[keeksmom]

I know there is already a game system thread going, but I am posting this in hopes of getting feedback, not so much on what to get, but whether or not to get it at all...

My mother (age 79) lives in an apartment in our house, has seen commercials for the Wii and is all hot to buy it for her and dd (age 11) to play together. Right now none of dd's friends have game systems and she has never played. She has not asked for it, probably because she knows dh and I would not buy it for her, not just the cost but because we feel like she already has enough screen time between computer, cable tv and dvd's.

A couple of years ago we got cable TV when dh was recovering from surgery. We joked that it was like the vampire legend, it can't come in unless you invite it in, but then you can't get rid of it and it sucks your life away. We always meant to get rid of cable after dh recovered, but we got hooked. Now I am worried the Wii will be the same thing, do we "invite it in", and then dd is irreversibly launched into the world of video games (a world that she is currently perfectly happy to be oblivious of)???

The lure is that my mom wants to buy this, it will give them something fun to do together, and it seems like the Wii has these relatively active games that would get them moving a bit. Also, it would be in my mom's apt., so there would not be unlimited access. But am I being swayed into bringing this into our lives just because my mom is willing to pay for it? Or am I thinking of this as a "bad" thing, just because I am a little too crunchy and don't understand how much fun it would be???

I know so little about this stuff, I don't even know what games they could play together, except my mom want ping pong! (They play real ping pong together outside in the summer). Would playing together be something they are actually doing together, or is it doing your own thing side-by-side?

Dd and grandma do not have a really close relationship, I think my mom sees this as something that would make dd want to be with her more... I worry that dd will just want to go in there when my mom is out and play with it by herself...

I just wonder... we're fine right now without it... I guess I'm scared that I will be sorry we got her started in this world of games. Also I worry because she is the type, with computer games and tv, where she would go 24/7 if possible... But if I am making too big a deal out of this, and it would be a good, fun thing to add to her life, then I'd like to know that too...

Feedback please! Help me decide! Thanks!

 

[karne]

We have no game systems currently, although dd would like a ds. BUT, the kids play Wii at their cousins house and have a really good time. I feel ok with that because the games they play are the more "active" type, bowling, tennis, dance, etc. It's something fun to do at someone else's house. DH and I have had fun with it as well. I would say that it might be really fun for your mom and dd to do together-frankly I'm impressed that she wants to do this with your dd.

 

[snoopy5386]

I would let your mom get it for her, the Wii is really fun, I think you would all enjoy playing it together. I know this is stereotypical, but I wouldn't really worry about video game addiction in a girl. It is really, really rare. It is so much more a boy thing with shoot em up games and the like. The Wii is not that at all. It is fun and family friendly. It will most likely end up replacing some other screen time as opposed to adding to it and it will be something fun for them to do together.

 

[MusicianDad]

Wii is awsome and there are lots of cool games you can play with more then one player. If you have two controllers you can have a family tennis tourniment.

Like snoopy mentioned too, there aren't a whole lot of the shoot-em-up games. Ninendo's target market is families with younger children as opposed to the 18-35 male crowd of the other game systems so there's lots of fun active games with little to no violence and often plenty of brain work.

For games they can play together, there's the sports pack with tennis, bowling, golf, baseball and boxing. You can get plenty of sport games other then that one pack too.

I think the funniest thing I saw was for a game played with the Wii fit board (can't remember what it's called lol) can't remember the name of the game, but according to the commercial it's the first ever video game you can play with your behind.

 

[ktmama]

keeksmom, just wanted to say I can totally relate. I'm going to disagree and say that as long as your mom is asking for your input, you can give her some other suggestions of activities that they can do together and she can fund. I'm sure there are classes and other active semi-sports that they can get out and do both indoors and outdoors.

I think you are right to worry. I don't want my kids going down the video path either. I think you should trust your instincts over your mom's wishes. And thanks for the cautionary tale about cable. I recently entertained the thought of bringing the vampire into my house. Maybe I'll change my mind.

 

[Arduinna]

Check over in the books forum there are quite a few threads about games and systems there.

I really can't answer your questions because we are a gaming family and so I'm coming at it from a totally different space.