Kid plays too much Xbox, argues with parents, runs away. MS offers reward.

[twesterm]

Comrade Tovya said:

twesterm said:

Comrade Tovya said:
Sounds like bad parenting blamed on video games if you ask me (everyone needs a scapegoat to blame for their problems instead of just admitting it's your fault)

I took away all of my 7 years old kid's video game systems (including handheld) and he just said sorry, and corrected the errors that got himself grounded to being with... he never once ran away or really even got mad at me for it.

So, crappy parents of the world, get over blaming Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft for raising your kids wrong, and instead take parenting classes and learn how to do it the right way...

It reminds me of those dumb kids who terrorize their schools with firearms, and then the schools and parents blame Grand Theft Auto. Give me a break. I've been playing shooter games since they came out in the 80s, and I turned out okay... haven't shot a single person yet.

I love it when parents tell their kids (after a mom shuts the kid's game off on level 81 before he had a chance to save his progress), "It's just a video game, it has nothing to do with the real world".

Oh, but the first time their kid does something screwy, they blame it on a video game.

If you read the article they aren't blaming video games...

 

 

It's not a breaking story... when it originally came out last week, the original AP article gave the impression that they were 'partly' blaming video games for their addictive attributes... though they did say overall it wasn't Microsofts fault.  None-the-less, I have heard more than one parent actually put the blame on video game manufacturers for violence and other negative things pouring from video games and into the real world.

My overall point is, people need to just take ownership of their own shortcomings as humans, and stop looking for a boogie man to blame for problems.

The reason it's even an issue at all is because of the media...

If the story were simply, "Kid grounded and runs away", people would think it were sad, but then never give it another thought.

But, by the AP & Reuters implying that video games hold part of the blame (and yes, there are many versions of the article that imply that) everyone says, "wow!  My kids play a lot of video games too!  This same thing could happen to me!"

And now, the story is no longer simply a random terrible act amongst millions of others, it now becomes personal to every parent out there.

Most parents (just ask a non-video game loving parent) will say, "wow, video games really can ruin a family!"  I've heard it said at least a dozen times this week (including from my own dad).  When the truth is, ANYTHING taken in excess can be harmful to you... that's no secret to anyone.   But the idea that video games are to blame even in the smallest degree because a kid runs away is preposterous.  If they thought their kids was spending to much time on his console, they should have regulated the amount of time per day or week he would be allowed to play them.  That's what I do already, and always have done with my kids.  Not because games are bad, but because anything in excess can be a negative thing.

 

Like I said, the media is trying to vilify video games but looking at what the parents say they aren't. Even the police have said that MS has nothing to do with it and checking XBL leads will more than likely result in nothing.

And as for what MS is doing, they are just being incredibly helpful and generous when they could say fuck off, it's not our problem,