Young Gamerz

[toxic_tomato]

well i got a problem fellas...ok lets start at the begining

i have a 4 year old brother who plays video games..and i find hes too young to play them,my parents let him play because when he isnt hes a poop disturber...i also find hes addicted,like last week i asked if he wanted to play soccer with me to which he responded by saying "no im busy playing sonic". i mean we reward him with video games if he has a good day at daycare cause he's really bad..but i think its the games that are making him bad..im also worried he is starting to lose his imagination,for a 4 year old of course..he rarely plays his toys or watch kid movies..just games games and more games..i may be no different and i do play alot(don't we all) but i do take long breaks to get my life back in order..but not him he just sits there and plays..

now the reason im saying this is because earlier today i was taking a nap and when he saw me he started to jump on me..and when i asked him what the heck was he doing he replied"im mario and your a turtle"..ouch.So he does start copying some of the games he plays..

so my question is..What do you think is the appropriate age kids could kids start playing video games?IMO i think 8 and over cause that's the age they start to mature and tell right from wrong(although some of my friends still think jumping off a roof with a bike is safe)..anyways..any younger then 8 i think they should keep their distance from games..and that is my 2 cents..thank you

[GeneralSnake]

I played games at an earlier age. I think it is more of a personal problem, no one I grew up with playing sonic and mario ever did anything like that. Sounds like a discipline problem, ADD, or something along those lines. I would say the earlier they start playing, they will play more well when they get older. And why would you want him to watch kids movies, they will warp him far more than video games will? Teaching him that everything is nice and fluffy and made of gummi. video games are the new toys.

[Sgt.Huitt]

He'll get bored after a while from staring at a plywood box. If he believes in Santa Clause, tell him a while lie or something. It worked for me until I googled Santa Clause.

[alpha]

i got my NES when I was 4 and I turned out just fine

[-Bar]

Tell him that mommy and daddy bought him a new puppy and watch him run out of the room..

ahh the good old sega gensis when you are at a friends house who has little brothers and sisters. You start thinking of things real quick.

Boy that was a long time ago...

[TheSilentAssassin]

Too long is bad, but none is torture

[Thrashdragon]

Re: Young Gamerz

today i was taking a nap and when he saw me he started to jump on me..and when i asked him what the heck was he doing he replied"im mario and your a turtle"

That's the funniest damn thing I've read in a long time.

[Runaway_Jim]

Both of my kids (7 and 5) have DS Lites. We do occasionally have a problem where the youngest will go on a gaming binge, but we try to keep it in check... this is how we do it:

We have 'tickets' that they can both earn from doing chores, reading or writing, or doing something else that is constructive or learning. As they do their work/chores, they get tickets that they can trade in to play their DS's. It works out pretty well most of the time. Occasionally, we do break down and just let them play for a bit on a weekend, or they can play on them while we are on a road trip, but mostly we try to keep that structure in place.

If anything, the games our 5 yr old plays has enhanced his imagination... when he runs around outside, he is 'Sonic'. A lot of times, he becomes a Pokemon trainer or is the 'Diamond' pokemon. Sometimes I wonder when he is just himself! The Mario-turtle thing sounds real familar. When he got up this morning, he said, 'Watch this!!' and then bounced on the bed with his butt. I asked what it was and he replied, 'MARIO BUTT SLAM!!'

[toxic_tomato]

Both of my kids (7 and 5) have DS Lites. We do occasionally have a problem where the youngest will go on a gaming binge, but we try to keep it in check... this is how we do it:

We have 'tickets' that they can both earn from doing chores, reading or writing, or doing something else that is constructive or learning. As they do their work/chores, they get tickets that they can trade in to play their DS's. It works out pretty well most of the time. Occasionally, we do break down and just let them play for a bit on a weekend, or they can play on them while we are on a road trip, but mostly we try to keep that structure in place.

If anything, the games our 5 yr old plays has enhanced his imagination... when he runs around outside, he is 'Sonic'. A lot of times, he becomes a Pokemon trainer or is the 'Diamond' pokemon. Sometimes I wonder when he is just himself! The Mario-turtle thing sounds real familar. When he got up this morning, he said, 'Watch this!!' and then bounced on the bed with his butt. I asked what it was and he replied, 'MARIO BUTT SLAM!!'

thats just as funny..but your advice does seem reasonable..ill sugest it to my parents..as i speak my brother is behind me in the other room playing surfs up...heres a pic i just just took of him