Kids and Video Games

Seriously?

   Although most readers' first thoughts probably went along the lines of "What a terrible and dangerous stunt by such a young man," I was simply amazed by the kid's natural skill to drive a vehicle out of a driveway, find his way to a highway and drive over 120km/hour without crashing into anything.

      In a situation like this, I find it hard to put all the blame on the kid nor the parents. You could say that the kid did drive the car without his parents' permission, though you could also say that the parents did not look over their kid enough. Personally, I believe that it is the parents to blame for the event. Having played Grand Theft Auto myself, it is nowhere close to being appropriate for an 11-year-old. The latest installment of the series, GTA 5 is rated M for mature, over 18 years of age in North America. The game itself revolves around the life of a nobody trying to be a somebody through getting paid by committing crimes under cover. For an 11-year-old who is too young to realize what is right or wrong to be introduced to criminal activities, I'd say the parents caught a break that driving was all the kid picked up from the game.

      Years ago, my daily routine consisted of going to school, hating every second of it, and going home to play video games. Thankfully, I was able to quit my "addiction," especially in my high school years when learning can really affect the future of my life. Unfortunately, I know many that are playing too much video games to the point where it is affecting their grades. I find that once you get deep into a game, turning around and quitting is much tougher. Video games are fun to play, no doubt. Although I focus on my studies much more, I still play video games occasionally. I don't find it to be a negative influence at all. It only turns into something bad when it is used incorrectly, whether it be playing games rated for an older age range, or prioritizing games over other things in life. Self-control will always prevail.