I'm glad that this pediatrician recognizes parents' duty to learn to live with video games, even though I'm quite perplex that he mentions them along with guns and violence.

Anyway, as David Walsh said, "watch what your kids watch, play what your kids play".

@soldatlouis

i suspect the reasons their mentioned alongside guns and violence, is because many games these days contain guns and violence.

@ C'Tri :

Maybe. Anyway, I prefer this speech than the "games cause violence" one, by far.


@ Monkeythumbs :

It's not that surprising, actually. Most newspapers and magazines in mainstream media now have a "games editor" or sort of, who is a gamer himself (herself) and has a unique opportunity to spread another message about video games. But that doesn't prevent the same magazines' editors from other sections to blame games from time to time.

Of course parents should game with their children, just like they should read with their children, watch television and films with their children, attend stage productions with their children, play sports with their children, cook with their children, do chores with their children. All of these things are part of parenting - it's how kids learn about life.

I find it amusing that some people take the idea that they can/should play video games with their children as some sort of revelation, instead of viewing it as part of just, well, being a parent.

I find it nice to finally see a posting who's subject matter isn't condemning games/gaming. It is also refreshing to know that there are actual pediatricians and doctors who believe that gaming can be a good experience for youth.

As far as his comment on the guns and violence issue, I believe that if his intent is to support the claims of the first quote, he would be correct in stating that as parents, parents must support good habits in gaming. This would be in attest to the fact that parents shouldn't be playing Teen and Mature games with young kids, but if you had an other gamer in the house it wouldn't hurt to not play a few rounds of Halo with him, but it might be good to get in some Wii Sports action as well.

Again, it is nice to see a balanced view from an individual and professional. Not something we see too often.

Who would of thought talking to your kids would have such a positive effect on their life. (Hint: anyone who doesn't like blaming video games)

"Games where you’re an actual soldier in combat I have trouble with. I find that it’s more like a numbing effect to the harsh realities of war.
"

I disagreeGames where you’re an actual soldier in combat I have trouble with. I find that it’s more like a numbing effect to the harsh realities of war.
with this part. The numbing seems to come from the idea that you are taking part in mass murdering enemy soldier. Well while playing Call of Duty 4 you live through the horror of war in a way no other media would have made me think about the horror of nuclear warfare and modern weapons...

In a movie you know that the hero will prevail and save the day. there is a very different feeling when you know that it is you that can make a difference, not some scripted actor, and that you can fail.

Researchers are focusing on the negative impact but my question would what is the impact of contextualized violent games. where the vilence has a sense and you are seeing it's consequences, not just kill X NPC.

Finally a pediatrician that isn't condemning video games for making kids fat, unsociable and lazy and is instead taking a positive outlook on it instead of trying to get parents to stop buying video games for their kids. Its amazing the number of kids that play video games but when they ask their parents to play with them the parents just shun them because "I am too old for video games because I am the parent and therefore I do not play video games". How many times have you met a parent like this, I know I have met them too often.

Some of these kids REALLY love video games, so why not nurture their interest in them instead of shunning it? Shunning a kids interest (provided its a harmless interest like video games) only creates unnecessary conflict within a family. This really isn't something that should be a constant source of argument. When you sign up for parenthood you do not sign up to make your kid a little version of what you wanted to be when you were a kid, you have to take their interests and support them in whatever they do, and if they are different then what you ideally imagined your kids would be like then you have to just let them be themselves. Don't try to make your kids something they are not just because "it was that way when I was a kid" or because you feel it should be that way just because.

To answer the question posed in the title, is the Space Pope reptilian?!?

Yes, parents should game with kids. Too many parents see any time they spend with their kids as wasted time. I know my parents wouldn't spend more then 20 seconds looking at anything on the screen with me, and that was just to make sure that I wasn't playing or watching anything violent (like Transformers, which was too violent for me at 15 years old because it had guns in it).

I think much of the alienation between the parents and their kids when playing video games happens because of the greater leaps of technology that seem to span our generation and most parents have to come to grips with the technology in video games. A lot of them will be confused by the controllers bristling with buttons...and just looking at the action of the screen makes them wonder how they will ever keep up. The "I'm too old for video games" excuse is sometimes a way to cover this. But now with the Wii and games like Guitar Hero (a controller that looks like a guitar! That's relevant to my childhood!) are helping break that technology barrier.

Then you have the parents that think it is a lazy activity where you don't get a lot of fresh air. And when you compare it to playing sports at a park, it is. But you can't constantly complain that video gamers are turning your kids into vegetables if you don't try to make the best of the situation. Kids only look unsociable because there is no one around for them to play with. Play some Mario Kart with your kids...it's today's version of tossing the ol' pigskin.

"Should Parents Game With Kids?"

The answer is obvious, it's yes :).

That's what I'll do if have kids one day ;).

Game with them. I plan to game with my children. So does my wife. I guess we'll either be investing in 3 gaming PCs or a couple extra controllers for whatever console is cool at the time.

You know, my parents never gamed with me. I think it may have had something to do with the fact they worked too many hours, came home exhausted, and then had to make us food, get us cleaned, put us to bed, etc.

It occurs to me it's probably the same situation for many families today.

Playing games is often a social activity. What is the fundamental difference between playing chess in real life compared to playing chess on the Internet? I guess few have any objections against playing a game of chess together with your kid on your old wooden chessboard... so what's the problem doing it in a computer based environment?

My Mom and I playing Zombies Ate My Neighbors for the Sega console. Some of the best days of my life.

My mum generally only ever watches me play my games, but she acts as another set of eyes for me when I'm playing things like Crackdown.

Then again, she also takes over my 360 frequently, if only to play Pac-Man or Uno or something on Xbox Live Arcade.

Reminds me that my father used to play with me on my NES when I was 6 and couldn't understand the game (thanks to my limited knowledge of English).

My father stills play a bit, but he only tries to beat his score at Spider Solitaire and Mahjong. My mother used to like to play Age of Empires 2 mostly thanks to the historical content. And she just said that she found Kingdom Hearts interesting.

My uncle (who's a father) is an avid Myst fan and he loves Metal Gear Solid. We often spend one night playing games (on our free time of course).

DUH!

@ Teh Mommy:

'Grats, you're super. But what you can manage to accomplish with one set of circumstances may be prohibitively difficult for another parent under what's seemingly less arduous circumstances. Everyone has different limits and capabilities.

Pigskin...

Good work. Keep it up....