Video Games vs. Television

Let me start off by saying that neither is particularly good for kids in excess. That being said, I think I'd rather see my kids playing a game than staring at a television. Games can at least involve thinking and in some instances even moving (i.e. the Wii system). With television shows, even interactive kid shows like Dora the Explorer, they just sit like lumps.

I've been noticing this trend with my kids for a while now. On days when we can't get out to play (which has been most of the winter), and I have work to do at home, by the time I'm free to do things with them, they don't want to do anything. They get totally immersed in their TV shows. And mind you, they're watching semi-educational things on the Noggin channel. I literally have to wrench them away from it and make them do other things. And the most recent disturbing thing I've noticed is that my daughter suddenly seems to have forgotten how to play independently. If I turn the TV off she starts complaining about being bored and there's 'nothing to do' despite the hundreds of toys around the house. Yet, when the TV is on, she's still bored and listless.

There's a totally different phenomena when I let the kids play video games on the PC or on one of the consoles (husband's XBox or their V-Smile or their Gamecube which was just given to them for Easter). Even when they have trouble with the games, they're animated and playing cooperatively and having fun. With many of the games - the V-Smiles and PC games in particular, there's problem solving and learning happening. They've never played any of the Wii games, and I honestly refuse to spend that kind of money on a game system for 4 and 6 year olds. But possibly when they are older. Even a simple game like their new Mario Kart is helping their hand-eye coordination.

Now, I'm very picky about what they are allowed to watch or play. I avoid shows or games that are very violent, that have problematic language or behavior that I don't want my kids modelling. And when these things do come up, it is made very clear that the behaviors or language are not desirable. I mean, let's be real, our kids don't live in a vacuum and they will come across negativity. Just a couple of weeks ago when we had a warm day, I took my daughter out to play with a couple of her friends, and one of the little girls spouted about how her sister is an asshole. That's what she hears from her mother. Am I going to make my daughter avoid this little girl from now on? No. The other mom (not the potty-mouthed one) and I let all the children know that they should not repeat that word. I haven't heard it from my daughter's mouth yet. So I do know that parental involvement can mitigate what kids are exposed to.

Would my kids be better off playing ball? Absolutely. But with a high wind advisory, I don't think we're going out today. In the summer, they will have swim lessons, summer school or camp, almost daily visits to the lake, bike riding, roller skating, camping and as many activities as I can possibly squeeze in. But in the meantime, I think I'll just enjoy watching them crash cartoon cars into things. It amuses them greatly.