So do you think I'm a totally anal lunatic mother now? I promise I'm not. I just wanted to get as much information out there as possible. When it comes down to it, as a parent we are the ones that decide what are and aren't appropriate activities for our kids to participate in. But please, please be informed!

I also wouldn't be a very credible source for information if I didn't include that video gaming in general can be an ok thing. Some benefits include:

*Increased hand-eye coordination

*Increased attention span, which can be a good thing for those kids with A.D.D.

*Problem solving skills

*In some cases increased perserverance skills.

If you already have a gaming console, or are convinced that it's absolutely not a bad thing to allow your children to play violent video games, please consider the following games that are found to be "safe":

1. SimCity

2. Earthworm Jim

3. World of Goo (Wii)

4. NASCAR

5. Myst

6. Theme Park

7. Bust a Move

8. Front Page Sports: Golf

(More games can be viewed by The Games Project [1999])

And I'm sure there are many more. I also want to emphasize what I mentioned in the 1st part of the series, that it's not a horrible thing to let your children play video games in general. It can be a great thing! It has the potential for fun family memories and a source of entertainment. The key is, however, to keep it in moderation and keep it clean. Find alternatives to tv/video games. Help your kids find activities that will keep them up and active, engaging with other kids, and things that they enjoy and will teach them valuable skills that they can use later in life. There are other forms of activities that can teach the same skills and have the same benefits as video gaming. Such as learning to play the piano, sports, and other academically promoted activities.

Will I NEVER have a gaming console in my home? Probably not. And here's why: In addition to the violence that it tempts, it brings the dialogue between parent and child of, "But Jimmy's mom and dad let HIM play this game, why can't I?!" And it just seems kind of like a money pit. Always a new game, always a new accessory, never good enough. I love my child, and I want to slather him in love. It's hard not to buy him everything in the world to compensate for that feeling of inadequacy that I think we all at times feel as a parent. However, I think the only way to combat any sort of violence in and outside of the home (and any inappropriate behaviors for that matter: sex, drugs, disobedience, etc.), is to constatly be having discussions. As much as we want to, we can't protect them from everything. Now that our dear child doesn't have a video gaming console, what's to stop him from doing it at a friends home? You teach them the correct principles and then let them govern themselves. So when that violent TV show appears on the television screen, you stop it and you talk to them, "Son, why isn't that an ok thing? Why shouldn't they be doing that? What's the right thing to do? We probably shouldn't watch this anymore..." There is always open communication, about anything! Doing our best to make them feel like they can talk to us about anything, even from the very beginning, is very important.

Teach your children the principle of TURNING IT OFF, and WALKING AWAY. For some reason we have this tendancy to stay glued, as if the world will stop spinning if we don't finish a movie/game/show etc.

Really, it's ok to hit "POWER".