Due to the large quantity of research done on this topic, I'm going to be doing a series of hubs. This first one is just my own personal "soap box" on it, and the following will be more analytical/data involved and I will have credible resources. This soap box will be primarily about ADULTS playing video games, although the overarching goal of this is: Do we as parents allow our children to play violent video games, or even allow them in our home? What kind of example do WE set?

Here it goes. Opening my can of worms, I'm sure.

We're all adults here, so I'm going to talk straight with you. You are big kids, you can make your own choices about what does and does not go on within the walls of your home. HOWEVER, please consider:

1. Sometimes as a member of a family, a Parent or otherwise, it isn't about what you ARE doing, it's about what you AREN'T doing. You're sitting on your back-end playing video games for who knows how long, and where are your kids? Your wife/husband? Could they be using your assitance? Could this time be more wisely used as a PARENT and as a SPOUSE?

2. What if you aren't married? Well, I GUARAN-DANG-TEE you that sitting on your behind staring at a screen isn't going to GET you married. It is a HUGE turn off to a LARGE majority of women. In general, women (there are those very few I suppose that don't) want a man that is kind, gentle, sincere, and puts them first as a priority. Somebody whose interests have moved beyond junior high. Somebody with social skills. Somebody who is wise with their money (which is code for not spending hundreds of dollars on games/machines instead of using that hard earned money for something that will benefit everybody). Somebody who they feel can PROTECT them- Justify it all you want, but your THUMB muscle isn't really the first thing the woman is going to look at say, "Ooohh....What a MAN!"

3. I have a few friends, relatives, etc. that DO video game and allow their kids to use them for road trips and other such things to use as a reward. Which I think is TOTALLY fine. When it is in MODERATION, and when the content is NON-VIOLENT. It CAN be a fun thing the family all does together. But when it brings violence into the home, it creates contention otherwise, or distracts you from things that should be your priority- THEN I personally think it's a problem. As with any activity, If it is used for bringing the family together and is a POSITIVE thing and creates a positive FEELING in the home, then I APPLAUD you.

I understand the argument that video games can do GOOD things too (such as hand/eye coordination). You can find argument to support ANYTHING you want to now a days. But the question I want you as a reader to ask yourself is: Is it worth the risk? Is it worth finding out if the data saying video games doesn't effect your kids was wrong? Do you really want to raise a killer with great hand/eye coordination?

End of soap box. :-)

Stay tuned for further implementations to The Motherly Chronicles: Video Games, Yes or No?