Re:jumping in
Julie Stauffer
<<just plays video games>>
I think the reason many kids deschool with video games is multi-faceted.
First off, games have probably been limited in the past so the kids have
time to finish off all their school work OR they have been used as a carrot
to try to get kids to finish their school work. So the kids now have total
access to something that before was limited. No wonder they binged. Think
back to when access to sugar was scarce. Society ladies held "sugar
parties" where they just binged on sugar, the more the better.
Second, kids are (hopefully) going from limited control of themselves to
much greater control. In video games, you are pretty much in total control
(what "universe" you want to be in, what character, what you do and how long
you do it).
Third, its just fun. For years, us parents have been telling kids that they
need to get used to knuckling down and WORKING, like it is some terrible
thing to learn and live your life. Kids follow the natural instinct to do
what they enjoy. Hey, I pretty much just do what I enjoy.
Fourth, kids are checking to see if you really mean it. Not necessarily
consciously but checking none the less. They have been told that they are
in charge. Does that mean that they are in charge even if they make
different decisions than you would? Is this freedom temporary? For some
odd reason, I never make pumpkin pie other than Thanksgiving. Strangely,
that is also the only time that I ever eat pie and whip cream for breakfast.
It is like I know the pie is temporary and I better get it while I can.
Fifth, the kid is not vegging out. It only looks like it from the outside.
The amount of decision making and concentration necessary to play those
games is tremendous.
Take heart. My kids originally binged on television. I have 5 kids, its
raining outside, Dad and Mom are otherwise occupied, there are 2 newly
rented movies on the counter and all the kids are playing in the garage.
This too shall pass.
Julie
I think the reason many kids deschool with video games is multi-faceted.
First off, games have probably been limited in the past so the kids have
time to finish off all their school work OR they have been used as a carrot
to try to get kids to finish their school work. So the kids now have total
access to something that before was limited. No wonder they binged. Think
back to when access to sugar was scarce. Society ladies held "sugar
parties" where they just binged on sugar, the more the better.
Second, kids are (hopefully) going from limited control of themselves to
much greater control. In video games, you are pretty much in total control
(what "universe" you want to be in, what character, what you do and how long
you do it).
Third, its just fun. For years, us parents have been telling kids that they
need to get used to knuckling down and WORKING, like it is some terrible
thing to learn and live your life. Kids follow the natural instinct to do
what they enjoy. Hey, I pretty much just do what I enjoy.
Fourth, kids are checking to see if you really mean it. Not necessarily
consciously but checking none the less. They have been told that they are
in charge. Does that mean that they are in charge even if they make
different decisions than you would? Is this freedom temporary? For some
odd reason, I never make pumpkin pie other than Thanksgiving. Strangely,
that is also the only time that I ever eat pie and whip cream for breakfast.
It is like I know the pie is temporary and I better get it while I can.
Fifth, the kid is not vegging out. It only looks like it from the outside.
The amount of decision making and concentration necessary to play those
games is tremendous.
Take heart. My kids originally binged on television. I have 5 kids, its
raining outside, Dad and Mom are otherwise occupied, there are 2 newly
rented movies on the counter and all the kids are playing in the garage.
This too shall pass.
Julie
Gerard Westenberg
<The amount of decision making and concentration necessary to play thosegames is tremendous.>
An interesting side note to this. Just now, my recently turned 10 yo, asked me about the x and the y axis. He is playing a computer game and he had to plan moves along the x axis. I love low it just came up - and from a computer game, which he loves....Leonie W.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
An interesting side note to this. Just now, my recently turned 10 yo, asked me about the x and the y axis. He is playing a computer game and he had to plan moves along the x axis. I love low it just came up - and from a computer game, which he loves....Leonie W.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]