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In yet another case of trying to blame a gaming device for poor parenting: "Ninten-Don't... How I watched my children turn into monsters".
In a column for UK newspaper The Daily Mail, mother of four Rosie Millard discusses how buying a single DS with 20 games between the group lead them to become argumentative "monsters".
She describes how Brain Training became predictable for the children, and so they moved onto their own fixes of the 20-game catalogue. The "toy" caused "endless rows, sessions of screaming and increasingly regular parental punishment."
She has since donated the DS and games to charity.
- Full Daily Mail report
- Thanks to GoNintendo
Can a "toy" really cause so much frustration and mess up young people's lives? Normal sibling rivalry? Or is it down to poor choices and bad parenting looking for something else to blame?
Be sure to have your say in the comments forum below.
In a column for UK newspaper The Daily Mail, mother of four Rosie Millard discusses how buying a single DS with 20 games between the group lead them to become argumentative "monsters".
I finally buckled to buy a Nintendo DS Lite after considerable and sustained pressure from my children.
What finally did it was a suggestion from my oldest child that without a Nintendo in her school bag, she would be unable to fit in at school. (Yes, I know - oldest trick in the book. And I fell for it.)
It was that, plus reading a piece in one newspaper which suggested that if you regularly played Brain Trainer on your Nintendo, you'd bump up your mental acuity.
And another piece from child expert Dr Tanya Byron, of all people, which, as far as I recall, actually suggested that regular use of interactive toys such as the DS helped your children to be caring and creative.
I also had a sneaking and totally selfish wish to be Mother of the Year. Which I was, for about a day.
When the pale blue, £150 Nintendo finally arrived last November, fresh from Hong Kong (I had bought it on the net), crammed with a 'bundle' of 20 games including Brain Trainer, Fifa 08, and Nintendogs, my children hugged me tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, Mummy," they chorused. "We LOVE you!"
Mission accomplished, I smiled indulgently at them.
What finally did it was a suggestion from my oldest child that without a Nintendo in her school bag, she would be unable to fit in at school. (Yes, I know - oldest trick in the book. And I fell for it.)
It was that, plus reading a piece in one newspaper which suggested that if you regularly played Brain Trainer on your Nintendo, you'd bump up your mental acuity.
And another piece from child expert Dr Tanya Byron, of all people, which, as far as I recall, actually suggested that regular use of interactive toys such as the DS helped your children to be caring and creative.
I also had a sneaking and totally selfish wish to be Mother of the Year. Which I was, for about a day.
When the pale blue, £150 Nintendo finally arrived last November, fresh from Hong Kong (I had bought it on the net), crammed with a 'bundle' of 20 games including Brain Trainer, Fifa 08, and Nintendogs, my children hugged me tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, Mummy," they chorused. "We LOVE you!"
Mission accomplished, I smiled indulgently at them.
She describes how Brain Training became predictable for the children, and so they moved onto their own fixes of the 20-game catalogue. The "toy" caused "endless rows, sessions of screaming and increasingly regular parental punishment."
Our Nintendo had taken the guise of a small but toxic drug which, little by little, was poisoning my children.
When they had had their fix, they were even more frustrated and discontented than before.
...
I have first-hand evidence that using a Nintendo turns my delightful, curious and funny children into argumentative demons full of aggression, wholly uninterested in anything apart from playing, and then playing some more.
When they had had their fix, they were even more frustrated and discontented than before.
...
I have first-hand evidence that using a Nintendo turns my delightful, curious and funny children into argumentative demons full of aggression, wholly uninterested in anything apart from playing, and then playing some more.
She has since donated the DS and games to charity.
Can a "toy" really cause so much frustration and mess up young people's lives? Normal sibling rivalry? Or is it down to poor choices and bad parenting looking for something else to blame?
Be sure to have your say in the comments forum below.
CommentsPost a Comment
Udkedae Reply Quote #26
L38 Moblin Guard
582 
57 
11.03.2007 
Udk
I've read all of the posts, I agree with SL "Oh. For fucks sake", and "Try not getting 1 toy for 4 kids"...
The fact the kids were arguing for the DS...I mean they ARE kids. You can teach them, but they only care when they grow up so...
Anyway, this mother did what my mother's been trying to do for years
but I don't remember any fight over a game, at least not with my brothers. Just silly things like "revenge" when someone kills you in Smash, or when they destroy your perfect record with a 2nd place in Mario Kart 
.
PS: I wish anyone in my family do that colosal gift for me
. Sadly they try to kill me so I wouldn't play . "Ye who laughs last, thinks the slowest"
.:: Sketch Artist | Pokémon Councelor | Hylian Scholar | Nintendo Master | C3 Proud Member ::.
Martin_ Reply Quote #27
L100 Eternal Master
6585 729 05.09.2004 noneSuperLink said:
TBH coursework/revision has made me far more severely depressed and angry than games ever have. I think that should be more of a concern to parants TBH.
TBH coursework/revision has made me far more severely depressed and angry than games ever have. I think that should be more of a concern to parants TBH.
You've clearly never played Fighting Force 2.
SuperLink Reply Quote #28
C3 Mod
14424 762 19.01.2005 Link / SuperLink9Oni-Ninja said:
You've clearly never played Fighting Force 2.
You've clearly never played Fighting Force 2.
Nope, and something tells me I don't want to
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Erotic_Spider Reply Quote #29
L50 Mr Game and Watch
927 52 25.11.2004 ero spiderIts just because the children had to share something. I used to hate sharing things with my brothers. In fact I still do. I fucking hate it when one of them has the TV remote, I wish they would die so that I could have it [/EVIL]
-Have you any idea what it's like to be a Fembot living in a Manbot's Manputer's world?
-What?
-Have you any idea what it's like to be a Fembot living in a Manbot's Manputer's world?
-What?
alangerow Reply Quote #30
L1 New Born
1 0 05.05.2008 noneIf she bought one bike for 4 kids, would she be blaming Schwinn for all the fights her kids would get in to? Maybe she should try to be teaching her children the virtues of patience and generosity, instead of trying to be Mom of the Year. She's just trying to please them without teaching them, and she's surprised they aren't figuring this all out on their own?
mokoi Reply Quote #31
L3 Gooba Guard
20 20 26.09.2007 noneHeres a tip: don't fucking give in to your children.
I could have even known this wasn't going to work.
I could have even known this wasn't going to work.
J Tangle Reply Quote #32
L46 Shieka Guard
820 144 05.02.2007 J TangleThere have been studies done that say video games actually help with aggression, but mainly with males. And there are other studies that say video games do bridge a gap between certain kids, so the fitting in at school isn't to hard to believe.
But 1 DS 4 Kids nuff said(rather than 20 games she should've got 4 DS's)( Edited 06.05.2008 21:03 by J Tangle )
But 1 DS 4 Kids nuff said(rather than 20 games she should've got 4 DS's)( Edited 06.05.2008 21:03 by J Tangle )
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phextin Reply Quote #33
L2 Toad
11 21 07.03.2007 noneDS blames parents for bad-behaving children.
SuperLink Reply Quote #34
C3 Mod
14424 762 19.01.2005 Link / SuperLink9phextin said:
DS blames parents for bad-behaving children.
DS blames parents for bad-behaving children.
I can sig that right? *starred*
Awesome.
(I agree BTW.)( Edited 06.05.2008 22:09 by SuperLink )
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C3 SHENMUE III DECADE | 18.06.2009
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BUY OKAMI
Das Dragon Reply Quote #35
L5 Octorock
41 2 16.04.2008 Das Dragonif you have more than one kid then a ds is a stupid gift unless you buy them all one, i havent got a brother/sister that lives with me but when my nephews come over to my house its murder especially when they want to play my ds
the mother should have bought a console, probrably a wii if she could have got one and of not 4 ds's( Edited 07.05.2008 14:23 by Das Dragon )
the mother should have bought a console, probrably a wii if she could have got one and of not 4 ds's( Edited 07.05.2008 14:23 by Das Dragon )
Zapp Reply Quote #36
L100 Eternal Master
6230 969 28.04.2005 Wii-PlayI agree with The Daily Mail.. isn't it the best paper evah!
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kirby840 Reply Quote #37
L6 Deku Scrub
56 22 30.06.2007 Omnimon xBad parent alert. Always teach kids to share and buy more than one DS!
If you want to trade in Diamond and Pearl I will trade for a Munchlax, Charmander, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, Treeko, regice, regirock, and registeel. If you do pm me.
dragonmiroff Reply Quote #38
L1 New Born
1 0 27.05.2008 noneok its simple
1) go to gamestation or ebay pay about £30 for a mega drive or £40 for an xbox
2) buy as many multiplayer games as posible (mega drive less than £5 each) buy 2 controllers (or 4 with a multi tap ) and away u go
This is alot cheaper and of course ur kids are playing the great old classics which will always be loved.
failing this buy a ds for each child. After my sister complained about me having a game gear dad got her 1 and we were both happy. It also meant we had 2 of certain games sonic, columes etc, but we were both happy and we played together as well as with my dad.
It is because of games that myself and my dad have such a close relationship im at uni but as soon as i go home we always have at least 2 days playing games like monkey island etc.
Consols do have another claim to fame they promote hand eye co ordination as well as co operation (u no what i mean if u ever played sonic or bubble and squeak).
no matter what happens kids will augue. My sis always hated the fact that i had better stuff than her whether it was clothes games or stationary.
i bet mothers had the same types of problems when the game boy came out or the C64.
the problem is not the consols it not even the parents or kids it the world we live in. people say kids dont spend enough time outside well if we can even leave them at a park with out some1 causing troble what do they do, the only choice is home. And what can they do there?
1) go to gamestation or ebay pay about £30 for a mega drive or £40 for an xbox
2) buy as many multiplayer games as posible (mega drive less than £5 each) buy 2 controllers (or 4 with a multi tap ) and away u go
This is alot cheaper and of course ur kids are playing the great old classics which will always be loved.
failing this buy a ds for each child. After my sister complained about me having a game gear dad got her 1 and we were both happy. It also meant we had 2 of certain games sonic, columes etc, but we were both happy and we played together as well as with my dad.
It is because of games that myself and my dad have such a close relationship im at uni but as soon as i go home we always have at least 2 days playing games like monkey island etc.
Consols do have another claim to fame they promote hand eye co ordination as well as co operation (u no what i mean if u ever played sonic or bubble and squeak).
no matter what happens kids will augue. My sis always hated the fact that i had better stuff than her whether it was clothes games or stationary.
i bet mothers had the same types of problems when the game boy came out or the C64.
the problem is not the consols it not even the parents or kids it the world we live in. people say kids dont spend enough time outside well if we can even leave them at a park with out some1 causing troble what do they do, the only choice is home. And what can they do there?