Bill O'Rights

This post http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showpos...34&postcount=4
In this thread http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=76579
made me smile. For, you see...I also do not allow video games into my house. Of course, my daughter believes me to be Torquemada reincarnated, as we have to be "the only family on this planet that doesn't have at least a nintendo." So, this new development now begs the question...how many others out there do not own, or allow, video game systems? I know that we've got to be the minority, to be sure...but I'm just curious as to how many there are.

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Ustwo

My PC is part video game system, so does that count?

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lpj8

When I was a kid, my parents didn't like buying video games, but they eventually caved when I turned about 12. Of course, I wanted every system to ever come out, but my parents would usually make me chose one every few years. When I hit college, I pretty much bought them all, which ruined my freshman year. Some video games, although the minority, are very educational. I think we underutilize video games for instructional purposes. Having video games in a house with kids can be very beneficial and harmful. On one hand, the video games can be used as a powerful reinforcer for good behavior (All homework finished before 7:00pm). In the past I have worked with children with ADHD, and the promise of 5 minutes of video game time was the best way for me to get the kids to work for 15 minutes.
On the other hand, if not adequately supervised, kids can play video games for days at a time.

f6twister

I have a few different systems but they are all old. The newest system I have is the N64. I'm still working on a few games which I never finished. After I got married and my son was born, I find myself lacking time for video games.

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tropple

I bought two for my daughter.

I don't like consoles and can't be bothered playing unless she asks (infrequently, thank goodness).

I have better ways to spend my time (re: porn addiction thread elsewhere on TFP) ;-)

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Paradise Lost

Other than the computer, I don't even play Console video games anymore. Especially up at school (this thing wastes all my time for me, I don't have anymore to waste on games.) Besides, I haven't really been interested in Console Games since Goldeneye 64.
Books are my video games now.

So most likely when/if I get a family, etc, I'll allow computers, but stress books more.

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asshopo

I voted "I've got a few different systems." because I have my PS2 and my PC.

For the most part my oldest isn't ready for video games yet, she's only 5. My other girl is 2 1/2 and doesn't know what shes doing, but she likes to try. They play educational games (Blues Clues, Dora, Nick Jr's site) on the PC and the 5 year old also plays on "doll dressup" sites. I have no problems with video games as long as it doesn't take over your life in any way. As in, I won't go GTA on the freeway.

The scary thing is, the 5 yr old just asked me the other night when she could have a computer for her desk

Stompy

I've had everything. NES, SNES, Gameboy, PSX... PC, you name it.

My brother (lives w/ my mom) has PS2 and Gamecube with tons of games. I encourage video game use. The majority of people grow up fine, it's up to the parent to limit playing.

If I didn't have video games, I wouldn't be the successful programmer I am today.

I did nothing but play video games growing up. When I became a teenager, I was curious as to how they were made - from there, taught myself programming, got a career at 17, and today, at 23, I'm doing quite well.

Putting myself through college, bought a house. Everything is great - all because of video games.

My aunt was a nutcase who refused to get a TV in their house. God forbid your kids have some fun... "When I was a kid, we had fun playing with STICKS AND STRING!" - your kids must do the same cuz it worked for you!

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skier

While stompy may have done well with video games in his house, it was pretty much the opposite for me. I would level up characters for hours every day on my computer- playing video games was an escape from reality for me. In the end I realized how foolish it was but it did take up a lot of my time when i was young.

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thriolith

I've never had any video game systems. At least I have my computer though.

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Redlemon

I had an Atari 2600 back in the day, but it didn't get that much use. I don't get much out of twitch games. I have solitare/puzzle type games on my Palm handheld. My son is 2, so it hasn't come up yet; I'd prefer not to get him a console system.

In summary: 'other'

The Prophet

No video games and no television service (satelite, broadcast or cable), though we do have broadband internet, and we do own a Television set and a VCR. We use internet daily (though not to excess), and watch maybe a dozen movies a year (mostly classics, a few new releases.)

I don't know how anyone has time to play games or watch TV. Considering the shit that is on TV these days, I don't know why anyone would want to watch TV. My 17-year-old daughter has never bitched about not having a game system and has never asked for one. I told her when she leaves she can take the TV/VCR with her and she declined.

We spend time (the little we find) reading or writing. And with the huge number of excellent literature already written, I don't see my situation ever changing.

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SaltPork

Nothing other than the computer and that's fine. The only games we buy for the kids are educational...of course, the games I buy for myself are also educational, like Doom3, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, NFS Underground 2

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lukethebandgeek

[QUOTE=The Prophet] My 17-year-old daughter has never bitched about not having a game system and has never asked for one.QUOTE]

That's because she's a girl.

I love videogames. I love them lots. But I also love film and books. And every once and a while, South Park is really funny. When one isn't studying, there isn't much more to do as a college student.

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Life_Force

I own a P2, Sega Saturn, and several PC games.

I got my first Atari at the age of 11 and have been playing them since.
My mom was the coolest growing up because she would get involved and play them with us. It was good quality time and not a bad tool for sharpening the hand eye coordination skills.

My daugter is now 13 and we play all sorts of games together.

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LoganSnake

Out of curiocity, why don't you allow video games in the house?

I got my first system (NES) when I was 7 years old, as a present for getting straight As in the first grade. It did not hinder my social life in any way, as I preferred friends to videogames anyday, nor did I slump down on my grades. I continued getting As. If social and educational are your reasons for not getting your kids a videogame system, then you're just depriving your kids of mindless fun, and often education material, that they could be having with their friends or alone.

Of course, I am not questioning your parenting, just stating my opinion. I'd still like to know why you don't allow them in your house.

Right now I own a NES, SNES, N64, PS2, and a PC.

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tiltedbc

These things are like crack cocaine. I'd love to spend all day playing games. That's the problem.

Bad enough I've got the internet and all that it serves up for free.

RolandGilead

When I was a child my parents never allowed me to have a console, except a gameboy.
Now I am 22 and in the last 4 months I bought a NES, a SNES and a Gamecube!
Of course I own the GBA SP, too.
So much about "I won`t let my child play with this brain-destructing rubbish";
I don`t have time for my studies now, since I have to play all these old games now.

ratbastid

I have an XBox and an N64. And no kids. I'm pretty much the gamer in our house--and I'm not even very hardcore. lurkette's into Zelda titles, but she doesn't care enough to get a gamecube.

amonkie

Growing up, we had the original Nintendo, and the following rules for use: We could only use it on rainy days. Now, I live in Arizona, where it's sunny about 360 days of the year. And when it DOES rain, it doesn't last for very long. My brother ended up winning a PS2 at a New Years Eve thing last year, so that's the only recent videogame addition we have.

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present_future

I've got a PS2, but I hardly play it. When I do, it's usually sports games.

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MooseODV

I have a PS2, SNES, and NES. However, just about the only one I ever play is Tetris on the NES. Right now though they're all in a box gathering dust.

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If that makes any sense...

MSD

You are evil and negligent as a parent

/me looks at his box containing no less than 400 games fore the original Nintendo alone, plus the stacks of Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Playstation, PS2, and computer games strewn around the room.

powerclown

Oh hell no, I'm not videogameless.
Wasn't it Al Franken who once said, "Video games are proof that God loves Us, and wants Us to be happy"?

LIMilf

Right now I just have my PS2 and I play mostly sport games on it. I like the playing people online feature. Hell of an advance considering 10 years ago I was blowing in my nintendo cartriges to try to get them to work.

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Grancey

I am soooo video gameless. When my niece and nephew come visit, they have to bring the whole shebang with them.

I cannot relate, because I was not raised that way. I read books, not cheat codes. I played whiffle ball and basketball until dinner time, and when my mom wasn't home I bounced tennis balls off the side of the house.

I just don't get it. These kids have no outdoor activities. They don't read books. They have no social skills. It's all about the video games. I've worked in media and computer technology for years, so I am aware of the attraction and the addiction. But we have to provide and enforce diversity for these kids today.

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ibis

I think their a waste of time. I used to love them when I was younger... now they just make me dizzy.

Prince

Don't worry, you're not the only tightarse out there. I used to know one dad who would not even allow a television set in his home. Then again he was a religious nut, you cannot expect any sensible behaviour from them anyway.

I don't agree with your values, but as such I try to respect them. Personally, I'd never go that far. Mobile phones, computers, video games, television, Internet...all of these things are "bad for kids", depending on which source you listen to. But they are also a very strong part of our culture, and it is only natural that your children display an interest in these things. Completely prohibiting the incorporation of such things in their lives seems rather inane to me.

Each to their own, of course.

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LoganSnake

Not to be rude or anything, but it is the fault of a parent, and not of a child, that they play videogames all day without going outside or reading books. You've got to set the rules and appoint appropriate punishments. Completely leaving your kids without a console to pass free time on is pretty weak. I mean, I've already brought myself as an example. If your kid is active, has lots of friends, likes to play outside, then bringing a videogame system into the house (or a TV *sigh*) is pretty harmless. I'm really glad I didn't have some of you as parents (no TVs, damn).

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Evil Milkman

I've got a few systems, only play them once in a while.

ARTelevision

I have no interest in using technology for this sort of thing.

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Zeraph

Video games, drinking, drugs, they can all be abused. Shielding your child from them will not make a better person, if they would abuse drugs and they don't have access to them then they will abuse something else.

Though I'm not saying not to structure your children's lives or give them discipline. Limiting their TV watching is OK, and probably good. Having no TV at all is not OK.

And FYI I fall under the "I have one system, and that's plenty." Which happens to be my PC. I've been playing video games since atari and some of the first real computer games (Doom, Wolfenstein 3D) and I've learned a lot from them. There can be quite a bit of skill and strategy involved that you just can't learn in many other places. As well as them being a cheap, non dangerous activity I can turn to just about whenever I need stress relief or have some time to kill.

EDIT: And oh, to drive my point in more, I turned out OK I think. School wise I've gotten straight A's since 7th grade (on my 2nd year of college now). Physical wise I'm fairly active, never been over wieght, played sports, am a martial artist, hike, paintball, ski, etc. And of course the only thing that really matters is that I'm happy. Again my point is, it's the person that makes the person, not video games, drugs, etc. It's not what you do, but how you do it. OK I think I'm done now...

StephenSa

I have an SNES, N64, a Playstation, Playstation 2, and three computers. I used to be quite addicted to gaming but now often go for months without playing. For me it was never really a problem. It filled the time and was better then hitting the bar and drinking. As long as it doesn't get in the way of school work or other responsibilities its fine. Of course ita also perfectly alright to have none. To each his own...

Rodney

Never, nor any computer game that is very complicated. To me, a game is something to fit into a five-minute break while working, for a change of pace. And for that, I usually play a simple Flash or Java game off the web: Squares 2, Bookworm, things like that.

An evening spent with video games is a waste, worse that watching sitcoms.

dbc

I play a lot of video games, I know people think they are a "waste" but I don't really think anything has much of a point. Video games help the time pass.

Tracybrian

The one and only reason I have no playstation is because I waste will waste all of my waking hours consumed by it. I think that when we retire we will be the first seniors to take advantage of video games and free time. I plan on playing GTA3 well into my 90s

spindles

I'm assuming you aren't talking PC games. I do that, but don't have a console and don't want one. The type of games I like (RTS, RPG) are just not that good / not going to work well on consoles.

Consoles are (IMHO) focussed on shooters which I hate and driving games which I'm hopeless at

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jizzmasterp

I've got an xbox and my laptop running in my dorm room.

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quadro2000

During those "formative" years (maybe 9-12) when everybody in town had Nintendo, my parents (mainly my father) wouldn't allow it. I was pretty pissed at the time. Eventually, around 14 or 15, they let me buy a Game Boy but were somewhat strict about how often I could use it.

However, because I never really became "addicted" to video games as a kid, eventually the interest waned. I would play linear games (like the first few Mario Bros) at friends' houses, but it was never much fun because they were so much better than I was. After a few years, I stopped using the Game Boy as well.

I'm really happy, looking back, that my father limited my usage of it. My brother had it a little easier - he has a PS2 now but he doesn't use it to excess at all. I have a SuperNES in the house but I almost never hook it up. While I do think it'd be fun to have an outlet like that, I don't understand how my friends sit up and play all through the night. Just not my thing. And it obviously saves me a lot of money in games.

The Internet, on the other hand....

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jimk

i've got a 5-year old, so i'm holding off the inevitable for as long as i can.

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