Embracing Gaming: An Unschooling Challenge

What do we do if our kids want to play games for hours, and we’re not happy about that?

We could limit their screen time. Make some rules about when and what and where children can play games.

We could try ignoring our worries, remind ourselves of the benefits of gaming, and then let our kids get on with it (until our doubts overwhelm us once again).

Or we could embrace our kids’ passion for gaming. Instead of just tolerating it, we could encourage it. Get excited and involved. Cheer our kids on. Share it. Learn more about it. Chat about it. Support this interest. We could think of it as a challenge…

Embracing Gaming: An Unschooling Challenge. How many ways can we find to encourage our kids as they play games?

If we embraced gaming, what would happen? How would our encouragement make our kids feel? Would we learn anything about our kids? Would we better understand why they are attracted to games? Would we share in their joy? Would a whole new world open up before us? Would our relationships be strengthened (which might be important if we’d like our kids to value people and the world around them more than their devices)?

So…

We could make rules about gaming and probably end up battling with our kids.

Or we could let go and then possibly grab back control when our doubts once again take hold of us (which will destroy trust between parent and child).

Or maybe we could try this third option and embrace gaming? What do you think? Is it worth giving it a go?

So, will you try this embracing gaming challenge? If you do, please let me know how you get on!

Update

I expanded this post into a challenge for my book, The Unschool Challenge:

Challenge 58: Embrace Gaming.You can find my books on Amazon!