@haseo luver92:

I agree with you completely. My mother was smart. If I was on my NES too long, she'd be like, "That's the last game, then you have to go outside". I have noticed to that, most of my friends who are more into video games than I am, handle stress extremely well. My pal Fanboy, as we like to call him, and my significant other, have got to be some of the calmest young men on the planet, and they are huge gamers. If you talk to Fanboy, you'll see how smart he is. He dissects those games, his problem solving is fantastic, and frankly, he knows how the games are made too. He could probably make his own game if he wanted too.

See, there's a key phrase in there.

Adult supervision.

That's what it's really all about. Kids only become lazy if their parents let them; if the child rots on the couch for video games or internet it's the PARENT that allows them to do so.

But video games can teach kids important techniques that can benefit them later. Games with puzzles or mind games (The Zelda games come to mind) and even online games that involve teamwork can come into play. It's only when kids only play video games that things can go downhill. (Not to mention that video games are an excellent source of stress relievers and a way, let's not forget to HAVE FUN).

haseo

Video games are cool, fun, and interesting. As far as educational is concerned, it depends on the game. I remember a fisher price NES matching game I had that was really fun for my friend's 4 year old sister. Now, what I think is actually really great about video games, more than anything else, is the social experience. Who doesn't get a big group of friends together and have a Halo campaign, or a smash bros. battle, or race on mario kart? Considering how many kids nowadays need something to do, so what if they are playing video games, talking and being in a great mood? It's better than sitting around moping, being lonely, getting into drugs or violence.

I remember when Sesame Street had books that my dad would read to my sisters and me so that we'd learn to read. Remember when kids learned under their parents supervision to read from actual books? Now everything's all games and electronic toys.