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Tags: better dadI watched a small man with thick calluses on both hands work fifteen and sixteen hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example.” ~ Mario Cuomo, Former Mayor Of New York City
I fall into the new (and growing) category of guys old enough to have grown up playing video games and old enough to be a dad as well. This is an interesting situation for me since I am well aware of college-degree-ruining effects of World of Warcraft
As a single guy, it is all a “balance” worth risking; you know, all in the name of good *fun*. But now that I am a day older and hopefully a day the wiser and have two baby boys that are growing up fast, I’ve started to realize I need to formulate a reasonable stance sooner rather than later. It is clear to me that before we know it, the boys will be trying their hardest to wear us out with their pleas for, “one more level Dad, before bedtime.”
Now I think it is best to view video games in a similar vein to movies. Meaning, when the kids are young get them the equivalent of G-rated games, and so forth. The implication here is important; as a parent, understand the current video game rating system and be a part of the game selection with your kids (dare I say make it a “family event”). As they get older and more interested in playing action and adventure games, treat the selection similar to PG-movies. Does the game have graphic violence? Realistic blood and gore? Guns?
There are some who believe in the LEGO (yes, as in the toy) philosophy when it comes to the depiction of violence and game play. Their philosophy is laser guns, and swords are okay (fantasy/archaic) but glocks and 9MM are not. Sure I’ll buy that, so long as there isn’t realistic blood and gore associated with those laser guns and swords.
As a Parent and as a Gamer I see the potential for healthy play with a select diet of video games out there. That is to say, there are a ton of titles out there (and a lot of them are highly derivative), but with a selective eye you can find age-appropriate games that actually have some great visual puzzle solving and strategy-based game play. Lumines
As mentioned in my post, Your Kid + Television = All Things Bad, my wife and I are interested in enforcing a “SCREEN-TIME” allotment for games, television and computer usage. Meaning they will have a standard weekly pool of screen-time given to them with the opportunity of earning more time based on “favorable” performance as determined by us. This does not mean we are going to bribe them to finish their spinach in return for extra screen-time. We are hoping to achieve this by making the “carrot” (extra screen time) pretty hard to get. Also, we want to teach them time-management, with the screen-time system. In other words, if they want more time to play video games they will have to deduct it from TV screen time or time on the web (doing non-education things). And yes this will include things like iPods (video), PSP and the likes of, falling into the allotment of screen-time.
Whatever the solution, moderation is the rule. Parents who fail to identify this early will be in for a fight, that is for sure. But I will be the first to admit, like most things in life this sounds great on paper (screen) but we will see how it plays out (pun intended). More on this in the near future.
Tags: 13-18 years, better dad, better living, computers, educational, kids health, media, technologyWhen is it safe to say you are fully invested in your kid’s heath and safety? Two words – baby enema.
Yeah, that’s right – Old School. I found out the hard way that Miralax is the real solution.
Discuss.
Tags: baby health, dad hack, kids activity
The highest marginal tax rate in 1913 was 6%, which applied to income above $500,000, equivalent in today’s dollars to about $10 million.
Income taxes in 1913 were actually assessed on income above the personal exemption of $3,000, equivalent to $61,000 today
Tags: educational, family finances, kinda funny
