The impact of videgames on children -- what's your say?

Are they nothing but bad news? Do they even have any beneficial effects on children and adolescants?

Some topics you may want to think over:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

IMO, I think if more parents actually showed more interest in their childrens' videogames or offered to play together, then the effects would be very positive overall.

how about you?

Are they nothing but bad news? Do they even have any beneficial effects on children and adolescants?

Some topics you may want to think over:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

IMO, I think if more parents actually showed more interest in their childrens' videogames or offered to play together, then the effects would be very positive overall.

how about you?

1. No, if your kid is overweight blame the parents. The parents blame everything else other than their own crap jobs... Its pretty simple - TURN OFF THE CONSOLE.
2. They do not make people socially inept, when used at a level and for time periods which are healthy and allow for the individuals to partake in social activities. Some individuals may turn to video games because they are already socially inept, but I think this would be a vast minority.
3. No, they do not make children more violent. The first video game I ever played was Tekken 3 (Rated MA) and It didn't effect me negatively or make me any more violent.
4. Yes, they can help a person to relax without any long term health effects. I can have a game after a hard day of school and feel chilled after that, and go back to studying, socialising, exercising or whatever it may be.

Video games are a good thing used in proportion.

HoldThePhone

social effects, parenting, and mental stability of a person are to blame for their actions, nothing to do with video games

just cuz you kill turtles in mario brothers doesnt mean youll go shooting up the joint

ive been playing video games since atari and coleco vision, and i have never killed anyone, know why? cuz im not a friggen idiot, thats why.

positive effects? fun.. many games are social aswell, mario kart, etc.. ofcourse if a kid spends all his time playing video games and not enough time doing school work, playing outside, etc, then there is a problem, which is just like real life is, you gotta do things within reason, its the parents fault for not controlling their kids better 100%, its all about bad parenting.

every human being has to know that you can have a candy bar sometimes, but for the most part you gotta eat healthy, and if a parent lets their kid sit there eating chocolate bars all day the ofcourse they will be lazy and fat.

Some topics you may want to think over:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

HoldThePhone

I think video games have the POTENTIAL of all those impacts on children. It really just depends how the child takes in video game consumption, and how much they depend on them in their lives.

I think this thread should be on GGD :P

On topic: video games can affect people negatively and positively, it just varies from person to person (same goes for other media)

I think kids should still play sport.

they need to develop basic co-ordination skills with a ball, and I think the video game gen. is starting to lack it alot.

that being said I don't even play or watch sport anymore, but I can still kick a football or throw a baseball fine if I have too.

sure it's not a life skill but a guy that has an arm like a dead chicken and throws like a girl just is wrong.

Is TC talking about 2-4 year olds or 10-14year olds or 14-22 year olds???? kids today need to wire their brains to compuer use because that's society today. that's why old people have so much trouble - their brains weren't wired from an early age.

But throwing and catching a ball is just as important. research shows kids with learning problems do better if they learn balance and co-ordination.

so everything in moderation.

videogames aren't the only cause of obesity - it's everything in society which makes are lives more convenient but basically lazier.

anyway - some kids don't like videogames - they actually prefer sport - hard to believe I know :P

Kids in the Western World are going to be hosed by corporate pop-culture influences regardless, so no point blaming video games implicitly.

Well a lot of people see teen gamers who lock themselves in their rooms and play video games all day long...

The fact is that is extremely untrue, I'm 15 and I would rather go out with my friends (As I have been doing for everyday of my Easter holidays) than sit in and play video games all day.

I mainly play video games in the evening and after school for an hour or two a day. My grades don't suffer either. All my coursework so far this year has achieved at least an 'A' grade.

So pretty much as long as child isn't spending all the time on their gaming console and their parents can know what they can trust their child/teen with they won't turn out unhealthy mentally and/or physically or socially inactive.

Well a lot of people see teen gamers who lock themselves in their rooms and play video games all day long...

The fact is that is extremely untrue, I'm 15 and I would rather go out with my friends (As I have been doing for everyday of my Easter holidays) than sit in and play video games all day.

I mainly play video games in the evening and after school for an hour or two a day. My grades don't suffer either. All my coursework so far this year has achieved at least an 'A' grade.

So pretty much as long as child isn't spending all the time on their gaming console and their parents can know what they can trust their child/teen with they won't turn out unhealthy mentally and/or physically or socially inactive.

nereik94

Are they nothing but bad news? Do they even have any beneficial effects on children and adolescants?

Some topics you may want to think over:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

IMO, I think if more parents actually showed more interest in their childrens' videogames or offered to play together, then the effects would be very positive overall.

how about you?

HoldThePhone

1.) no, it's a lack of parenting

2.) maybe

3.) hell no, studies show that for a brief period of time, yes (just like movies)

4.) yes, they make me happy

I've got a few minutes, so I may as well respond to these over asked questions:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

1 - No, bad parenting is. Parents tend to be lazy these days with sticking their kids in front of a TV or pushing them into others because the parents have too many short comings and are too immature to do anything responsable.

2 - It depends again on the parents, the parents should be gently encourging their kids to be more outgoing, just as they themselves should be. Instead of cowering behind a pint glass or their sports or soaps, they should be getting to know their neighbours, making friends. Their kids look up to them and follow the parents example, if the parents set a bad example, then the kidsend up doing as the parents do.

3 - No, they don't. We're numbed to violence by the media and it's love of drama and violence, someone dies and they go mad for coverage and exclusives. They take away the real life aspect and replace it with the dramatic aspect. "Oh no, a pop star smiled, EXCLUSIVE!" Parents again come into this, they should teach their kids right from wrong, reality and fiction. If they don't do that, then kids can't tell what's real and waht isn't and end up copyingwhat they see in media.

4 - Yes, they do. Gaming in moderation can help with the healthy promotion of being more out going, making friends, learning more, finding yourself. Onlypoorly raised morons misuse gaming.

R/T

Video games don't ruin kids, bad parents do.jjtiebuckle

Are they nothing but bad news? Do they even have any beneficial effects on children and adolescants?

Some topics you may want to think over:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

IMO, I think if more parents actually showed more interest in their childrens' videogames or offered to play together, then the effects would be very positive overall.

how about you?

HoldThePhone

1. No, they can help with obesity if you don't get out often enough, but it isn't the main factor. Besides I have a lot of friends who are skinny and hardcore gamers

2. I don't believe they make you socially inept, but I do believe that it can contribute to living the life of a hermit giving people who are already socially inept a reason to stay inside. But again I do not believe it is the main factor to this, just a contributing factor.

3. Violence is not really taught by video games (minus new ways to kill someone). Your violent tendencies are there, video games just bring them out of you.

4. Video games can have a positive influence. For example, video games can get families and friends together. The right ones at least. Parents just need to stay well informed about what games are appropriate for everyone. Age is not the only factor

Are they nothing but bad news? Do they even have any beneficial effects on children and adolescants?

Some topics you may want to think over:

1.) Are videogames a primary factor in children becoming overweight and unhealthy?
2.) Do videogames make children/adolescants socially inept -- or do people simply turn to videogames because they are already socially inept?
3.) Do videogames make children/adoclescants more violent? Do they numb us to violence?
4.) Do videogames have any worth while positive effects on people in general?

IMO, I think if more parents actually showed more interest in their childrens' videogames or offered to play together, then the effects would be very positive overall.

how about you?

HoldThePhone

1.Well some how the whole label of a fat nerd wearing glasses living in his momma's basement comes to mind.

2.Tell me if you were bullied as a kid or for whatever reason they wanna escape this world,would you turn to games?

3.If a kid was bullied or is being abused or something,yes ANYTHING violent would turn them to it. Look at just about half the school shootings that have happend over the years.

4. Games today,yes. Companies are trying their best to lift the bad press thats haunted video games in the last year by making games more friendly ie half the games for Wii and DS.

It isnt just games,its everything music,tv and games. If you avoid your kid and not set him or her on the right path and help them over come things that might make them turn to this kinda path,they might just create another columbine. And if a kid ever goes down this path what they listen,watch or play isnt to blame its their parents and no amount of pointing fingers at the companies that make these thigs will help.

Kids in the Western World are going to be hosed by corporate pop-culture influences regardless, so no point blaming video games implicitly.

spoofnutz