Ban Video Games... I'm Sure That Will Work

The topic of video games is a very hot one, I am aware. Both sides of the isle are split among themselves on the influence they have on young minds and what should be done about them. But I'm having a tough time with countering one group saying to ban guns with another group saying to ban video games. I'm not a big fan of banning things. Bans mean less freedom. 

Right now, I'm listening to a lot of people talk about how parents need to take an active roll, discipline their children, raise them to respect life, etc., and then in the same breath forgetting parents all together when it comes to video games. 

When you make the decision to have a child, that decision brings a lot of responsibility and sacrifice. It means giving of yourself to make a life for your child, putting in long, thankless hours to raise that child, and doing a heck of a lot of work. A child is not a decision to be made because your parents are badgering you to give them grandkids, or because society says you should have kids, or because you get extra perks at work or on your taxes or whatever. You should be having a kid because you want one and are ready to raise one. 

And raising a child means that sometimes you are going to anger that kid. Too bad for the kid. If your kid is playing violent video games, that is on you, the parent. Video games cost between $50 - $60 a piece, and the consoles themselves are astronomically priced. Your child is not buying those on their own. You bought them. The games are rated. They give a pretty good description on the back panel. And, frankly, there are a ton of really good games out there that are age appropriate and fun to play. If your kid is Lego Batman age, maybe Call of Duty is the wrong purchase. 

Oh, your kid might be playing them at the houses of friends who's parents buy them anyway? That's your responsibility to know. You should know what activities are taking place at friends' houses, and you should be in touch with the parents. 

This is actually doable. We had video games when I was kid. The Nintendo system was all the rage - you know, the one where you had to blow in the cartridges and beat the console to get it to work? - and I had one after spending an entire year begging my parents endlessly until the Christmas morning where it showed up under the tree. I played a lot of Super Mario Bros. and soccer games. My mother bought the games, and she wasn't afraid to say no if I chose something that was not appropriate. She let me scream and yell, too. But she held firm. 

And I've noticed in my town that the kids don't seem to act as we assume the norm is today. I hear people complain that kids don't play outside anymore. Well, then apparently my state is bizarre, because you can't drive anywhere without kids in backyards, front yards, or parks. Spring is coming, and I know full well that within days the kids will be running through our housing development in a herd, playing basketball in driveways, riding their bikes and scooters, and walking their family dogs around proudly. Just yesterday I watched six of the neighborhood kids playing hopscotch in one of the driveways. It is on you, as a parent, to usher your child outdoors. 

So, let's recap. Stop buying your kids violent video games. Get your kids outside and into sporting activities after school (every area has a big sport. Where I grew up, it was soccer. Where I live now it is swimming). Engage your own child and know what they have, what they are doing, and what they do while inside other people's homes. 

And don't expect everyone else to give up what they like because you refuse to do this with your own kids. Banning stuff always means less freedom, so I very rarely support banning stuff. And I'm sorry, but I'm not giving up my adult rated video games because you can't say no to your child. 

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