Should I Buy One?

[Dr. Shane]

[]http://www.vsmileshop.com/images/vsmile_250.jpg[/]

I never thought I would consider buying a video game system for my kids. Of course the only systems I was familiar with were the X-Box and Nintendo. I have been impressed with the V Smile system. I had a Speak and Spell when I was younger and this seems along the same line... just a few generations advanced.

VSmile TV Learning System

My kids have picked up a lot just from watching educational videos so I am thinking this could help them out too.

Does anyone have any thoughts, opinions or experience to share?

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I think it looks good - educational. The only caveats I have about video games/TV and kids, would be to limit the amount of time they can spend in front of the screens and to monitor the content.

(but this is from someone who doesn't have children)

[cricket]

From someone who does have children...don't buy it. The longer you can hold off buying video games of any nature (educational or otherwise), the better.

Also, there is the consideration of how soon your children will get bored with this and want something more advanced. We used the reader rabbit series for the PC and the kids were bored within a few days.

[Amelia]

I am more impressed with the Leapfrog early learning system

http://www.leapfrog.com/do/findpage;jsessionid=3C2A290EA348259D3D0A6F048732ACA5.papp2_1?pageKey=home

[olger]

"From someone who does have children...don't buy it. The longer you can hold off buying video games of any nature (educational or otherwise), the better."

Complete agreement..

olger

[alb]

I would tend toward advising not to buy one. I have no children of my own but I teach preschool. In my own experience, children who are brought up without video games, whether or not they are educational, are far more creative, have a tendency to be more skilled at conflict resolution, and don't have the need to be "entertained". Kids become exposed soon enough once they're school age; let them enjoy natural exploration...they're only young once <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> BTJMO

[aldona]

I haven't got kids yet, but if/when I do, I would tend to be against buying it.

My mom & dad didn't buy a TV until I was 9 years old, and we didn't have a computer or video games until I was 14-15. (Yes, I know, that was in the 1980's, and it would be much more difficult to get away with today.) But I'm glad it turned out this way - it meant that my brother and I had learned to explore and be creative and make our own fun first, and the electronic media never turned into an ingrained habit.

Even now, I very rarely watch TV, because there are so many interesting things I would rather be doing.

(Internet surfing...especially ClubAdventist...now, that's another story...)

aldona