Buying Into The Gaming World

“No, we’re not going to get you video games” was a comment that my wife and I have repeated hundreds of times over the last five or six years, ever since our kids started realizing that gaming was a thing.

And yet, here we are today, with a recently purchased video game system and several games for the kids to enjoy.

Yes, I’ve mentioned in the past about being open to change when it comes to money habits, but why would we give in to allowing our kids to be sucked into the horrible world of video games? What good could come of that?

Good Kids

We don’t have perfect kids. But, we are fortunate that our 4th and 2nd graders do a good job trying hard at school, getting along with each other (as well as siblings can be expected to do), and they participate in activities outside of school with other kids their age. It is fun, and kind of scary how fast they seem to be growing and maturing. They are both caring and considerate children.

So, it seemed appropriate that we at least hear them out in their request that we get them video games. So we did. And, the answer was of course “No”.

Why Not?

Of course they wanted to know why not, and we were more than happy to give an explanation as to why video games were not something we were planning on getting any time soon. Here are just a few reasons:

• Games are violent. We don’t want our kids to play games where they’re rewarded for hurting or killing others, even if it is just a game.
• Once you have a game system, you end up spending hours in front of the tv, and won’t want to spend time outside or be involved in the physical world.
• A game system and games are expensive.

Sure, we let them play at friends’ houses, which they of course enjoyed… but no, not in our home.

What about me?

When I grew up, we didn’t own a video game system, and I turned out okay (or so I think).. Though we did rent one from time to time for a long weekend or a few days over summer vacation. And when I got older, I spent some time at friends’ houses playing. It was enjoyable.

Just for the fun of it, I looked to see what kind of games were out there. Turns out there are some pretty cool games! Oh, and the graphics have improved over the last 25-30 years too. It’d be interesting to see how some of these games would look on our tv…

Compromise

So yes, I finally came around to the idea of allowing video games into the house, and after several discussions with my wife, we finally decided that it was time to get a system. We did implement rules on types of games, time allowed for gaming, and priorities when it comes to school work and the need to be involved in other activities.

Acknowledging that the kids are doing a good job and that we feel we can give them more responsibilities and that we felt they could take this on I think helped with this transition.

Regrets?

Interestingly, it’s only been a few months, but we’re sticking to the guidelines, and so far it’s working out well. Yes, there are sometimes arguments, but overall video games have actually brought the kids a little closer, as it is something that they are able to bond over.

I even get to play with them every now and then.

Conclusion

Well, I have to say that this is one of the times that I’m glad I allowed myself to buy into something new… we’ll see how it’s going in a few months, and in a few years, but at least it’s off to a good start.

You never know exactly what you’re going to get when you are open to change, but sometimes it turns out better than you thought.

Reader Questions:

• Anything new you’ve jumped into recently?
• What has your experience been with or without video games?

Leave your answers or comments below – or email us directly at info@epicfinancialjourney.com