Would it be a good idea to forbid my children from playing video games until they are adults?

Question

I don't have children yet, but if I ever do, I am wondering if I should allow it.

Answer 1

Why? Why would you forbid it. There is nothing wrong with it. My oldest started playing the PS2 when he was 4. He is 6 now.That child is smart like you wouldn't believe. I'm not crediting the games for that but I do think the games do help motor skills, and hand to eye coordination. Many of his games require puzzle and problem solving. He play games that are geared toward his level. He has a couple of Jimmy Neutron games and they have inspired him to sit down and build inventions out of legos and tinker toys or he'll sit down and draw blue prints.

As long as the child has other interestes and isn't on the games 24/7 then I see nothing wrong with it. It is just a hobby like anything else.

Answer 2

I think it would be a very bad idea. Like it or not video games are a huge part of children's culture now.

One of the strongest drives children have is to be like all the other kids they know. This is a natural human instinct and it is cruel to thwart it unnecessarily, and may harm your child's social adaptation. You might give some thought to limiting the time they spend at it - computer games can be addictive just like drugs, but I wouldn't altogether forbid any activity that wasn't actually illegal or wicked.

Answer 3

Studies have shown that kids that sit in front of video games and TV for hours on end have extremely short attention spans and have a hard time learning. They do develop hand to eye coordination.
I believe that moderation should be used in all things. If you let your children play them I think that you should limit the amount of time they do so. There are some very educational video games out there for kids.

Answer 4

If you forbid it, they will have to find a different form of entertainment. They will probably want to go outside and play. I dislike video games and think they discourage our kids from using their energy and creativity. It is entirely up to you, but it is probably a good idea to keep it to a minimum. Don't use it as a babysitter as so many parents seem to be doing.

Answer 5

I completely detest video games and the like, yet my family seems to have provided my children these devices anyways as gifts etc.
(I honestly think they intentionally do this to piss me off, when my daughter was 2, I mentioned I would never buy her a barbie, what do you think grandma gave her for Christmas?) Anyway, my kids receive the privilege of playing with these things a few hours a week if they have earned it ie; keeping their rooms tidy etc, but I still think they are evil. We all have to learn to comprimise.

Answer 6

I think you just need to be responsible with it. Supervise what they are playing, and maybe limit how much time.
If you outright forbid them, then sometimes this can act as more of a reason to do it behind your back where you would have less control
Just my opinion though :)

(My parents didnt allow me to play for awhile... but I snuck over to friends to play. Once they allowed it, I didnt need to sneek out and had more fun playing)

Answer 7

No it wouldn't. Children need things like that to occupy their time sometimes. Today some are educational. Now I wouldn't keep them from them but I would only allow a certain amount of time to play.

Answer 8

I have two children and video games are not part of our household. I don't forbid them but I just don't buy them.

Answer 9

Absolutely not! Monitor the games, but do not forbid the games.

Video games help with cognitive development and hand-eye coordination...and can help the social development with other children.

Don't deprive them!

Answer 10

Some people have said that video game players make better surgeons because of the eye hand coordination needed