Should homeschoolers limit video game time?

My son always loved to play video games. So of course I let him because I'm committed to child-led learning. But I have to admit I had a hard time getting enthused about these games. Are they really good for anything and should we limit how much he played them?

In order to figure out how useful they might be as a learning tool, I started to play with him. Or should I say I tried to play with him. It soon became apparent that my brain couldn't send messages to my fingers fast enough to keep Super Mario from dying an early death. A very early death. I would pick up the controller and before I knew it, the poor little Italian man would be free falling to oblivion. Whenever I was playing the game, the little plumber boy spent a lot of time in a horrible pixel purgatory.


With this lack of ability, my son always beat me. Badly.

This is when I decided we needed to limit video game time. Yes, if I was ever going to have the chance to beat him, I would have to take charge as a parent and lay down some rules. Rules are important if parents want to be able to beat their kids. And I love beating my kids.

However, my plan did not work. He continued beating me at every video game I tried. Super Mario Brothers, Monster Truck Madness, Warcraft. Oh, and that stupid game where you had to quickly recall your multiplication facts. Seven times eight always messes me up. But now I'm quick to know it's 57.

So if you're like me, and you enjoy beating your children, then you should definitely limit video game time.