Video Games....the things little boys live for.

To game or not to game...that is the question. As you know our boys are 7 and 10, so video games are their life. We use them as rewards when they are good, constantly monitor what they are playing and limit their games to a couple hours on the weekends. Yet still, these games are their favorite pass times. Why? I guess growing up as a girl, I would play super mario brothers and then be done. Their latest fix is Skate....a game where you are skateboarding and you try tricks, but seem to crash constantly. The bonus comes when you crash hard, and get some sort of bone crusher score. Sound fun? They LOVE IT!

So I decided to join them, for one little skate session. My third attempt at a trick shot me through the air, in a way the boys had never seen. I continued to fly through trees and started tumbling down hills and onto concrete. Huh? The result is me setting the record in body damage / bone crushing scores. Now, the boys are desperately trying to beat my record. The thought of getting beat by a girl that has never played before is tragic. Its been two weeks, and I still hold the record.

So how do you regulate games? Are they good, bad or ugly? Do they make the luster of outdoor sports less appealing? What is a good balance? For now, we take it week by week (or in out case every other week).