My parents think that video games are a bad thing.

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

If either of your parents have a hobby you could just compare playing video games to that. I know there are a LOT of people who watch sports all the time - they follow every game they can when their favorite team is playing - you can mention that video games can be just as much a social experience as getting together to watch the SuperBowl but you can do it more than once a year.

Edit: I guess the question is if you're putting video games in a higher priority to things you're asked to do, chores for example - if you do things they want you to do, and keep up with school work (you sound like a young person) then I don't see the problem. If you have a lot of friends who also play on the same network (Xbox Live, PSN, Wii) then you can show your parents the interaction with them. Maybe your parents haven't actually played games before, so they deem them a waste of time.

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

lasseeb

Give 'em **** for their hobbies.

Educate them. Educate them on how video games are just as good, if not better, than movies, tv, books etc. It's no different than reading a book, it's just a hobby. But the problem is that it's newer to them whereas most gamers grew up with games. evil_angel74

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. I get way more from books than videogames.

Edit: I guess the question is if you're putting video games in a higher priority to things you're asked to do, chores for example - if you do things they want you to do, and keep up with school work (you sound like a young person) then I don't see the problem. If you have a lot of friends who also play on the same network (Xbox Live, PSN, Wii) then you can show your parents the interaction with them. Maybe your parents haven't actually played games before, so they deem them a waste of time.

Stinger78

Exactly. If you have your priorities straight, it isn't really a problem. In fact, when you see them watching tv, you should let them know that "at least I use my brain when I sit in front of that thing."

People sometimes are scared/hate things they don't know(or have little knowledge) about... Just give your dad a few laps in NFS.

Gaming can only "hurt" you if it becomes a priority in your life.

[QUOTE="evil_angel74"]Educate them. Educate them on how video games are just as good, if not better, than movies, tv, books etc. It's no different than reading a book, it's just a hobby. But the problem is that it's newer to them whereas most gamers grew up with games. Wii4Fun

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. I get way more from books than videogames.

I agree with him that its no different. Well obviously its different ones visual and the other is words, but you know what I mean :P. It depends on the game I guess. Some games are like books almost just with interaction, while others are more like chess and such where it requires strategy and thinking. While some are just mindless fun like watching a comedy haha. Yeah I think video games are just as relevant as any of those. TV, books, movies, music, art. It has it all :).

have you tried shooting them? that usually solves the problem. especially if you've played GTA

Assuming video games aren't getting in the way of your real life responsibilities. They have no real reason to be so against it other than just ignorance. That's where you have to step in.

We are at a generational gap in gaming at this point in time. Many parents are of an age where they didn't grow up playing video games. They still tend to see them as a kids toy or a pointless waste of time. It's on you to show them it's more than kiddy games, or mindless violence. That it can be a social experience, that their is a huge community of gamers across the globe of all ages.

You could also get all factual on them and show them this: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=57695. To sum it up, the article basically suggests gamers perception and cognitive puzzle solving skills are up to 20% higher than non-gamers. The research was done by the US military to try and develop new, more effective ways to train soldiers.

You could also point out that it's really no different than someone who gets home from work and watches TV all night (which most people do.) Or someone who watches every sporting event they possibly can, regardless of which sport or what teams are playing. Or someone who sits at the computer and web surfs for a few hours. Or someone who spends every night in their garage rebuilding a car. Or someone who goes out and golfs 2-3 times a week, every week.

We all have pointless time wasters that we do only for purposes of entertainment. Video games are no different.

have you tried shooting them? that usually solves the problem. especially if you've played GTA

dragonic9100

Good one, Jack Thompson ;)

Are video games interfering with your chores or schoolwork? 3-4 hours a day sounds like it could start infringing on those things.

I think older folks are turned off of video games because they hear so much about things in the media like game violence and game addiction. Old folks don't hear much about the positive aspects of games.

I've actually heard before that playing video games (not too much of course) can actually help your eyes or something like that. I'm not sure what it was exactly.

I've actually heard before that playing video games (not too much of course) can actually help your eyes or something like that. I'm not sure what it was exactly.

Demonjoe93

It's suggested that video games can build hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and sensitivity to objects in peripheral vision.

My parents used to tell me that video games aren't a "real hobby". Now I make them for a living. I sure showed them. :P

2 ways to look at this...

1. what could u be doin instead of playin video games? learning a trade? practicing and instrument? writing literature? blowing stuff up (chemistry)? disecting small animals (biology)? there are tons of other things u could be doin with ur time...

2. what would u be doin if u werent playin video games? watchin tv? reading the newspaper? watching a movie? eatin? chilling with friend(which u can do on the computer...or at a lan party)? there are tons of other things u could be doin to waste ur time as well...lol

My parents used to tell me that video games aren't a "real hobby". Now I make them for a living. I sure showed them. :P

Teufelhuhn

What company you work for?

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

lasseeb

Your parents care about your future, tell your parents that video gaming is now the biggest form of entertainment business and that you want to study that and make a living out of it.

That will calm them much more down, than some half assed advice "Tell 'em they suck".

Of course if you don't want to make a living out of it, than make sure you always got your priorities right (You should do even if you do want to make a living out it, school > video games, always.)

Study the business aspect of it and present them to your parents, if you're American, tell them about Nintendo (every third home in the U.S had a NES, parents still today say "Turn off that Nintendo" rather than "Turn off that Xbox/Playstation") and how successful they are.

I've always wondered why so many parents think that playing a video game for a few hours a day is such a horrific thing, but they often won't say a thing if you were to watch TV for 8 hours a day. At least with gaming, your brain is interacting with the game and you're focused on something.

That being said, 3-4 hours a day on weekdays is a bit much. Cut back a bit and see if they still say anything about it. If they do...Then yea, they pretty much hate you. Sorry, bud. :P

have you tried poisoning their coffee a little each morning?................ er I mean, "having a reasonable discussion with them."

3-4 hours per week is not bad, but per day most likely bad. Video games keeps your mind more active than Tv but that depends on what show you watch and what game you play. Some games come close to being comparable to books but it will never be better. And for the part others had mention on the time spent on games reducing time for other activities and decreasing body posture, think of the time we can waste on a computer or staring at a Tv (or just idling/loitering with frends as to wasting time).

There's a hierarchy to things and video games is below middle standards of things to accomplish. Overall you're going to have to battle your parents impression of vg. It's mostly a generational to lifestyle thing which disables them from understanding why you like video games.

This has been said several times, but video games are just another form of entertainment like movies, tv and books. Some have no plot whatsoever but require skills or strategy. Would they complain if you spent this much time playing chess? Probably not.

Others are heavily plot focused. Games like Fire Emblem actually draws attention to some serious problems in our society. It deals with authoritarianism, discrimination, etc. And this is from a Nintendo game. The general public doesn't realize that video games are evolving. The plots are getting deeper and more indepth. But the interactive quality of the game makes it seem so much more real. You feel for the characters so much for. At least that's how it is for me.

But even if we went back 20 years ago when there were no plots. It's still just another form of entertainment. Is too much gaming bad? Yes. Anything is bad in excess. Same with eating, tv, and even exercise and work. But when kept in moderation, there is no problem at all.

As long as you don't overdo it, or it becomes something you depend on, so basically, think about this, can you go an entire week without playing videogames? If so, you're not addicted.

Just make sure that they're not your priority. If videogames don't get in the way of your social life, homework and schoo life, chores, and other things then it's not problem. Games are great fun but if that's all you do then you really are a nerd, and playing 3-4 hours is quite normal for kids, teenagers, and young adults.

Just keep a balanced life, if you play 3-4 hours of videogames, also play at least an hour of sports or exercise for that long outside. Keep videogames away for just a few days so you can enjoy other things in life, going to the mall, hanging out with friends, etc.

We all have hobbies, games are no different, and all of them have their own benefits, playing games for a while does make you smarter in many ways, just don't play for extremely long.

Tips: Make sure the TV is at the right distance, not too far or too close.

If your eyes ever hurt, then stop playing immediately and get some rest. If you don't, you'll regret this when you're older as you'll stunt your growth with lack of sleep and may have to wear glasses and have bad eyesight. Resting just 15 minutes an hour every gaming session is simple, easy, and effective, but often overlooked.

3-4 hours playing on a TV is okay, but 3-4 hours at a computer monitor which is usually extremely close is really bad for your eyes. Consider telling your parents to get an HDTV that you can hook your computer up to.

Get a proper sofa, couch, chair or whatever so you feel totally comfortable and don't feel like you're in an awkward posture.

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

lasseeb

[QUOTE="lasseeb"]

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

m25105

Your parents care about your future, tell your parents that video gaming is now the biggest form of entertainment business and that you want to study that and make a living out of it.

That will calm them much more down, than some half assed advice "Tell 'em they suck".

Of course if you don't want to make a living out of it, than make sure you always got your priorities right (You should do even if you do want to make a living out it, school > video games, always.)

Study the business aspect of it and present them to your parents, if you're American, tell them about Nintendo (every third home in the U.S had a NES, parents still today say "Turn off that Nintendo" rather than "Turn off that Xbox/Playstation") and how successful they are.

That's all fine and well, but playing videogames doesn't exactly equal STUDYING THEM. Certainly not any more than watching cartoons all day equals STUDYING animation. If a kid just constantly eats all day long, that doesn't equal STUDYING to be a culinary artist.

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

lasseeb

[QUOTE="m25105"]

[QUOTE="lasseeb"]

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

MrGeezer

Your parents care about your future, tell your parents that video gaming is now the biggest form of entertainment business and that you want to study that and make a living out of it.

That will calm them much more down, than some half assed advice "Tell 'em they suck".

Of course if you don't want to make a living out of it, than make sure you always got your priorities right (You should do even if you do want to make a living out it, school > video games, always.)

Study the business aspect of it and present them to your parents, if you're American, tell them about Nintendo (every third home in the U.S had a NES, parents still today say "Turn off that Nintendo" rather than "Turn off that Xbox/Playstation") and how successful they are.

That's all fine and well, but playing videogames doesn't exactly equal STUDYING THEM. Certainly not any more than watching cartoons all day equals STUDYING animation. If a kid just constantly eats all day long, that doesn't equal STUDYING to be a culinary artist.

That's why I recommended him to study it.

3-4 hours a day is a bit much. I'd cut that back by half.

Or take up working out, get ripped, have a 4.0 GPA, and then they'll let you do anything you want.

Alternatively? Wait until you grow up and then move out. Problem solved. Just mind the rent.

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

lasseeb

If you're ignoring your social life or the rest of the outside world outside of the 3-4 hours gaming, sure it's bad. If you're making good grades, have friends, even help out at home, then a little indulgence isn't bad.

Yea, its a downward spiral. long story short.... in the long run, you'll probably end up on crack.

The best advice i can give is to only play when there is nothing that you HAVE to do left to do. ie washing, homework, time with family, etc. When you've done all that, play to your hearts content.

Do you do exercise or sport? If you are young and JUST playing video games than that is a very bad thing. All young kids need their outdoors.

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

lasseeb

I'd say the first thing you should do is quit overreacting as it's extremely doubtful your parents really feel that way. That or you're trolling, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for no other reason than to voice my opinoin.

I've played games all my life as well and looking back on it, while I don't regret gaming, I can see in hindsight that I would have been better served in the past by playing less than I did and devoting more time to other activities. As a parent I don't let my kid play video games at all during the week. I'd much rather have him involved in sports, reading, studying or even just playing with toys or his friends. There have been scientific studies proving that while video games can help with things such as spatial reasoning, it doesn't stimulate the same parts of the brain as activities such as reading that require the use of one's imagination which has been found to be important in brain development. I don't see a reason to quit gaming completely, but scaling the time played back to a reasonable level would only benefit you.

[QUOTE="lasseeb"]

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

Avian005

[QUOTE="lasseeb"]

My parent think that because i like playing 3-4 hours im a huge nerd. They think i should stop playing video games, and they hate me for it.

But i have a passion to video games. It's a actually a small part, of my life. I think that i will never stop playing them either.

What should i do? :(

hippiesanta

Tell them "70's music was a bad thing, too." They'll blush and surrender quietly.

Well, the 80's were worse but who cares.