, clearly the games were not addicting for him. He'd had the
game with free access and even knowing he'd be returning it at the end of the
week he'd chosen other things.
All three of my kids still living at home received Game Boy Color systems for
Christmas that year. (They were then 15, 7 and 7) I have wonderful pictures
of the three of them sitting around together playing those games. They played
for many many many days straight.
Since then we've had a video game explosion around here. I bought a Nintendo
64 system for the house, and many games. Patrick saved for and bought a used
Game Cube system. Sarah saved for and bought a Playstation 2 system. They
bought an Xbox system together. I gifted the family with the new Wii system a few
months ago. They've moved on through the Game Boy Advance systems to the
Nintendo DS. I got my own handheld systems and play with my kids. Patrick found an
original Nintendo Entertainment System at a rummage sale, boxed, with two
controllers, the gun controller, and several games, for 5 bucks. That sent him on a
quest to collect "vintage" video games, the Nintendo systems and games from
before he was a player (many from before he was born). We tracked down copies
of old text adventure games for the computers, even. (Zork, Hitchhikers Guide
to the Universe)
They love video games. They play a lot of them. They save to buy games, trade
games with friends, have video game parties. When they have new games they
sometimes play very late into the night. They're on a first name basis with the
staff at the Game Crazy Store. And yet... the video games, beloved as they
are, are just a small part of their very big lives.
Patrick takes a bike ride every day of the year that there isn't ice on the
streets. Sarah rides several days a week, usually longer rides to places she
can sketch nature. Patrick is outside many hours every day - now that it's warm
the block teens are playing kickball in the street some afternoons, or he's
off with his skateboarding pals in the schoolyard :) or at the skatepark, or
fishing the lagoon, or up a tree. They read books, watch movies, go to watch
Shakespeare with a group of friends. Patrick works at learning guitar, engages in
long philosophical discussions, and ponders the mysteries of physics and the
calculus. Sarah sketches, paints, and works on her novel. And they play video
games.
Today we drove two hours (roadwork! Grrr) into the city so Sarah could have
her dance injured hip examined by a specialist. Both Patrick and Sarah have
been playing the new Pokemon games for DS this week. Patrick brought his DS
along. Sarah brought a book. It was all good.
I regret the time I spent fearing video games.
Deborah in IL
**************************************
See what's free at http://www.aol.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
dislike TV a little more than you dislike books.**
Pprobably you just haven't ever been in any unschoolers homes. :) I've
visited unschoolers all across the country, and the one thing so far they've all had
in common is bookcases. Stuffed bookcases. Bookcases stuffed with books,
even, as well as stuffed with puzzles and games and videos and just plain stuffed.
I love poking through other people's bookcases - it's fun for me to see what
they have that I also have, and even more fun to find new things beside old
familiar things.
Then there's my house. I have a book fetish. It's sad, really. There are too
many books for them all to be out and displayed in ways that make them
available to everyone living here without having to ask me for help. *I* know what's
in the house and where it is, but except for a few key collections actually in
bookcases (still thousands of books) the family hasn't a clue.
I'm sure you dislike TV a WHOLE LOT MORE than I dislike books.
Anyway. I'm inspired to tell a story I'm pretty sure I haven't shared on
these lists before.
I used to be very anti video game. In 1981 my parents gave me an
Intellivision system as a present for my then 3yo son. Oh man. I played and played and
played that game. I was obsessed. Well, that convinced me for sure. These things
are dangerously addictive. I controlled the time my kid could play the games
and I absolutely refused to buy that cool Nintendo system we kept hearing
about. It was too good.
And there things stayed for a very very long time. Eventually we got
computers and some computer gaming entered my kids lives, but still, I wasn't going to
have those video game systems in MY house. Too addictive.
In 1999 my younger son Patrick, then age 7, brought home a Game Boy Color
system from his best friend's house. His friend had loaned him the system for the
week because he wanted Patrick to level him up in the game they were
currently working on. I decided the best response was just to let him play it as much
as he wanted, not fight over it, given that the system would only be there for
a limited time. Well. The game boy sat in my son's room almost all week
unplayed, then the last two days he remembered he'd promised his friend he would
play the game for him so spent a lot of time making up for forgetting it all
week.
I thought about that a lot. First, the kid was really good at the games with
very restricted access. Why was I withholding from him something he was very
skilled at? Second, clearly the games were not addicting for him. He'd had the
game with free access and even knowing he'd be returning it at the end of the
week he'd chosen other things.
All three of my kids still living at home received Game Boy Color systems for
Christmas that year. (They were then 15, 7 and 7) I have wonderful pictures
of the three of them sitting around together playing those games. They played
for many many many days straight.
Since then we've had a video game explosion around here. I bought a Nintendo
64 system for the house, and many games. Patrick saved for and bought a used
Game Cube system. Sarah saved for and bought a Playstation 2 system. They
bought an Xbox system together. I gifted the family with the new Wii system a few
months ago. They've moved on through the Game Boy Advance systems to the
Nintendo DS. I got my own handheld systems and play with my kids. Patrick found an
original Nintendo Entertainment System at a rummage sale, boxed, with two
controllers, the gun controller, and several games, for 5 bucks. That sent him on a
quest to collect "vintage" video games, the Nintendo systems and games from
before he was a player (many from before he was born). We tracked down copies
of old text adventure games for the computers, even. (Zork, Hitchhikers Guide
to the Universe)
They love video games. They play a lot of them. They save to buy games, trade
games with friends, have video game parties. When they have new games they
sometimes play very late into the night. They're on a first name basis with the
staff at the Game Crazy Store. And yet... the video games, beloved as they
are, are just a small part of their very big lives.
Patrick takes a bike ride every day of the year that there isn't ice on the
streets. Sarah rides several days a week, usually longer rides to places she
can sketch nature. Patrick is outside many hours every day - now that it's warm
the block teens are playing kickball in the street some afternoons, or he's
off with his skateboarding pals in the schoolyard :) or at the skatepark, or
fishing the lagoon, or up a tree. They read books, watch movies, go to watch
Shakespeare with a group of friends. Patrick works at learning guitar, engages in
long philosophical discussions, and ponders the mysteries of physics and the
calculus. Sarah sketches, paints, and works on her novel. And they play video
games.
Today we drove two hours (roadwork! Grrr) into the city so Sarah could have
her dance injured hip examined by a specialist. Both Patrick and Sarah have
been playing the new Pokemon games for DS this week. Patrick brought his DS
along. Sarah brought a book. It was all good.
I regret the time I spent fearing video games.
Deborah in IL
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See what's free at http://www.aol.com
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Gold Standard
>>I gifted the family with the new Wii system a fewOMG total score!! Still checking game store regularly...
>>months ago.<<
Happy for you (sniff),
Jacki
Kris
Both of my children have been allowed unlimited access to TV, video games
and computer. My oldest, 16, hates the TV, only spends large amounts of
time on the computer when there is nothing else going on and seldom plays
video games. She loves to read but dislikes most books, seem to gravitate
towards instructional material. She taught herself to read and write with
me available to answer questions and she now has a vocabulary and
comprehension which would carry her through any college level.
My youngest, 9, taught himself to read via video games and computer, he
taught himself to spell and type via computer. He has a vocabulary and
comprehension well beyond most teenagers I know. He loves to read and does
most of that on the computer. He has not felt the need for extensive
handwriting yet and I am content that he will master that skill with the
same speed and ease that he did with all others.
I could have forced all of these skills and then credited myself with the
results, or perhaps a school could claim some of that thunder. The TRUTH is
that they learn every second of every day and are as delighted to gain new
skills as they are to play. Work, learning and play have very blurred
boundaries in our world and that delights me.
Had I placed limits or value on any of their preferred activities they may
have seen learning as work and that would be a shame.
Kris
--
The true measure of a person is how they treat those who can be of no use to
them.
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and computer. My oldest, 16, hates the TV, only spends large amounts of
time on the computer when there is nothing else going on and seldom plays
video games. She loves to read but dislikes most books, seem to gravitate
towards instructional material. She taught herself to read and write with
me available to answer questions and she now has a vocabulary and
comprehension which would carry her through any college level.
My youngest, 9, taught himself to read via video games and computer, he
taught himself to spell and type via computer. He has a vocabulary and
comprehension well beyond most teenagers I know. He loves to read and does
most of that on the computer. He has not felt the need for extensive
handwriting yet and I am content that he will master that skill with the
same speed and ease that he did with all others.
I could have forced all of these skills and then credited myself with the
results, or perhaps a school could claim some of that thunder. The TRUTH is
that they learn every second of every day and are as delighted to gain new
skills as they are to play. Work, learning and play have very blurred
boundaries in our world and that delights me.
Had I placed limits or value on any of their preferred activities they may
have seen learning as work and that would be a shame.
Kris
--
The true measure of a person is how they treat those who can be of no use to
them.
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