My Son & Electronics Games

Posted on Dec. 19, 2009 at 11.00 AM - Chennai, India

My son has been asking me to buy PSP or PS3, but until today, I manage to turn him down. This time, he plans to ask that from his grandparents when we go back to Indonesia. I don’t feel comfortable of giving him this kind of video game actually for several considerations.

Since he is still a mere boy, and I don’t want him get addicted to games, and later cannot concentrate on his study. Another thing is about the game content itself, which can be very morally downgrading. Some games glorify occult practices. And popular games normally feature “gang wars, drug use, explicit sexual content, foul language, intense violence, blood, and gore.”

Some may say that a game is just a game; it does not harm your kids. However I believe it’s not that simple. The game can form the character of our kids. If the game is bad, it instills bad principle in their hearts. That’s why some time we hear kids who bring their parents guns and shoot around like mad at schools, shopping malls or even at worship places. Proverbs 13:20 advices us: “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly”

Some experts recommend the following measures to be taken by parents, which I would like to recite over here:

· Do not allow electronic games to be played in a secluded area, such as the bedroom.

· Set ground rules (for example, no games before finishing homework or dinner or some other essential activity).

· Emphasize the value of alternative activities that require physical exertion.

· Watch your children play their electronic games—or, better yet, play with them at times.

I hope you find it useful to you and happy parenting!

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