Playing Games With Your Kids

Subject: Playing Games With Your Kids Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:10 pm

My daughter and I have been playing a lot of the Wii Sports games since yesterday, and of course I've been beating her. My question is, do you guys ever let your kids win? I don't want to sound like a dick, I'm not all "booyah, take THAT" and shit but I'm competitive.

Growing up, I had the original Nintendo and my Dad and I played that Ice Hockey game, Tecmo Bowl and some baseball game, and he whooped my ass, like, consistently. When I finally did beat him it was a big deal, a real accomplishment, you know?

Just wondering what you guys think since many of us have kids and I'm sure this comes up in your houses.

Subject: Re: Playing Games With Your Kids Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:29 pm

there are two ways to approach this..

if she is trying so hard to beat you that it consumes her.. then no way do you let her ever win anything!

if she's just sorta playing for fun and the enjoyment of it and she is terrible then yes you should let her win sometimes.. =)

Subject: Re: Playing Games With Your Kids Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:31 pm

Definitely the 1st one, I'd say she's inherited my competitive spirit.

Number of posts : 81 Registration date : 2008-12-09

Kick her ass! She would kick YOUR ass if she was better than you! Smile

Subject: Re: Playing Games With Your Kids Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:48 pm

I always play to win with my daughter but it doesn't seem to bother her... but every kid is different. My 6 yr old is just happy to be playing with me and see her Mii animated on-screen (or even better, Princess Peach). I can't beat her at boxing, though - I can't defend against her frenzied, chaotic, random and hyper-kinetic blows.

One thing you could try is co-op games - I've played Lego Indy Jones and the Lego Star Wars trilogy with my 6 yr old and had a lot of success. Mario Kart offers the chance to play on the same team, for some game types, so that helps too. And Mario Party 9 is a cool board game that (aside from the challenges, which she almost always loses), has just enough random chance to give her a shot at winning. Super Mario Galaxy has a form of coop as well, though a bit anemic, but at least it lets her feel like she is contributing.

Number of posts : 99 Registration date : 2008-12-10

my only concern is the effect it may have on her self-esteem if she *always* loses. yeah, one might think "its just video games" but you have to remember, children are still developing the fine motor skills to play video games as well as skills in confidence and coping. if she constantly loses, i would hate for it to crush her spirit or her love for gaming. i am not saying to let her win though. i am saying to equal the playing field. have her play against her mother (she will prolly win then!) or encourage some single-player kids games that give her more of an edge. i also love the idea of co-op games where you play together as a team instead of against each other. just some ideas from your local childless child expert.

Subject: Re: Playing Games With Your Kids Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:11 pm

I don't know what you're talking about, Kristy... I have never been able to best my Dad @ snooker, and I've been trying since I have been big enough to lean over a pool table. I never developed a competitive nature that consumes and drives me to strive to be the best at all that I do. *looks around the room w/ a guilty expression*

Subject: Re: Playing Games With Your Kids Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:33 pm

She beat me at bowling the other day, I immediately blamed the sun's positioning in the sky relative to our front window and TV screen, then smashed the Wii into a thousand pieces!!

Part of the story above is true, and part is false...I'll let you guys figure that out.