Leo Benson
CT
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Joined: 04/30/2003
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I'm all for any parent making choices for their own family in regard to TV and video games, whether at home or on the road. But I don't buy into justifying it by saying it's good for them. Just because a kid sends X hour a week playing the game du jour does not mean Johnny is going to be a rocket scientist.
And all those robotic surgery devices were developed by bioengineers, who got their advanced degrees as the result of studying and excelling in school and grad school. Usually 26 semester hours, internships, and the like. I know, my son is one. He was prepared to step into that kind of academic rigor. Meanwhile, his high school peer in the same program, who was a gamer, washed out. Once he got to college he could not tear himself away from the screen.
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atreis
Yellow Springs, OH
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Joined: 08/29/2005
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IMO, neither of these anecdotes is proof. For these two cases, you can also find cases of students who are/were gamers who did quite well, and others who were not who washed out. I think it's far more a matter of the ability to apply discipline to one's own choices than a history of gaming.
As another anecdote that is at an extreme:
A guy I knew in high school was not permitted to play games, watch TV, own a computer, use a computer at another student's house, or even own or listen to music (I got in trouble with his parents a couple times for smuggling him a tape player and cassettes). He washed out in his first semester of college because he spent all his time doing all those things he was never allowed to do while living at home. My interpretation: He never learned self-discipline because discipline was so rigorously imposed on him.
(And yes, there are likewise examples of kids that failed out because they had too little discipline imposed on them at home.)
Like I said, it's not gaming, it's the ability to impose discipline on one's own actions (limit the amount of time spent gaming, in this case).
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nomad63
Michigan
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Joined: 10/21/2009
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Although we have a pop-down television and dvd player in the burb (which the kids use on longer trips), we do not take the video game player with us on our camping trips. This has never been an issue as we are typically very busy during the day and always end the evening with a camp fire. During bad weather, and sometimes in the evening, we do watch tv in the trailer as we have a 21" flat screen. however, it rarely gets used as everyone is usually very tired in the evening.
Me, my wife, a few kids, and a dog
2005 Suburban, 2005 Outback 26RS
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sneakers145
CT
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Leo Benson wrote:I'm all for any parent making choices for their own family in regard to TV and video games, whether at home or on the road. But I don't buy into justifying it by saying it's good for them. Just because a kid sends X hour a week playing the game du jour does not mean Johnny is going to be a rocket scientist.
Never claimed that. Just that video games do have redeeming qualities and they aren't total time-wasters or mind-numbing drivel.
Quote:And all those robotic surgery devices were developed by bioengineers, who got their advanced degrees as the result of studying and excelling in school and grad school. Usually 26 semester hours, internships, and the like. I know, my son is one. He was prepared to step into that kind of academic rigor. Meanwhile, his high school peer in the same program, who was a gamer, washed out. Once he got to college he could not tear himself away from the screen.
Gaming and the Elderly
Gaming in College
Surgeons and Video Games
Jay
Two kids and two Brussels Griffons
Nights camped in 2009: 27
2000 Fleetwood Bounder 32H
2007 Ford Focus
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want2camp247
Glen Burnie, MD
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Our daughter brings her Nintendo DS. She almost never uses it because she would rather be playing with other children, but she has it to use if she wanted to.
2007 Chevy Tahoe LT
2008 Jayco Jay Flight 26bh
Eric, Tonya and kids Sydney and Danny.
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Leo Benson
CT
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Joined: 04/30/2003
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sneakers, I don't expect either of us will change our opinions. As I stated to the OP, it's really a parental choice, and the most important issue is both parents be on the same page in regard to their decision.
We made the right decision for our family. I'm sure you feel likewise.
Happy camping!
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sneakers145
CT
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Leo Benson wrote:sneakers, I don't expect either of us will change our opinions. As I stated to the OP, it's really a parental choice, and the most important issue is both parents be on the same page in regard to their decision.
We made the right decision for our family. I'm sure you feel likewise.
Happy camping!
Once you post on a message board, the ideas are on the table for discussion and examination. The subsequent posts, IMO, are less about the specific individual or family that posted, and more about the ideas. I'm discussing the ideas presented, not trying to change one specific person's opinion. I never even look to see who posted what. The discussion ceases to be about one person but the topic as a whole.
Whether or not a family chooses to bring video games camping is up to them. But there may be many more reading this topic who haven't posted, who might be on the fence about gaming. They hear the common wisdom about how bad and mindless video games are, but on the other hand may see how much their kids enjoy them, and there is a lot of parental pressure to follow the crowd of conventional wisdom that video games are bad and a waste of time and should be limited and other 'healthier' options promoted. And they aren't sure if letting their kids game is okay, or they may feel on some level they must be bad parents for 'allowing' (I hate that word!) their kids to game.
I'm just presenting the other side, that games can be very interesting, in many ways educational, and that they are a lot more complex than many parents who haven't played them realize.
And realize that we are all unique, and what one person may see as a waste of time, others may spend their whole lives immersed in. For me, I don't see the point of golf. It's mindless and watching it on TV is worse than watching paint dry. Hitting a little ball around the grass and into cups is a waste of time. And NASCAR. Just how many times can you watch cars drive around in a circle? Hours apparently. Waste of time! But obviously Tiger Woods, the PGA, Tony Stewart and Junior disagree with me.
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crasster
Dallas
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The only thing we allow is an occasional classical movie to play while on long drives. This means movies like "The sound of music".
Otherwise, NO videos, No Games, or anything like that while camping. Board games, cards, reading and numerous other activities while in the camper. Camping is an "escape" from normal life, and family time is emphasized.
If there are LONG periods of bad weather though (several days), I may bring in our laptop and let the kids play a bit. But that's it.
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gar_fanatic
Iowa
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sneakers145 wrote:Pretty much by having unlimited access to all edible things in our house, whether it be fruit, veggies, cheese, meats, juice, soda, cookies, candy, ice cream, and having everything equal in value, with nothing being labeled bad or taboo, the kids pretty much eat the healthier things over the cookies and candy. Why? Because they know at any given time of any day they can eat a cookie if they want one. Only once or twice have they ever eaten too many where they said yuck, I shouldn't have eaten too many.
I've read through all 6 pages of this discussion and I agree with sneakers145. We also have an unlimited access plan to everything in our house (Wii, movies, food, etc). Do you know where are kids are? Outside helping with chores. Playing with our animals. When they get inside, they grab an apple or a banana, not the twinkies sitting right next to them. It's the same way I was raised. My eldest has had a sip of beer and hated it. She has been around my smoking mother and told me afterwards that "Gramma really stinks" and I told her it's because of the cigarettes, and she told me she'd never do that because it makes you smell bad. I was so proud of her!! You show them what will happen to them if they do those bad things and they will more likely not do it than if you just say "don't do this". Everyone does what they are not supposed to once in a while, some more often than others.
While camping we also maintain this open atmosphere. They do eat more sweets (so do I), but while we are there we are rarely inside to watch movies or games. The most they played video games was while our friends had their wii set up in the "outdoor basement" of their MH. Most often we're biking, fishing or just enjoying making smores and other things. We normally go with a bunch of friends, so their usually doing something fun close-by. We always park closest to the camp playground.
Give them free rein to the games and after a few hours they will probably shut it off themselves anyway, as long as you give them something better to do.
Me, my DH, my DD (7) and DS (3)
'09 Puma PF295BHSS 33 1/2' Bunk house (Finally-a camper I'm proud of!)
'04 Ford F-350 crew cab 6.0L PowerStroke diesel "the haulin hawg"
Owners of an auto repair shop-Working hard to play hard later
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shihtzumoma
Roseville CA
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Joined: 09/20/2009
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Hi Everyone
Thanks for your input. What my husband and I decided was to use electronics for downtime. But guess what. We put some board games and card games in the RV . Magic Happened. We were in Santa Cruz at the KOA and my boy hung out with kids his own age doing the bouncing pillow , biking etc. He was a only child until his dad married me. I said, "Aaron how about a game of Sorry or checkers and his face lit up. He said yes. We played games for hours and he got to have 1:1 attention with step mom and dad. I made popcorn and drinks and we played games. I was so happy to connect with my new son. Finally an answer I had not thought of board games and card games. The games are staying in the RV for our future trips.
Jeanine and Chris Williams
2008 Class C
4 kids
3 Shih tzus and one on the way
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