Not Gaming With Children?
In the world of parental advocacy, everyone is a buzz about a new study that claims that the majority of US parents don’t play games with their kids. I’ve gotten several emails asking for comment and here’s my short answer: “It means absolutely nothing we don’t already know about people.” They, like you I presume, then look confused and ask me what the heck that means. Click in for the Long Answer…
The reason it doesn’t rate as news are threefold.
1. Most videogame players are teens and most teens don’t want to do ANYTHING with their parents.
2. Most parents respect this drawing away to an extent and may have ceded “videogames” as private time. “She loves those games, but she plays too much. Ah well, it keeps her out of trouble!”
3. The “GamerParent” revolution is new. While the average age of a gamer (according to the ESA) hovers around 30, people are having kids later and by the time kids get really into games – their parents are in their 40’s. Not a bad thing, but for now this means smaller numbers of active “GamerParents.”
Time is moving forward and gaming is growing into a much larger part of average American life with the ubiquity of the PlayStation 2, GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS and the growing popularity of the Xbox 360 and especially the Wii expect to see that “average age” quoted above move upwards.
And the “playing games with their kids” numbers will rise right along with it. So long as it doesn’t conflict too much with Number 1 above. . . .
Oh and what about the resentment and ignorant statements by parents? I mean, anyone who thinks games are all violent, aren’t social, and are complete wastes of time are people who’ve never played games — or paid attention to them. They’re also most people 35+.
Of course, you’re reading the work of an exception to that rule too. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go beat my 7 year old at Wii Bowling. Beat her while I still can!
Not yet sweetheart!
November 28th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I’m actually a kid (14) and you forgot one ;). I constantly want my parents to play games with me but they simply do not like them. They just don’t find them fun. They’d rather have me alone as you said “out of trouble”. I do have a few games they would like also. My dad did enjoy 007 everything or nothing though, but that was a rare occurrence.
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I agree that as the early generations of gamers reach child-raising age, the number of parents gaming with their kids will increase. I’m 39 with a 5 and 7-year old and my whole family plays games together. Just on the computer right now and we plan to get a Wii for Christmas as I think the grils are old enough to enjoy it.
I have a few gamer friends with kids and they play games with them as well.
Great site and keep up the good fight 🙂