Since pretty much all the information that parents and teachers have to work with is a lot of speculation . . . it’s no wonder they’re in a panic!
It also shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the people who actually do play and make video and computer games have a very hard time getting their positive message heard. This is especially true for game-playing kids . . . who, given half a chance, would happily explain why video and computer games are a positive part of their life, and why they spend so much time playing them.
But kids do not have a voice in our society. Although they are empowered in many areas of their life, they still have a hard time getting their story out.
My observation is that kids would rather play video games then pay attention in school and do the work. Kids get bored with school having to go five days a week for about nine months. Kids enjoy the weekends and having free time to themselves.
Parents worry about the large amount of time their kids spend playing these games. Teachers worry about the increasing competition of exciting games and other media for their students’ attention, and about students’ declining interest in schoolwork. This causes a problem for parents and teachers because the kids want more free time and less school time. The kids are frustrated by the wide gap between their exhilarating experiences playing games and their slow-paced lessons in