Doctor told me to get rid of my systems and games because of my kids!!!

Good to hear you didn't take his advice. I hate when people are brainwashed like that. "Video games are bad." "Heavy Metal is bad." "Rap is bad"... etc.-Wykydtron

True, except for the Rap thing, Rap is bad but only because it sounds so awful.

Good to hear you didn't take his advice. I hate when people are brainwashed like that. "Video games are bad." "Heavy Metal is bad." "Rap is bad"... etc.-Wykydtron

The hips of Elvis corrupted the youth of the fifties, fact. A lot of intelligent people are surprisingly susceptible to believing whatever the God in the box (TV) tells them to believe. Videogames are evil and corrupt our youth, THE TV SAID SO. If I had a penny for everytime someone came into my store, said something eye rollingly ignorant and uninformed, and then said "They said it on TV" when asked to validate it, I'd be rich. Then I ask who "they" are and what their credentials on the subject are, and they get confused at all the big words and find an excuse to leave.

These are the same people who thought the world was going to end on New Years 1999, and the same people who are spreading the uninformed and ignorant paranoia about the Mayan calendar and the year 2012. Oh well, at least I'll make a nice fat profit of the boobs who start stockpiling their bunkers for the next apocalypse, just like I did with the last one, and will do with the one after that, lol.

Apparently he has no free time for hobbies, but plenty of time to get on video game message boards and brag to enthusiasts about how responsible he is.Mash_Affect

Thats something I've always noticed. I've seen many people go through the stereotypical game burnout, and claim videogames do not interest them at all anymore. But they continue to hang around videogame message boards, bragging about how much more responsible and mature they are, and how they are SO TOTALLY ABOVE IT ALL. I find it hilarious and sad at the same time. He is every bit as addicted as anyone else, and if he's as "over" videogames as he desperately wants us to believe, then we should absolutely never see him in these forums again. If I should ever lose interest in videogames, I'd cancel my account here, log out, and go find something better to do with my free time.

I know more than enough people who are raising children and continue to be active gamers to know for a fact that dumping your gaming habit is absolutely not a necessity of any kind. In fact, the people I know who are gamers and parents, their kids tend to be pretty balanced, well behaved, and loveable. But then I know plenty of people who are strict, "mature" people who are raising disobedient rude little TERRORS that I would charge thirty dollars an hour to watch over.

Just a warning for you man... two kids = twice the work. Please come back to us a year or two after your second child is born. I'd like to hear an update as to how well those 4 hour gaming nights are going over as far as your wife is concerned. ymi_basic

I know what you are saying but dont think i play 4 or 5 hours a night every night. Im just saying i have that time to relax at night and some nights i will play for a while. Other nights i might play my guitar or pop in a movie or if im tired go to bed early. But as far as my wife goes, we started going out freshman year of high school now were married with kids. Thats something that doesnt happen to often now a days. We didnt get here by not understanding eachother. She knows i love to play games and she respects that. We both have our hobbies that we enjoy and we let each other enjoy them, if not their will be problems. You cant expect a person to change who they are and if you try and change them thats when real issues can happen.

But ill be back in a year or two and let you know im still gaming. Just like i told all them people im married to the girl who they said our relationship wouldnt last the first year of college 8)

RunOut, I'm the same age as you, married, and about to start having kids. As much as I love games, I know I'll have to ration my play time a lot more when our family size starts growing. All I can say is, don't let the games control your life, and make sure your kids get outside and play; don't be one of the parents who just lets their kids sit around the house and play games all day.UT_Wrestler

For one congrats on starting to have kids. It's a great thing. And i hear ya. Don't worry though i'm definatley not going to let my kids play games 24/7. I dunno if u checked one of my posts above or not but i do a ton of stuff that i plan to get my kids into. I grew up playing hockey and baseball, i play guitar, ride motorcycles (dirt bikes for the boy!), play golf, go camping, work out all the time. I plan on making sure my kids get to experience all that good stuff. I rarley play games during the day. Even growing up i was to busy riding my bike around town or playing outside to sit in all day and play games. I'm not saying i never did. When Doom first came out me and my friend closed all the windows and played in a pitch black room for hours. Good times, but of coarse that wasnt an every day thing.

I dont want people to misunderstand me and think im one of those people that just sits around and plays game. Thats the furthest from the truth. I love games and i am a diehard gamer but that doenst mean i don't have a life outside the world of gaming. I believe as long as your a good parent and raise your kids right you can still enjoy gaming and all the other fun things in life. :D

I know more than enough people who are raising children and continue to be active gamers to know for a fact that dumping your gaming habit is absolutely not a necessity of any kind. In fact, the people I know who are gamers and parents, their kids tend to be pretty balanced, well behaved, and loveable. But then I know plenty of people who are strict, "mature" people who are raising disobedient rude little TERRORS that I would charge thirty dollars an hour to watch over.

CronoSquall

This is so true. Each family is different and every situation is different. Ive seen the strict parents raise kids who turn out to be punks, but then ive seen kids comming from horrible backgrounds turn out just fine. Honestly, there iare thousands of things worse than your kid sitting around playing video games. If thats the worst thing your kids end up doing consider yourself lucky.

If he is expressing an opinion, then he should say that it is just an opinion and no medical facts to back it up. I agree that it is just ignorance, you'd be surprised how many comments I get in the office cos people know I'm a gamer.

I believe someone touched on it in an earlier post, games are no different these days than reading a book, its a past-time and a way of escapism. I still don't know why people think that reading a fictional book is any more beneficial than playing an action adventure game.

I have a 2 year old nephew and he is playing the Wii that I gave my brother, he loves the Wii-fit (the soccer ball game especially) and I think it will improve his motor skills, problem solving skills, plus I am looking forward to the time he'll pop over for a quick game of Street Fighter 4 or something like that.

It is ignorance, pure and simple. Carry on collecting and playing I say. I don't collect the consoles, but I've been playing games for 25 years and it hasn't done me any harm.

[QUOTE="Oilers99"][QUOTE="ymi_basic"][QUOTE="Oilers99"][QUOTE="ymi_basic"]

[QUOTE="btaylor2404"]I think he's got a slight bit of a point when it comes to babies. I have 17 month old twins and notice they play much better when my tv and games are off, so I just wait til they go to sleep. The non-stop action and noise seems to bother them.Mash_Affect

The doctor is just giving his opinion. His opinion is just as valid (and imo, more so) than those of a bunch of game enthusiasts/addicts on a forum. As a former gamer, I am well aware of the time that can be wasted with the pastime. As a parent of young kids, I don't see how you can work, rest, and do what's needed to raise healthy, happy kids unless you severely restrict your gaming time (maybe a couple hours per week, tops). That is my opinion and probably that of your doctor. Obviously, you are fully within your rights to ignore it. Lots of parents smoke against their doctor's advice too.

I don't think time is wasted anymore with videogames than with books.

It's something done to either relax or enrich, something that one should dedicate some time to. It's less important than raising your children properly; most things are. However, this isn't a case of being told by a psychologist that someone needs to spend fewer than four hours a day on videogames, and more time with the kids. It's being told to give it up altogether, which makes little sense.

Comes back to priorities. But if you don't have time for something like reading or playing videogames, you're probably too busy. It's not really healthy. If it can't be helped, it can't be helped. But I don't see how this situation reflects that.

Not sure who your directing this at, but this is just my opinion based on 17 months of watching these two and how they react to the TV and games. I still play from time to time, but rarely when they are awake, which is a new thing, because they are so needy and loud, like all children TV is kinda out of the question, so I'd play a game I could easily pause and sit in the floor with them. And with two it is impossible to get everything done, but I've played games my whole life, it and the OT is relaxing and I do it when I have the time.

[QUOTE="CronoSquall"]

I know more than enough people who are raising children and continue to be active gamers to know for a fact that dumping your gaming habit is absolutely not a necessity of any kind. In fact, the people I know who are gamers and parents, their kids tend to be pretty balanced, well behaved, and loveable. But then I know plenty of people who are strict, "mature" people who are raising disobedient rude little TERRORS that I would charge thirty dollars an hour to watch over.

RunOut1724

This is so true. Each family is different and every situation is different. Ive seen the strict parents raise kids who turn out to be punks, but then ive seen kids comming from horrible backgrounds turn out just fine. Honestly, there iare thousands of things worse than your kid sitting around playing video games. If thats the worst thing your kids end up doing consider yourself lucky.

Exactly, people harp on about video games as if you're committing a crime, I spent all of my teenage years sititng in my bedroom playing games and just generally being a hermit, I still am I guess, but it never stopped me persuing a career I love and get paid well for, nor did it stop me getting married and having a child myself, what it did do is keep me off the streets looking for things to do and crimes to commit.

They say kids should get out more, Ok, let me think, should I let my child stay in and entertain themselves with video games or dvds, or should I let them out after dark, mix with the wrong crowd, get bored and smash a few windows for fun, start smoking, get drunk, meet boys and get pregnant before the age of 14...

Ok a bit over the top, but the point still stands, these people really don't consider what they're saying when they make blanket statements like "video games are bad", prove it and I'll listen, but for now button it because it only makes you look stupid.

You do what you need to stay sane. Life is stressful and raising kids properly is a 24/7 job that never ends so when you get an opportunity to alleviate the stressors in your life with a little digital entertainment, go for it. I'm more than certain that Dr. Pediatrician has his own vices and diversion so next time he makes a life altering suggestion that you give up something important might I suggest this simple retort:

"You first, Doc."

And to the "reformed" gamer who never had anything interesting to say when he was wallowing in the muck with the rest of us deviants, you were not missed so please extricate yourself from this place and don't let our unwashed lowbrow morality soil your newfound enlightenment.

You do what you need to stay sane. Life is stressful and raising kids properly is a 24/7 job that never ends so when you get an opportunity to alleviate the stressors in your life with a little digital entertainment, go for it. I'm more than certain that Dr. Pediatrician has his own vices and diversion so next time he makes a life altering suggestion that you give up something important might I suggest this simple retort:

"You first, Doc."

And to the "reformed" gamer who never had anything interesting to say when he was wallowing in the muck with the rest of us deviants, you were not missed so please extricate yourself from this place and don't let our unwashed lowbrow morality soil your newfound enlightenment.

Grammaton-Cleric

:lol:

:lol:

:lol:

When I saw who Grammaton was referring to - we're going to need more doctors.

Every day, and in every way, you're getting better and better.

[QUOTE="RunOut1724"][QUOTE="CronoSquall"]

I know more than enough people who are raising children and continue to be active gamers to know for a fact that dumping your gaming habit is absolutely not a necessity of any kind. In fact, the people I know who are gamers and parents, their kids tend to be pretty balanced, well behaved, and loveable. But then I know plenty of people who are strict, "mature" people who are raising disobedient rude little TERRORS that I would charge thirty dollars an hour to watch over.

Mantorok

This is so true. Each family is different and every situation is different. Ive seen the strict parents raise kids who turn out to be punks, but then ive seen kids comming from horrible backgrounds turn out just fine. Honestly, there iare thousands of things worse than your kid sitting around playing video games. If thats the worst thing your kids end up doing consider yourself lucky.

Exactly, people harp on about video games as if you're committing a crime, I spent all of my teenage years sititng in my bedroom playing games and just generally being a hermit, I still am I guess, but it never stopped me persuing a career I love and get paid well for, nor did it stop me getting married and having a child myself, what it did do is keep me off the streets looking for things to do and crimes to commit.

They say kids should get out more, Ok, let me think, should I let my child stay in and entertain themselves with video games or dvds, or should I let them out after dark, mix with the wrong crowd, get bored and smash a few windows for fun, start smoking, get drunk, meet boys and get pregnant before the age of 14...

Ok a bit over the top, but the point still stands, these people really don't consider what they're saying when they make blanket statements like "video games are bad", prove it and I'll listen, but for now button it because it only makes you look stupid.

Here Here!!! I know exactally how you feel. Hey i'm not going to lie i went out and did some shady stuff when i was a teenager in high school and im going to hate having to go through it as a parent knowing what's out there so i much rather have them play games. And i'm not sure how old your kid is but congrats! I wish you the best 8)

You do what you need to stay sane. Life is stressful and raising kids properly is a 24/7 job that never ends so when you get an opportunity to alleviate the stressors in your life with a little digital entertainment, go for it. I'm more than certain that Dr. Pediatrician has his own vices and diversion so next time he makes a life altering suggestion that you give up something important might I suggest this simple retort:

"You first, Doc."

And to the "reformed" gamer who never had anything interesting to say when he was wallowing in the muck with the rest of us deviants, you were not missed so please extricate yourself from this place and don't let our unwashed lowbrow morality soil your newfound enlightenment.

Grammaton-Cleric

This post wins :lol: Excellent wording. Your a perfect example of someone who is obvisouly a well spoken individual with a good head that still is a gamer.

By the way if anyone ever wants to hook up for some gaming my XBox live and PSN ID is "RunOut1724" 8)