Tuesday, November 25, 2008

We Start 'em Young 'Round Here

Video Games. They are a completely different animal than when I was growing up. When I was growing up, playing video games was done in an arcade. Games like PacMan, Mrs. PacMan, Donkey Kong, Galaga. To see those games now, the graphics are pitiful. But we loved them. Then came Atari and we got to play Pong! Ugh! I hated pong. I didn't have the patience for it. I could never get that little bar to go where I wanted it to go as fast or as slow as I wanted it to get there. And then I remember sitting for hours watching my high school boyfriend play Zelda. That must have been the beginning of story games... puzzle games. Figure it all out. But again, you had to read the clues. They didn't speak to you.

Video Games have become part of my children's culture. It's what they talk about. It's what they LIVE to do. In our house, it's the carrot. "Get your school work done and you can play video games." "Do your chores and you can play video games." "Help Daddy in the barn, and you can play video games."
Saturdays and Sundays they each get a free hour of video time. No Chores. Just fun. When the Nutty Papa and I were kids, we enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons. So that's what this reminds us of. Just free time to do what you want. They love it! They count down the days until Saturday and Sunday.

Lately, the Baby has been wanting to join his big brothers. This has been a long standing dilemma in our house. First it was Chojuk. He wanted to play with Daddy. Then it was the Snugglebug. He wanted to play with Chojuk. Now, it's the Baby. So I've taught the boys to do with him what we did with them...

Give him a "dummy" remote and let him play along. They're happy because he's not in their way, screaming for a remote. And he's happy because as far as he's concerned, he's the one playing. Ah, peace. If only it could be attained this easily all over the world...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish I had thought of that earlier! Thanks for the idea. :D

Holly said...

I was thinking the same as the previous send. Although, I think with our age he'd figure it out since he totally beats us. 8-)