1234 wrote:
Just because the kid's holding some game console thing there, doesn't mean that's all he does for entertainment.
When I was younger I did a lot of gaming (grew up with a computer),
but I also played outside a lot with friends (and sometimes alone), we'd go to all kinds of places (though our parents did set limits as to where we could go), including forests, petting zoos, the school playground, the little field behind my friends place, our garden etc.).
Apart from that, games can also stimulate a kid's imagination, which, in my opinion, is not a bad thing. I remember playing out and thinking up elaborate stories inspired by fiction (from games/books/cartoons/movies/etc.), which was great fun.
It doesn't have to be either/or.
i think it often IS either/or w most kids. but your right. if combined and balanced w an outside life, theres nothing wrong with it.
my family werent very wealthy (un-wealthy norwegians!?) and we got cable/vcr/computers much later than everyone else.
when we finally got a super nintendo (i could NOT believe it) we were allready used to playing outside, so console gaming became a weekend-morning/evening thing, and the rest was outside-play, and all by itself. our mother didnt have to chase us away from the console
I grew up with NES and PC from when i was 5. My family was suburban, but i didn't care about getting Nindedo 64 becausr SUper mario brothers 3. was so fun!!