Skeptic and Familly Building

Ok, so I am a skeptic, and I despise video games. One of my biggest pet peeves is to see a grown man sitting around after work or on the weekends playing video games. My next pet peeve is to see children or even men sitting in a dr.'s office, bank, grocery store, wherever, playing a handheld video game. I also cannot stand to have to Wait on my children to finish a level to be able to save their status or whatever. For the record I DO not allow them to do that if I am needing them right away. I am proud to be the worlds meanest Mom.

We have owned in our house several different versions of game players. They usually stayed in their "home" in the closet. Occasionally we would pull them out and play all day or two, then back they'd go. At most the kids had 2-4 games to choose from.

Now we enter into the age of the Wii. The interactive, family fun advertisements, health benefits could Not sell or buy me. We were Not getting one. I was not spending that kind of money on something that would sit in the closet.

Suddenly, this late winter I decided we would go ahead and buy one of these things. We would not buy any games, we would use only Wii sports. On any child's birthday they could pick a game as a gift. This will add up to a whole library as we still have 5 children at home. Each with their own birthday. This brings me to my next topic.

Family Building, I have to say that I put strict rules on the use of our Wii. We only play at nite after dinner. This way, when I loose focus and forget what I have asked, told or assigned to any given child, I don't have to contend with the game system.

After dinner has worked well, we work off dessert, the kids are more worn out and they are limited on time. I have been known to accept bribes for daytime use. (hey I have alot of stuff needing to be done before the move)

What I have been the most surprised about the whole Wii ownership is family building. The kids all play, share, take turns so well. For Avy's birthday yesterday we got her Disney Sing It. This is the Best investment so far. We have sang, danced, laughed, and just had the best time with this game. Everyone seems to get along so well when we are playing the Wii. I even bought a special bag to carry our Wii, so it can travel with us. The skeptic in me, is still there, I am sketical of every game on the shelves at gamestop as I sneak a visit all by myself several times a week.