Toys and Violence
When I was a boy, I played mock war with toy guns. I played with action figures (GI Joe, both eras), LEGOS, etc. Yet, here I am pushing 40 and I am a productive member of society. I teach math at a behavioral treatment facility. I am involved in the shaping of young minds and ideals on a daily basis. Things like LEGOS and imaginary battles (remember army men?) breed creativity.
I do take issue with the non creative, non problem solving, violent games that kids can play where using your mind is not the object. They punch in a cheat code and kill away. That is disturbing.
Does it mean those games have no place in a child's life? My parents thought so, but that's just it, my parents were involved. So be involved, make sure you know what your kids are playing. There are tons of video games, even ones with guns and violence, that utilize the brain in more than a mindless killing spree. Play the games yourself. Look them up on the internet. Get a clue.
My parents both worked full time and still knew what I was doing almost all of the time. They were involved but not overbearing. They made sure I understood the difference between reality and fantasy. They didn't shelter me from the horrors of reality, but made sure I understood what the world could be and how I could change it.
I do take issue with the non creative, non problem solving, violent games that kids can play where using your mind is not the object. They punch in a cheat code and kill away. That is disturbing.
Does it mean those games have no place in a child's life? My parents thought so, but that's just it, my parents were involved. So be involved, make sure you know what your kids are playing. There are tons of video games, even ones with guns and violence, that utilize the brain in more than a mindless killing spree. Play the games yourself. Look them up on the internet. Get a clue.
My parents both worked full time and still knew what I was doing almost all of the time. They were involved but not overbearing. They made sure I understood the difference between reality and fantasy. They didn't shelter me from the horrors of reality, but made sure I understood what the world could be and how I could change it.
