My son doesn't watch TV very much. My son is now 10 but first became a 'gamer' at age two with Reader Rabbit's Preschool (mouse only) and I have encouraged him to use the computer ever since. Yes, I admit that he has broken nearly $1000 USD worth of DVD drives, keyboards, and other peripherals, but I consider that to be 'collateral cost damage' to his education. As a parent, I don't believe in restricting my child on the computer: I want him to learn as much as he can as fast as he can.
Since I myself can fix any software problem he can cause I let him use my account. I want him to have the 'full arsenal.' If I worry that he is going to come across things on the Internet that will be harmful to him, I also know that I can always check wherever he's been. An emptied history cache is a tell tale sign that something's up and it's time for a talk. Kids are learning the Internet and computer databases very quickly. Filters prevent kids from learning in my opinion. I believe in talking, and trust. The day that my son can outsmart me on the computer will be his rite of passage. In any case, I trust my son.
My son has always been a gamer. He was playing "Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?" when he was five. He branched out. Recently Pokemon came out with a new game called Pokemon Black and White and my son went nuts for it. I haven't bought him the DS game yet though- he's crazy for the Pokemon Black and White cards and loves browsing the websites featuring the spinoffs. I just bought him a Pokemon Plushie at a realtor near us that he, unfortunately or not, is sleeping with. He seems content playing Crystal though, and knows his mother- he doesn't nag for new games. One private reason I don't buy him the Pokemon Black and White game (apparently you have choice between the two colors) is that I don't feel he really understands Crystal yet.
Allow me to put this way. My son does a lot more on the computer than play games. He knows the file system, can navigate like nobody's business, and knows how to solve problems. He has a good knowledge of the basic database, which is what computing is all about. He knows HTML 1 well enough to make a simple homepage, and knows a little PHP as well. He can troubleshoot and fix problems. I strongly feel that gaming adds to his knowledge, and that computers are the thing he is best yet. So I encourage gaming- I think he has a good career ahead of himself.
Dinah Jackson loves writing about Pokemon. For the newest Pokemon Black and White information on the web, check out the new Pokemon free online magazine called Pokezine. There are hundreds of magazine articles on all different Pokemon subjects for free. Get all the latest news, plus tons of information about upcoming great items like Pokemon Audino plushie, Minccino, Suicune, Entei, Serperior, Oshawott, Snivy, Tepig and many more. Check it out. Its 100% free.
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