The Suggestion of THE MAN…

Hello, Mollies of the world!

I’m so excited to be contributing and hoping that I touch as many of you as I can, that I’ve spent the last 72 hours in deep thought and contemplation about what to write about. Now I could truly write about ANYTHING. My first thought was… keep “it” alive… you should know what “it” is. I then thought… reading, cooking, baking, food allergies, how NOT to beat your children and every other topic you could think of from tithing and food storage to the animal kingdom and family vacations. So in my thought infested despair I ask my husband, “Honey, give me a topic to write about… I can’t pick one!” His suggestion: VIDEO GAMES

OI! The choices and thoughts of men sometimes! THE MAN certainly loves video games. I personally am not very good at them… except Rock Band in which I play wicked drums!

But what can video games do for you? Or NOT do for you? I believe that this day in age with technology growing and expanding faster than a pregnant woman there are many things that are good and bad about video games…. And not just for the kids!

Example: My 6 year old son has Asperger’s Syndrome which is a form of Autism. He has trouble with small motor skills and gets overstimulated easily. So one may think that video games would be an issue for him… but alas they are not! It’s truly a blessing when I can watch my son create a character, guide him through obstacles and levels and succeed! His favorite game to play is called Little Big Planet

He loves to make his own super hero “guy” and cruise around worlds and galaxies. And I LOVE that this is a way to stimulate and expose him to things he struggles with in day to day life.

But we are very careful with video game selections in our home. All games are played in the common household space and are rated appropriately for the ages of our children. So if my 4 year walked in and watched the game being played it would be OK for her to see.

But I must warn you that video games can also be taxing on a family. When arguments arise between children for turns or TV usage. It’s not good. Also, if the child is so involved in the game that your polite request or even screaming demand doesn’t get their attention… not good. Even adults make the mistake of putting gaming ahead of family time.

Example: When THE MAN gets home from his day at work (where he works on computers all day…. he is my computer geek after all), relaxes, eats dinner and then goes straight to his computer game. The kids want his attention… for peet’s sake I want his attention but he needs to escape to his “other world” adventure. Now ladies… I’m not saying that THE MAN shouldn’t get his game time! HE DESERVES IT!! But I am saying that too much game time away from the family could cause friction, resentment, sadness, etc. Emotions that don’t invite the spirit and don’t create harmony in the home.

As long as we are careful with game choices, limit time and make it a family adventure video games can help create family harmony and happiness. We all need to escape from reality every now and then! I encourage you to let your children enjoy the technological blessings we’ve been given and let their imaginations soar…. encourage them to play fun, adventurous and uplifting games that the whole family can enjoy. And give THE MAN some “manly game time” too… just make sure you keep an open discussion and decide together the amount of time.

At our home video gaming is fun… but they all remember to follow this one simple rule:

If anyone beats mom at Wii bowling they’re going to bed early! ;}

Jenn is the mother to 3 crazy kids, a wife to a wonderful man and has been a member of the church for 10 years. She lives her Gluten Free life in Oregon and enjoys every INSANE moment that Heavenly Father gives her. Her life rantings can be read at Adventures in Mommyland.