My 6-year-old son, who lost his DS Nintendo about six months ago, is celebrating his birthday this week. For a short while I pondered getting him the new 3DS Nintendo as a gift.  It’s new, it’s fun, it’ll keep him busy on long car trips.  But after some research, I realized it’s also not really for kids.

Here’s the scoop on why:

1. Price.  The new 3DS has a hefty $250 price tag.  The same cost as a brand new iPod Touch (which, by the way, is what my son would prefer).  While there abounds plenty of parents sucker enough to spend that kind of dime on their kids, most of us understand that a kid who loses his boots in the middle of winter cannot possibly keep track of a gadget the size of a chocolate bar.
2. Age.  When the new hand-held device finally arrived, Nintendo offered a stern warning to parents against allowing kids six years and under from playing their newest version.  Apparently, it may cause developmental vision problems.  My son is turning 7, so he’s good?  Hmmm, not a chance I’m willing to take.
3. Technical challenges.  To properly view the 3D graphics, the device must be held 30 cm from the eyes.  No, not there.  There… Wait, no… down a bit… up a bit.  Now there!  (Get the point?)
4. Free trial?  While other video game platforms are available to try at most electronics and toy stores, the 3DS Nintendo remains hidden from view.  I asked at EB Games and Toys R Us for a chance to see what this new technology was like.  They didn’t even have one out of a box to show me.  For that price, I think most parents would like to try before they buy.
5. Headaches.  The latest news on the 3DS is that it causes headaches among users if used for even a short period of time.  Enough said.
6. Lame-o factor.  Remember the first time you saw a 3D film?  How about the most recent time?  Not so impressive, right?  The more kids view 3D graphics, the less they’ll be impressed with boring old regular flat screens.  (Remember how cool you thought the special effects were in Clash of the Titans – the original film?)  I’m not sure I want to hear my kids tell me how lame every show is after playing 3DS for two weeks.  I would prefer to keep 3D as something special, rather than every day.

I’m sure the 3DS Nintendo is really cool, at least for a while.  But this is one high-tech gadget that my kids will do without.

My husband and I periodically discussed purchasing a Wii for our three boys.¬† They each have a DS Nintendo already, which they would gleefully play from sunrise to sundown if only we’d let them.¬† But, handily enough, they’re small enough to stow away in one hiding spot or another until their next Happy Hour – Hey boys!¬† Play for thirty minutes, and if you’re good – another thirty for free!¬†

Except for the odd fight that erupts when it’s time to shut them off, we have mutual respect for video game time.¬† Yet, still they want the Wii.¬† The questions my husband and I have to ask are… Why should they get it?¬† Why would we want another reason to argue over game time?¬† Why do they need yet another video game system?¬† That is, another excuse to not read a book, or play outside, or, uh, talk?¬† The latest study, “Pathological Video-Game Use Among Youth Ages 8-18″ has muddled our dilemma even more.

According to the study of 1,178 Americans, 20% of the kids were addicted to video games

According to the study of 1,178 Americans, 20% of the kids were addicted to video games.¬† One in five kids have an addiction?¬† That is a pretty alarming statistic.¬† To determine a child’s addiction, the study measured them against eleven symptoms and only those who exhibited at least six of them were deemed to be pathological gamers. ¬†The most interesting research in the study was the distinction¬†between the two groups:¬† one played just for fun, while the other “incurred damage to several areas of one’s life.”

In comparing video game players with pathological gamers, they learned that among the addicted players  -

• They had been playing for more years, more often, and for more time (two times as much time as non-pathological players at 24 hours per week)
• They knew more of the ratings symbols i.e., M for Mature, T for Teen
• They got lower grades in school
• They were more likely to report having trouble paying attention in school
• They were more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder
• They were more likely to report feeling addicted to games and having friends they thought were addicted, too
• They were much more likely to be involved in physical fights over the past year
• They were more likely to have a video game system in their bedroom.

Interestingly, becoming addicted to video games had nothing to do with age, race, frequency of using the internet for homework, having a TV in the bedroom, or type of school the child attended.  Children were just as likely to exhibit addiction whether they attended private or public schools, or were home schooled.

The study concluded that video game addiction was definitely a predictor of poor performance in school.  But does the gaming cause bad grades, or is a student who struggles in school just more likely to play more video games?  The study did not know the answer to that.

All my children do very well in school, so perhaps it’s less likely my kids will lean towards addictive behaviour.¬† But is it worth taking the chance?¬† Then again, two of the symptoms of addiction are:

• skipping homework to play video games, or
• skipping chores to play video games.

Heck, as a kid I’d have laid still under my bed for an hour if it meant getting out of chores.¬† Isn’t ‚Äògetting out of work’ in the very¬†definition of Kid?¬† Sometimes, as parents, we just need to be guided by common sense.¬† Would I let my kids play twenty hours of games in a week?¬† Not a chance.¬† At least, I don’t think so.¬† But then, my kids are still young and relatively easy to control (aside from when we’re in the candy aisle of the grocery store.)

I’m not yet convinced we should buy a Wii, either now, or ever.¬† With it, comes a lot of responsibility for both parents and children.¬† As parents, we set the rules.¬† And the kids, unfortunately, have to abide by them – which is just as tough, if you’re looking at it through their tear-filled eyes.

Fortunately, Christmas is still more than six months away.¬† And then there’s the next Christmas, and the one after that.