I’m not sure just how controversial this topic is for secular parents. My guess is, not very. But among Christian parents, there is a Great Video Game Debate. Actually, as far as I can tell, there’s no debate. Video games are bad. ‘Nuff said.
In this family, though, video games are not only not avoided, we have a deep and abiding love for them! I just taught my 6 year old son the concept of the save point. I give him use of my old GameBoy Advance nearly every day for a half hour at the other kids’ naptime, and I often play my own PC and PlayStation 2 games right there in front of him. To hear some Christian family “experts” tell it, I’m sending my son on the fast-track to Hell.
The arguments against it 
all sound reasonable: He could be getting exercise right now, or reading a book, or doing chores. His brain might develop differently because of the different kind of stimulation that video games provide. He might become (gasp) addicted to the adrenalin rush of exciting games. While I hear an awful lot of these arguments, I haven’t seen any evidence of this problem in my own life.
My son is getting plenty of exercise at other times of day, and I don’t exactly want him doing jumping jacks while the other kids sleep, anyway. He reads all day. Am I really supposed to believe that letting him take a half-hour break from reading and active play to play a video game is going to ruin his mind and body?
It’s been my experience that the kind of geek who plays a lot of video games is also the kind of geek who reads a lot of books. (Let me introduce you to my husband. And all his friends. And, er, myself. Hi. My name is Cindy, and I love games.) And since when is a little boy seeking an adrenalin rush an unusual thing? He’s a boy!
I’m totally open to the idea that I might be wrong about this. They’re just games, after all, and not worth ruining a kid over. But having heard so many specious arguments for complete abstinence toward so many other pleasurable and useful things in life–drinking alcohol, eating certain kinds of foods, even using modern medicine, I’m skeptical of the need to completely forbid these things to my family. Isn’t it better to teach them “all things in moderation” than to make up a new raft of minor sins to avoid?
Content is important, of course. He’s racing cars and playing only games with no blood and guts or cursing. I don’t let him read just anything, and I don’t let him play just anything. But some anti-game people don’t make any distinction at all between Castlevania and Grand Theft Auto.
I’d love to know what you guys think. Do you allow video games in your home, whether you personally care for them or not? Is there a Biblical reason, or is it just a personal preference?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: reallifesarah
August 14, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Cindy, you are so funny! I think it was settled long ago that you kids are going to become zombies no matter what you do, right? Just kidding.
We allow video games in moderation. We have a Wii, so many of the games are active, like Just Dance, etc. But my daughter has a (GASP) Nintendo DS! Just like many things, it’s not the action of doing something, but the content and the heart behind it.
Reading certain books, I suspect, would be more sinful than playing Where’s Waldo on the Wii, ya know?
I can’t wait until we can afford a new game system! Everybody is playing wii and PS3, and here we’re still stuck with the same stuff we had almost 10 years ago. On the bright side, the games are cheap!
Twitter: fromtracie
August 15, 2010 at 11:56 pm
My daughter has a Nintendo DS. She loves the lego games and tinkerbell games, and mario stuff. It is all about the moderation.
Do you remember how peeved mom would get when we would say we were ‘killing’ the goombas in Mario? Yes, I think that many many parents take the video game debate just a bit too far in the name of trying to raise perfect children. I think that lessons in moderation can only be taught by actually allowing your children to practice moderation (which does not equal abstinence). Not mention, I love my Wii, and I don’t believe that it has rotted my brain in the least. You may have to take that up with some of my friends, though, for a more rounded view.
Twitter: angiewith3
August 18, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I think that there are points in our children’s lives where they are going to be exposed to things that we’d rather them not. In my opinion I think it’s best to slowly discuss topics with your children. This is why this is bad, you understand why this isn’t real and shouldn’t be real, etc. Sooner or later they will be exposed and it’s up to us as parents to guide them to make appropriate decisions. I think that fits with both christians and non-christians alike.