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Even Addictive Games Promote Family Values
By:
Chris
Robertson
There’s been much debate about the
effect that video games and online games have in the development
of our children and even in the socialization of adults. Reams
have been written about the ways in which video games isolate
youngsters and encourage a sedentary lifestyle. Some argue that,
when adults play video games and online games to the exclusion
of other activities, they effectively distance themselves from
others and put up emotional barriers.
While moderation and self-control may be important
considerations when playing video games and online games, I
believe a case can be made that some addictive games promote
family values.
Some people grow up in "game" families, and others do
not. I’m from a family of avid gamers - and this was long
before the advent of video games and online games. Some of my
first memories are of going with my parents to their friends’
houses and sitting quietly while they played bridge all evening.
My father worked in construction, and so was out of work during
the winter. I fondly recall coming home from school and finding
my mother, father, and my father’s best friend sitting around
the table playing cutthroat pinochle. As I grew older, I spent
many weekends up at a mountain cabin, playing hearts with eight
or ten other people until the wee hours of the morning.
In our family, we didn’t only play card games. We played every
kind of game imaginable - board games, travel games, Mah Jong,
outdoor games - you name it. I was the reigning backgammon
champion in my college dorm. We also were voracious puzzle
solvers. I preferred cryptograms and anacrostics, while my
grandmother solved crossword puzzles in pen until she was 94
years old. And, yes, when the first Ataris came out, my mother
bought one and we spent countless hours playing Pong and Donkey
Kong.
There’s no question in my mind that the addictive games we
played united our family and taught us important life lessons.
The first lesson, of course, was don’t cheat - and never play
with cheaters. That has served me well in business. The second
lesson was good sportsmanship: always play to win, but be
gracious when you lose. That, too, has been an important life
lesson. Even though I try my best, sometimes I don’t come out
on top. The third lesson was about the importance of thinking
ahead and strategizing to reach your goals. The fourth lesson
was about partnerships and teamwork. I had to learn to be a team
player, and sometimes a former adversary would become an ally at
a moment’s notice.
Most of all, though, our family’s addictive game playing gave
us an opportunity to be together, to have fun, and to laugh.
We’re all highly competitive, but at the end of the day,
we’re all friends.
My son has inherited my love of games and puzzles. To be honest,
I couldn’t wait until he got old enough to start playing
kid’s games. Like many parents, I played Chutes and Ladders
until my eyes crossed! He plays his video games - but we play a
lot of them together. We also do jigsaw puzzles together and
enjoy working in puzzle books and magazines. He even creates
puzzle books for his classmates using the class’ spelling
words.
So, while people turn up their noses at addictive games, I say
that they can teach important life lessons and instill great
family values. Play on!
Article
Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon
International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet
marketing companies. For tips/information, click here: addictive
games
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