If you have a male child in your house you probably can sympathize with the shmuck I hear myself saying lately…
“No, we cannot play Minecraft at the dinner table.”
“I don’t want to hear another word about a Creeper.”
“Please don’t talk about making cow traps anymore.”
“No more computer for a week!”
“Yes, it is as hot as the Nether today.”
“Wait til I get your daddy to disconnect the X-Box!”
Their artwork for the school fundraiser was even of GLaDOS (from Portal.)
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They get so incredibly sucked in.
At our local Cub Scout camp I had to laugh when the geologist giving a talk about mineral hardness said diamonds were the hardest on the Mohs scale and the boys all looked confused and said “But what about Obsidian? Isn’t it harder?” (Minecraft strikes again…)
I honestly just don’t get it. (Of course, I can’t even play Mario without getting dizzy.)
I was thinking about how my generation (forty-ish’s) is probably the last one that just played outside. I mean “Back in My Day” video games were still played in a social settting. If you wanted to play the latest game you went to the arcade and met your buddies there. Your dollars would run out and you’d inevitably end up playing a game of kick-ball or football or something. Only the elite few had a game system in their houses and, let’s face it, the games were so incredibly boring no one wanted to stick around playing them for very long. Pong, anyone?
But, my brother’s generation was hooked. By the time he was a teen home game systems were already fairly elaborate. (But they still went outside!)
My kids? I have to unplug everything to get them to play outside. I honestly love the days when they are “in trouble” and have all technology taken away. (A lot lately.)
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If our generation had the technology our kids do would we still be the same?
Nope. I don’t think so.
I think instead of calling friends to ride bikes or swim, or go play “tennis ball” (our version of baseball with a tennis raquet- meant to prolong the game) we might have been sucked into the virtual worlds too. I probably would have been reading on a Nook or surfing the web (or blogging.) My buddies probably would be Minecraft or Portal freaks like my own kids. And cell phones? Wow.
Makes me a little scared. Makes me want to not connect the TV at the new house and secretly lose the games in the move.
Of course, I’d have to lose my iPad and computer too… (now who’s obsessed.)
Yes. I am CONSTANTLY saying I'm throwing out the tv. but, really, if I TRULY look at it, the tv barely registers… it's the phones and laptops that get so. much. attention….
Must get better!
I remember making a special trip to a friend's house to play Pong. I don't remember playing it for very long before we moved on to something else. Still, I guess it many of "our" generation who have created the technology that today's generation is captivated by. I have friends who write the stories for video games.
Now that would be fun! Writing the games I mean…
I remember when PacMan came out and there was one at our Angelo's Pizza (our hangout because a friend worked there). I was hooked from the get-go. I'm writing this as hear my boys and their dad playing a wrestling game on some type of game console.
Oh, how I miss Pong!
My son, one daughter, and husband play Minecraft. That one I just don't get. I've watched them. It just seems so boring.
The other kids and I don't get it.
I long for the simple life I knew as a child. I wish my children knew that life, too. But, I agree. I wouldn't want to give up my laptop in order for them to know it. Electronics are wonderful and evil.
Congratulations on your SITS day. I hope it's a great day for you.
Oh, yes. I'm definitely a computer/ipad junkie. It's a struggle to sound outraged about my kids' use of their computers when I'm just as bad! Happy SITS day!!
HAPPY SITS DAY! Our generation is hooked to technology! I'm not sure what we would all be doing to pass the time if TV, cell phones, computers, and video games weren't there!
WE had the original Ninetendo in our house, but my sister was still outside A LOT I wad a reader, so even if I wasn't playing video games, I was outside.
My children play a lot of video games, but they are also outside a lot too. It's hard to find a balance!
Happy SITS DAy!
My children complain that I'M the one on the computer too much! I guess I do have an addiction to technology!
Congrats on your SITS day!
Lemon Drop Pie
Oh this is hilarious! I have two boys and agree with you 100%! The tv, computer, and video games have to be turned off so that they will use their creativity and play! I love technology but this aspect of it is sad.
My fiance is pretty much a male child. I find myself saying similar things. Except, I'm the one of the computer most of the time. He's the one playing video games.
HAPPY SITS Day!
Video games were big when me and my siblings grew up (born in '87 and '91) but we still played outside a TON.
I guess I should feel a little happy (instead of annoyed( to hear the kids outside my apartment yelling, playing and riding their bikes. At least there's still hope for kids playing outside.
Oh this is so true! My boys are only 2 and 4, but already my 4-year-old is hooked on his Leapster and Disney Junior. And it's so easy to say "Ok, you can watch one more show" so that I can get some peace and quiet or check my email! I try to have my boys be active a good bit, but some days technology just wins. Congrats on your SITS day!
I really enjoyed reading this post! I'm popping in from SITS. You've won me over… I'm going to connect through GFC!
Have a great SITS day!
Tina – mom of 4, author and blogger of 5 blogs
http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com
I so feel your pain! My hubby (Mid-40's)and step-son (now 18)would vegg for hours and hours! I couldn't handle it anymore, so Hubby went and bought another TV and PS3 for the basement. Sigh – not what I had in mind when I demanded they turn it off. 😉
Now, I'm preggers and guess what? It's a boy. O.o Crap.
I'm following your adventures now, come check mine out if you'd like: http://mrsmommyknowitall.blogspot.com/
we definitely instil a "media time" in our house. If I don't, my two year old will play in front of the TV all day! It's been great for all of us because we are spending time doing things together instead of watching life happen to other people! My rules are easy; TV while I'm getting ready and TV while I'm making dinner. That's it! (and maybe once in a while a little movie for fun, but I sit down and watch it with her and we pop popcorn and make it an activity we do together)
I have a husband who loves games. Lately, he is into this farming game. (Why not some REAL farming instead?) so we have an expression in our house… "I don't want to hear your plight of soy." Translation: I don't want to hear about how you could not grow enough soy to sell and make money on your virtual farm. No thanks. I have some blogging to do, thankyouverymuch. lol…
Then, I turn to my 11 year old daughter for confirmation but she doesn't see me, as she is buried in her iPod playing a game.