You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
RE: Parent of a Gamer--What's Really Going On In There?
Even though I'm a gamer myself, I have really mixed feelings about this.
I've been gaming a lot when I was young, but nowdays it's far less. Still, I know people who still keep on gaming much and they can't even finish their studies because they are so nuts about gaming.
Even though I feel parent should set boundries to children (no matter what age) who are living at home, and they can support even those who have already moved to live on their own, but they should give freedom to their children.
It's good to get some perspective, what if this would be about something else? Would you be worried, if your child was obsessed about fixing cars? Or playing frisbee golf? Is the thing you are worried about gaming or the obsession?
Thanks for the response @apsu. It's good to hear from gamers and their opinions about this topic.
I know there are people who get so involved in games that they cannot really live a responsible life. I think it is also worth a look at the other things they are engaging in the "real" life, to see if those choices are based on true interest or on obligation. It is hard to do things we don't really want to do, and often people look for distractions to avoid getting sucked into things they don't truly find of benefit.
I have a bit of an unusual perspective on parenting anyway, and I believe that schooling is something we need to look at on a deeper level. I can see why gaming would be preferable to studying, especially if the subjects they study are not of interest. I believe in freedom with responsibility, which is a subject for a whole other post.
I notice that many parents are not only worried about gaming as an obsession, but also the lack of fresh air, sunshine, healthy meals, physical activity. Especially worth a mention is the electrical input into their bodies through the computer. Some of the other activities you mentioned don't carry the same risk, and parents (of my generation) are more familiar with those other things. The unknown of what could happen seems to be the scariest for most.
I agree with most of what you write, and I can see very good points :)
I'm can't get a good way of putting up this thought but.. just as long as your child is able to take care of himself, everything should be ok. That's typically an important factor :)
I agree with that. Raising children to be self-sufficient and capable is one of the most important points of being a parent. Of course there are no guarantees, but from the mass amount of gamers I have known, they eventually choose to move on with their lives and create something of themselves. There are some that continue to play into adulthood, and often find spouses and jobs that allow them the time to engage their passion. Not all gamers get to play free of outside control, so often don't get the full-on experience of deep immersion, which dilutes the experience in many ways.
Thanks for the comment @apsu.