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If you haven't read it already via other means, please take a moment to look
at this, as this editorial is my own perspective of the topic, and I decided
to write this after I read the article in question: Should Kids Play Games?
I guess I have somewhat of a unique look at gaming as a kid. I always felt
tired (perhaps, the doctor suggests, an early sign of a disease I've since had
diagnosed) and was not particularly social as a kid, which meant I stayed
indoors a lot; despite common criticism, this was not *that* detrimental to my
health, considering I had daily gym classes and participated in sports, both
ones my parents signed me up for and later of my own volition - I played
badminton through the end of high school just like my mother and brother had.
I have struggled with my weight over my teen years and as an adult, but that
is far more thanks to my eating habits and crappy immune system, and not to do
with my exercise habits. Naturally, the less I do, the more weight I tend to
put on, but I simply cannot attribute that to my childhood.
That being said, while indoors I had only a finite amount of choices of things
to do. I could read, which I did voraciously. I could colour, but I never
stayed inside the lines Or, I could play video games. And I did game a lot.
The article talks about how his daughter taught herself to play piano because
she had nothing else to do. Fab, but let's put this into perspective: I taught
myself how to play the organ downstairs by composing the opera from FFVI one
night at about 3 in the morning (on a weekend, thanks), and from there learned
various other musics like holiday carols to play for my family. I'm still
surprised I didn't wake anyone else up doing that, heh heh.
I also had to go retrieve any games I rented for myself, and return them. That
was a 20-30 minute bike ride there, and the same back. Not including the
pacing in front of the door I did when I showed up early!
I've also used video games to focus myself, first as a teenager and today as
well. I remember having a huge project due as a teenage for my history class
and I'd spend an hour playing a video game - FFVI again I believe - and then
sit down and write like a maniac on my project, fully focused, very
deliberately, until my eyes crossed from the work, and then I relaxed with my
game again. I *did* have all of my research done before that, thanks to Mom's
copious photocopying for me and the attack of the killer highlighter done by
yours truly. Can't complain though, I got an A on that project. I also did the
same thing while I studied for my huge cultural geography final (Yohoho!
Puzzle Pirates to the rescue) just a week ago, and I walked out of that exam
feeling happy and confident that I'd done a very good job. We'll have to wait
and see what mark I get, but I'm positive I passed, whereas before I began
studying I feared failure.
So, while I do think anything in excess is obviously bad, I suspect I will
have no compunction buying electronics or video games related for any children
I may have for the future. Screw TV. That option is completely out. I haven't
watched TV (and 30 mins at the airport or at the parents' house watching
something education does not count) in nearly 6 years, and I don't plan on
starting up any time soon. I like my anime and will continue to watch it,
because *I* decide when to watch it and for how long. I'm not a slave to it,
and frankly it's one helluva lot better than the garbage on TV nowadays.
But I will happily help my child learn to read with a leap pad along with real
books, develop motor skills playing a friendly game of non violent racing
(Burnout can wait until they're older, thanks), or get them exercising by
playing the latest incarnation of Mario Mix DDR.
In conclusion, wow that turned out much longer than I thought it would.
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