A Merit Badge for Video Games?

The Boy Scouts of America have added a new merit pin -- for video gaming.

Understandably, the blogosphere has lit up with criticism of the new award. Those critical of the idea complain that today's boys already spend too little time outside, too much time gaming. They argue that today's boys need little incentive to take up a pastime that already consumes many of their waking hours. (Kids today spend an average of 1.25 hours a day video gaming.) They cite alarming studies linking increased video game play with decreased grades in school.

And yet...

What ever happened to "all things in moderation?" Like them or not, video games are a part of our modern culture, and a boy today without knowledge of video games is like a zebra without stripes: he'll simply never fit in with the group. The Boy Scouts of America aren't encouraging non-stop video gaming -- heck, even my video game designer brother doesn't encourage that. Instead, they've instituted a program that encourages boys to take a critical look at video games, that encourages them to play with their families and to monitor and control their spending.

What's so bad about that?

What do you think of the new merit award? I'd love to hear your opinion!

Boys and Cell Phones

Does your son have a cell phone? What are his favorite features?

According to a new study, boys are more likely than girls to use their cell phones for purposes other than communication. Boys are more likely to play music, share pictures, check email and play video games on their cellular phones.

The researchers worry, though, that those differences in usage are based less on personal interest -- and more on social conditioning. "Boys are often taught to explore and be more creative with technology and not to be afraid to take things apart. So it leads to more advanced cell phone uses among boys," said study author Sheila Cotten, a sociologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

I'm not sure she can get all that from one study, but I think she might be right. I'm very hesitant with new technology, in part because I don't understand it. I don't push any more buttons than absolutely necessary for fear I'll "mess something up." The boys' dad, on the other hand, is far more proficient on the computer than I, largely because he has no problem whatsoever exploring technology. Whatever happens, he's confident he can find a way to get back to start.

Is that why he's an engineer and I'm not? The study researchers might think so: ""If [girls] are not as interested in exploring or taking apart technology, they may be less likely to take computer science, science and math courses."

Personally, I think that's a lot of inference, based on a cell phone study. Still, I'd like to hear your experiences. Are your boys more adventurous on the cell phone and computer than your girls? What do you think of the researchers' conclusions?

Snapshot Sunday: Many Moons Ago

This Boy #1 -- before he hit his growth spurt, before his baby teeth fell out and before Boy #4 was born and this room was converted into Boy #1's bedroom. This is also what happens when you lose your camera. My camera has been missing for about three weeks, so I'm digging deep into the files to find something for Snapshot Sunday!

Video Games and Computers Win!

Video games and computers won the "Boys' Favorite Toy" poll!

A lot of people would bemoan this result. After all, video games and computers have been blamed for everything from increased child obesity to shortened attention spans to a lack of connection to the outside world.

I'll be the first to admit that I, too, have worried about the amount of time my boys spend playing video and computer games. But whenever I worry, I look at the big picture and see that my boys are doing fine. They ARE connected with nature. They DO go outside to play. They're active and fit and connected with the world around them.

So now, I consider computer and video games just another learning tool. That doesn't mean that the boys only play explicitly educational video games; it means that I've opened my mind to see what they are learning and accomplishing with every game they play. Sometimes it's facts or information; other times, it's stategy and critical thinking. Sometimes, it's fun and entertainment.

Favorite games in our house right now include Command and Conquer, a long, long, LONG time favorite (they just keep coming back to this one!) and Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga for Wii.

What are some of the favorite games in your house, and what do you see your boys learning from video and computer games?