thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 16:21:14 GMT -5
I always agree with statements like this, and then the irony hits me. I spend more time on this board that with all my human contact combined.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jun 24, 2013 17:07:34 GMT -5
I regret spending too much time watching television. In fact, there was a study that said some huge portion of people wished they had partied less in college and studied more. So, just because it is a leisure activity, doesn't mean that people feel fulfilled, or people feel like their time was well spent. Especially if there is another leisure activity that might be even better. Some movies are better than old television reruns (like the 9th time I watched the same "Love it or List it.") Going on vacation and exploring a new city is better than most all of the movies I've ever seen. Renting a boat for the day and taking my kids water skiing was better than reading a book. And, my son remembers our trip to Boston, and the day we went water skiing, but I suspect there isn't a single day of playing video games and watching TV that stands out as a memory he will hold dear as he grows up and moves on. It's easy to say, "instead of watching TV I should have taken a trip to Boston or rented a boat and gone water skiing." But keep in mind going on vacation is expensive, even renting a boat is expensive. It's fine to do every once and a while, maybe a few times a year, but unless you're rich like scrooge, how can you afford all these crazy adventures every single day? Furthermore, there's the time factor. Unless you can afford to quit your job, 5 days of the week you're going to be working 8-9 hours a day. What are you going to do that's so life fullfulling for the 5-6 hours before you go to bed? And of course there's the daily chores like cooking and cleaning to consider. Who has the time to constantly be going water skiing, parasailing, or skydiving, or taking a trip to the four corners of the world? Plus, a lot of us live in areas where it gets pretty damn cold and snowy in the winter. Which kind of limits how much you can get out and "do stuff." So what else are you going to do when you've been at the office for 9 hours, got home, made dinner, cleaned up, and it's the dead of winter and dark out and you have a couple of hours to kill before going to bed. Go water skiing? I don't think so. You're going to turn on the boob tube, or grab a novel, or play a few levels of a video game. Because what else are you going to have the time/energy for? You need to recognize that you have limitations on your time and money. So I don't think one should regret having hobbies such as book reading, or movie watching, or video game playing. Though as they say, everything in moderation.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:10:36 GMT -5
Not MSN Money is a big time waste. I can't bring myself to regret it though...
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:16:19 GMT -5
I regret that I didn't get into the pool with my kids, or that we didn't play a board game together, but instead I watched TV. My daughter asked me to go on a bike ride or bake cookies, but I was too tired, so I watched TV. I wish I had worked out yesterday, but I was playing Sudoku on the iPad. I only have 2 chapters left in my book, but instead of reading them, I played some game where I connected a bunch of dots.
You can absolutely wish you had spent your time differently. Even if the reason you didn't wasn't time or money - but habit and sloth.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jun 24, 2013 17:18:30 GMT -5
Goldenrulegirl. I think it's fine to want to do things, but as I said. Unless you're independently wealthy, you don't have the time/money to constantly be going on crazy adventures. So I don't see why one should be ashamed of watching TV, or playing video games, or reading a book, or any other low key leisure activity.
Furthermore, you have to keep in mind not everyone is an extrovert. Not everyone finds enjoyment being around others all the time. Many people find peace and sollace in their alone time. Are you suggesting those people are wrong?
You seem to be implying that there is something to regret in doing those activities. Are you telling me you've NEVER read a novel for your own enjoyment, played a video game, watched a TV show, or watched a movie? And if you have, do you regret those decisions? It must be pretty tough, going through life with so much regret.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:20:03 GMT -5
I assign more value to my daughter playing alone in her room, creatively using all her toys to entertain herself than I do to my son playing alone on video games.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jun 24, 2013 17:21:34 GMT -5
Well Thyme, I don't consider the time you've spent posting here a waste. In fact, I think your time here has been enriching to my life, as well as all the others on this message board. We wouldn't be the same without you.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:24:53 GMT -5
So, if video games had been invented first, three dimensional stories in which you can play an active role, help develop the plot and immerse yourself into the world of... Do you think most people would read books, if they had been developed after?
I say this as an avid reader...
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jun 24, 2013 17:28:09 GMT -5
I assign more value to my daughter playing alone in her room, creatively using all her toys to entertain herself than I do to my son playing alone on video games. That's just because you're biased and wrong. I can't think of another way to say it. Maybe because video games are newer than books and toys?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:29:11 GMT -5
When I was growing up, I went to school with girls who had to hide their books, because their parents, old timer farming stock, thought that reading was a waste of time...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:30:37 GMT -5
And, my son remembers our trip to Boston, and the day we went water skiing, but I suspect there isn't a single day of playing video games and watching TV that stands out as a memory he will hold dear as he grows up and moves on. You need to recognize that you have limitations on your time and money. So I don't think one should regret having hobbies such as book reading, or movie watching, or video game playing. Though as they say, everything in moderation. Well said! Phoenix
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:31:18 GMT -5
I'm probably wrong. The way my son plays is very repetitive. I guess it is using creativity, but I just see the same thing over and over. I don't see much goal setting, or skill building. He just goes over here and builds a house, and then over there and builds a house, and then the other end and builds a house. Pretty much the same house. He doesn't use different types of materials or anything.
As far as there being 3 dimensional stories that are engaging him - I don't see much in plot development or characters or him following along in any way. Maybe he is doing it wrong?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:35:30 GMT -5
Or maybe he's making up his own stories about who lives in those houses ... Ask him , but be prepared for him to tell you all about it
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:37:48 GMT -5
I did ask him who lived in the houses and he answered "Me." I asked why he needed 3 houses and he said he just kept building them. Not a lot of great story telling. Maybe inside his head is better.
He did laugh and laugh and laugh one day when he went around beating all the sheep until they were bloody and dead. I hope that doesn't mean he is going to start setting cats on fire in real life or anything.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jun 24, 2013 17:39:52 GMT -5
If anything, video games can be far more engaging than any book. Books, movies, and television shows are all passive affairs. You're reading (or watching) characters move along a predefined plot laid forth by the author/writers. What other medium, except for rare exceptions like choose your own adventure books, do you get to be an active participant in the plot? Where it's not just the main character having relationships or feelings for the other characters in a work of art, but YOU are. That's something nothing else can do.
Anyway, this discussion is getting outside the scope of this thread.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:43:08 GMT -5
Not really. The literal question was answered in two or three posts.
Now we are onto the theoretical point of Minecraft.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:49:53 GMT -5
Would you be upset if he kept building the same house over nd over with Legos?
how old is he again? Younger kids, and even some older ones like repetition. Or it could be a mastery thing. Or he just likes building houses.
Could he play and Skype with friends?
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:52:56 GMT -5
We haven't found any friends that connect on video games yet. I'm not sure I know how to do that. I think we would have to get xBox Gold, maybe?
He will be 9. I don't know how I would feel about him building the same house over and over again with Legos. He was pretty creative with Hot Wheels. He would do different set ups each time. He might repeat sections or concepts. Maybe it didn't concern me because I could see the differences. Maybe his houses are different, but I can't discern.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:55:26 GMT -5
It's personal preference and I don't think there is a right or wrong opinion here. Do what you think it's best for your children. When your heart's are in right places something will click.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 17:56:11 GMT -5
I don't like the Xbox. For some reasoning felt it was more obsession forming... Son and daughter Skype and play games with friends on their computers.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 17:57:08 GMT -5
Best for the children - pfft. I'm doing what is best for me. Putting the kids in front of video games, and ignoring them while I play on my iPad. A no-effort motherhood. Whoop!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 18:00:24 GMT -5
Best for the children - pfft. I'm doing what is best for me. Putting the kids in front of video games, and ignoring them while I play on my iPad. A no-effort motherhood. Whoop! Yeah, right. thyme
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 18:06:06 GMT -5
Best for the children - pfft. I'm doing what is best for me. Putting the kids in front of video games, and ignoring them while I play on my iPad. A no-effort motherhood. Whoop! Yeah, but getting them to put down the damn videogame when I need my wine glass refilled is a really pain in the ass! Just go play with them with those video game.And excuse yourself in between the turns. And go get yourself a much need it A glass of wine.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 18:09:09 GMT -5
I find Minecraft so incredibly boring. I liked Plants vs. Zombies, and I love all the Kinect games. But Minecraft bores me. So, the sub-text here is that I feel guilty because I don't like what my kids are doing, and I'm not taking an active role in their past times. So, I send them to school (which I don't get involved with) and I drop them off at sports (which I don't get involved with) and then they come home and play video games (which I don't get involved with.) This has nothing to do with the video games, as much as my guilt. Always read in between the lines. I'm secretly very deep and troubled.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 18:11:52 GMT -5
Then invite them to play plants v. Zombies with you
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 18:15:16 GMT -5
. I'm secretly very deep and troubled. I had always suspected as much ....
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 18:19:30 GMT -5
as much as my guilt. Always read in between the lines. I'm secretly very deep and troubled. thyme, Do best of you can as a Mom whatever situation you are under to your loving children. As so far as I can see you are a very caring person! But what do I know. Good luck.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 19:03:54 GMT -5
as much as my guilt. Always read in between the lines. I'm secretly very deep and troubled. thyme, Do best of you can as a Mom whatever situation you are under to your loving children. As so far as I can see you are a very caring person! But what do I know. Good luck. Well, I've got one fooled.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Jun 24, 2013 20:30:24 GMT -5
All I can say is that I loved, loved, LOVED playing video games with my mom/dad growing up. They never did it often, but to a kid it's great. Even for single player games, if you watch them play and give advice, they really love it. It might be boring for you, but what kid activity isn't? Personally I'd rather play video games with a kid than play house or something.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jun 24, 2013 20:35:31 GMT -5
We do tons of stuff together that we all like. I do try and play with them. It is just Mindcraft makes me want to nap. Maybe it is the music.
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