Video Games - Not So Bad After All?

In our house, we have had our share of worries about whether video games are good or bad for kids.

Our first concern was whether we should even allow a game console to enter our house in the first place. Not really wanting our children to indulge in the "time wasting" habit of playing video games, my husband and I decided we agreed we weren't willing to part with our hard-earned money for an Xbox, Wii, or PlayStation.

Eventually our kids worked together and presented us with a compromise. In exchange for our "blessing", they would put up all the money to pay for their own Nintendo Wii.  Since this seemed fair, we agreed to the purchase, providing they understood that there would be restrictions on the specific games they purchased, as well as limits on how long/often they could play.
 
With that, our boys pooled their money and bought their first video game console and a few games.  Several years later, I don't have any regrets about this decision.  Because my sons used their own money to purchase the Wii and the majority of their games, they have done a pretty good job of taking care of their investments.  Rarely do I find game disks laying around and my kids have always followed the guidelines we put in place regarding the types of games they can buy and the number of hours they can play.

To be honest, I used to think that playing video games was a complete waste of time.  But, over the years, my attitude has changed.  While I still wouldn't want my kids playing games 24/7, I now actually think that video games are not so bad after all.  In fact, I even admit to seeing some inherent value in playing video games.

 

Physical Skills 
Video games can greatly improve hand-eye coordination.  To really know this, all you have to do is try playing a video game yourself.  When you see how poorly you do, compared to your child, you will be impressed with their new found skills.  Nothing makes my boys laugh more, than watching my character die because I repeatedly run him off a cliff.  Try as a I might, I just can't get Donkey Kong, or his little pal, Diddy, to jump.

Further supporting the benefit of improved physical skills, video game consoles are now being used in Senior Centers to help keep the 65+ crowd active. While it's true that they lean more towards tamer games like Bowling or Tennis, they are still using video games as a way improve their hand-eye coordination.

Quick Thinking
Believer it or not, video games actually make kids think. While there is a wide variety of games - ranging from educational games to first person shooters, they all have something in common - they require the player to think.  Unlike television shows or movies, which are extremely passive, video games require constant input from the users.  Contrary to public opinion, video games aren't mindless, instead they require a significant amount of quick thinking.

Strategic Planning
Video games require strategic planning.  In addition to eye-hand coordination and quick thinking, many games require players to problem solve using complex strategies.  It might not be enough to just have Mario battle Bowser in the castle.  Instead, the player might have to beat Bowser, do a triple spin, and then quickly jump through the green tube on the right to escape.  I always find it fun to see my kids figure out how they can finally beat the level, that up until now, seemed totally impossible.

Hard Work
Video games require players work hard.  I have yet to see a video game that doesn't require the player to advance one level at a time.  As the player progresses through the game, they can only move on by working hard to master each level.  Rarely (or never) do players just get to move up because they get tired of a particular level.  As such, I have watched my kids struggle for days or weeks to with a tough level and then celebrate when they've finally mastered it.  This kind of tenacity provides kids with a good lesson - success requires hard work and that sometimes the only way to reach your final goal is to fail repeatedly.

Socialization
Video games can help kids develop social interactions. Like most families of teenagers, my boys often have friends over to "play video games". These group encounters can consist of anywhere from 4-8 kids all playing together.  Rarely do I hear fights, and instead I'm serenaded with roars of laughter and squeals of delight.  In essence, playing video games with a group of  kids seems pretty fun.

Even when my kids are playing video games online, I have witnessed socialization benefits.  I have heard the conversations of all the online players as they work together as a team. Since I believe teamwork is an important lesson in the real world, I am glad to watch them develop these skills online.

According to a recently published book, Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal,  we learn more than 174 million Americans are gamers.  Furthermore, the average young person in the United States will spend ten thousand hours gaming by the age of twenty-one.  

While some people may look upon video games as a complete waste of time, other people see them a tool that can engage both kids and adults. Forward thinking parents should look at the positive aspects of video games and begin thinking about how we can use this technology to create educational programs that are so fun - kids won't even realize they're learning!  At the very least, parents can't afford to turn a blind eye to the impact that video games are having on our world.

Despite whether we love video games or hate them, I think that we can all agree this form of entertainment is here to stay.  While I still feel that it's a parent's job to monitor and impose limits on when, how often, and what type of games our kids are playing, I think that video games can have a positive role in our children's life.  The more that parents and educators get learn about video games, the more input we will have on the future of gaming and have an say in whether this technology helps or hurts our kids.