neat goblet
My son loves computer games, and I don't like that because I think it's a waste of time.
Is my thinking correct?
What works for my time may not necessarily be right for my son's time. What do you advise me, knowing that I registered my son in a course to learn the Scratch programming language.
He is 8 years old.
small pecan
Video Games is how lots of people in tech first gain interest in the field. But as the parent its up to you to decide for them if it is an acceptable use of their time and to determine how much time to spend focused on it.
viscid moon
Honestly, this day and age, video games are akin to the tv generation in the old days
its sort of blossomed into something bigger even. video games can be great for adaptibility, reflexive skillmaking, and i would argue it can be a better brain teaser potentially for problem solving than if someone were to watch tv
however, yes, without a doubt, video games can become a major crux
as someone who is now 35, and a former 5x pro gamer back in the day and a life long gamer, i have seen time and time again how this addiction can be just as harmful as it can be helpful. like everything, moderation is key.
i dont think it is a wise idea to completely shutter them from video games. they may resent you later for that, and it may develop into a worse addiction. instead, i would give them some space to explore, because as children, exploration is key. but dont let them stray too far from the path is what im saying. and if they become too addicted
then i would recommend watching content on video games from healthygamergg on youtube.
but as long as you keep them very social, and well liked, keep them on the right path by guiding them towards the things that they are passionate about early on through exploration, you might find that they will develop a deep affinity for things that may end up culminating into a career as an adult
but yes, video games are a major reason why a lot of programmers are in tech. some still play but a lot of them had curbed it. again, moderation is key here. you do want to watch how deep the addiction goes. its far better to balance than it ever is to let someone go wild or to restrict completely. i can tell you that restriction is where a lot of people fall into major addiction cycles into adulthood as they "catch up on what they couldnt do as a child"
just my two cents btw. im not a psychiatrist or anything but healthygamergg is. and he constantly talks about balance
I hope you find what is best for you and your family. Just know that whatever happens, whether things go south or not, you are doing what you believe is the best thing for your children. as long as communication is open and trust and honesty is there, i think you will be fine. @neat goblet I wish you the best of luck. oh btw, it took me a very long time to get past that video game addiction. thanks to my parents desire to restrict me. and they werent necessarily wrong, but i was too competitive and narrow minded as a child.
it also helps to understand if your kids have anything like adhd or autism too
i have both, diagnosed in adulthood. so thats a separate conversation though
some great resources
to start absorbing content from would be to watch some of his content. dr alok is a psychiatrist formerly from harvard btw and is a famous youtube and twitch guy now helping people with video game addiction
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JA61Y07dqB4
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YFDspIAkelU
hope this gives you much better perspective
neat goblet
Hello @viscid moon,
Thanks for your time & consideration.
I am going to read your tips & your pov and return back.
Thanks again.