The Caring Corner :)

[rygD]

Video games and computers are interactive, like toys, and many games include stuff to read, like books. I still love Zork.

 

[Løra (Lolla)]

@kasp: I absolutely agree about the screen-watching thing, but I meant is there any other of your interests he can partake in? (Like you said, when he's awake anyway ). Outdoors things are cool and fun too - nature's playground - if you're into that .

@rygD: Aww Zork .

 

[kasp]

yeah suppose I can walk him around while we catch pokemon. Lol

His a bit young to partake in anything atm. However we are dropping him off at grannies tonight and having a "date" night.

 

[Klumpen]

Yeah well he likes looking at the screen but my partner doesn't like him doing it. So I think he has watched me play games twice in total. She thinks it is bad for development and there is some research backing that up but who knows.

I've read studies saying the opposite since video games train hand-eye coordination, solving various kinds problems and expeccially training your ability to make decisions which is a quite important trait.
The prejudices against video games are still around, I know some people who don't let their children play video games either, not even in the car and then get distracted by their bored kid all the time.

If I'd ever find a woman that wants to have kids (and me), I'd offer a colourful mix of video games, board games (Jenga and Scrabble ftw!), sports (confrontational/martial arts and mind relaxing kinds) and of course music (offering a bloody lot of diverse instruments to try out until one is resonating to the character). I'd just try to offer passive (non-interactive) stuff like movies and audio books in small doses.

Anyway, glad to see he seems to be developing fine, too bad about you not having so much time for your hobbies anymore atm but at some point you can integrate him into a few of them he likes.

 

[Fzero]

Yep ... I'd say try to keep the youngsters away from screens as best you can when they real young
My girl is 3, and in recent months has started to watch more and more YT and play games, mostly my own fault I guess.

Now it's literally every night, she want's to play her My Little Pony Android game, or watch some Kinder opening vids, or My Little Pony [obsessed with these things!] toy videos ... there are 3 channels in particular she has become 'slightly addicted to';
Cookie Swirl C - She does lots of unboxing and showing MLP stuffs, and Kinder egg stuff
Toy Genie Surprises - She does lots of unboxing and showing MLP stuffs, and Kinder egg stuff, as well
ToyTrains4u - He does some [very good IMO] stop frame animation with Thomas & Friends, and Kinder egg stuff

So I tend to cave in and let her watch ten mins or so most evenings now of this, then take the phone away and say I need to charge it for tomrrow haha, so easy to fool at this age.
And make sure the last 30 mins before bed are no screen time, and reading a book.

And, now she's seen it, It's pretty much impossible for me to brush her teeth ... Unless I let her watch this whilst doing it;

Spoiler

...At least it's 30s long, so I let it run 4 times, giving the recommended 2 mins brushing

So I tried to keep the screens away, but it does work so well to keep her quiet when I need to and no other bribes work

Just wonder how long before she wants to pick up my controllers to proper consoles...

 

[kasp]

Oh it's not a blanket ban thing. It's just developmentally apparently having kids watch TV before age 2 is bad. Not sure on the exacts behind it but its because it's 2d vs 3d and kids learn more from parent interactions and get virtually zero from a TV . Also when a TV is on the interaction between parent and child drops by about 75% or sometimes nothing which is where babies get most of their developing done from.

When he can start understanding the meaning behind things and actually comprehend whats happening then TV and games (Which I will destroy him in) is green lit.

 

[FBnil]

@F-zero: Why not try interactive books? There are books where you flap things out, where you put your fingers in and move the frogs eyes.

 

[Klumpen]

@F-zero: Why not try interactive books? There are books where you flap things out, where you put your fingers in and move the frogs eyes.

Monster Loves You may be what you're looking for. I played the Android version a lot. It's an interactive book with a skill system and many endings, each one giving you a badge.
It's pretty interesting to see which decisions one makes too since they have all kinds of tendencies and effects even way later in the game.
It's got three stages, each one not very long so you don't lose interest in it too fast and the replayability is huge.

Amelia and the Terror of the Night as well as the old Humongous Games (Freddy Fish, Spy Fox, Pajama Sam, Putt Putt) from Ron Gilbert (Monkey Island) come to mind too.

I got a lot of stuff for kids around for some reason and like to play some of those too.

 

[FBnil]

In that same trent as Klumpen points out:

You can find Living Books CD's on E-bay, for example, "The tortoise and the hare living books", which runs in SCUMM, which displays nicely on the Pandora (with stylus as mouse pointer).

The thing is: If it is a video/television, the brain goes into zombie reception mode. No brain activity where you train your brain. However, make it interactive, with small thinking puzzles (a mate of me got Pajama Sam, but it was kind of difficult to solve the puzzles)... and the brain is being entertained AND trained...

 

[Fzero]

@F-zero: Why not try interactive books? There are books where you flap things out, where you put your fingers in and move the frogs eyes.

Yes she does have and like those too, actually was into those before she got her mitts on my phone.
She has the classic Hungry Caterpillar book where you have a finger puppet thing going on, and a few Thomas & Friends books with the flaps, sound byte buttons, spinning engine wheels etc.. they are good.

Due to her introduction to YT on my phone first...
...now, when I put the YT app on my telly via my Shield, she goes up to the screen and swipes it. Of course I'm entertaining her and moving the menu horizontally with my controller, but she thinks she is doing it, swiping and pressing on the one she wants to play.
Makes me laugh

I've also caught her a few times just recently, talking to herself, or her toy ponies, and using her "invisible mobile phone".
...at least for now, she's happy using that too, probably won't be that long before she is asking me for a real one

 

[DrHAX]

Hey guys, I'm back. No stop running away. D:

Anyways thought I'd step in and see what has changed. I got absorbed in my work and life has been rough.
Recently hit a deer right before my birthday and last month I was laid off. They called me by the phone and it was obvious they were exploiting my on the job training for cheap labour.( had no training and dropped like a sack of potatoes after the time period was up.)

So I'm working a new job with less pay three times the conmute, and hours that have screwed up my sleep schedule.
Also when I am working is when I normally write so my favourite hobby has been ripped from my grasps.

I know I'm venting here. But after going through so much, and feeling so horrible, I thought going back to the places that made me happy would help fill in at least some of this void I feel.

 

[Caine]

Hey @DrHAX, welcome back. Sorry to hear you are going through a tough time .

I spend about 20 hours commuting every week (used to be half). I can certainly identify with messed up sleep schedules.
Especially the transition to early morning hours hit me hard (being an evening/night person).

It certainly helps to vent every once in a while as long as it doesn't lead to a negative mindset.
Focus on the little things that make you happy and keep on the lookout for better job opportunities.

 

[Løra (Lolla)]

I know I'm venting here. But after going through so much, and feeling so horrible, I thought going back to the places that made me happy would help fill in at least some of this void I feel.

That it exactly what the Caring Corner thread was created for, and we are all here to listen and help if/when we can.

I'm ever so sorry you're going through such a negative time. I honestly hope things brighten up for you soon.

Welcome back, and I hope it helps you and makes you feel better - even if just a little - to be back here amongst us .

 

[rygD]

Recently hit a deer right before my birthday

Did it file assault charges?

Things can get pretty bad at times, so try not to let it get to you. Maybe you can take something away from all of this that will be useful in the future. Things are still going pretty rough for me.

Since you came back to be happy, I have some things we can discuss that might brighten your day a bit.

 

[DrHAX]

Did it file assault charges?

.

I don't think anything hitting the bumper of an 86 crown Victoria at 60 mph could walk away, let alone file charges.

Luckily I wasn't hurt. And my car is repairable.

 

[Løra (Lolla)]

No no no no, really didn't need to see that

 

[DrHAX]

No no no no, really didn't need to see that

That was my reaction stepping out the morning afterwards.

I am lucky I wasn't in something that wasn't a yank tank. If I was in my Saturn I wouldn't be here. It was nerve racking and I am, on all accounts, still paranoid about driving those roads.

It sucks

Not sure about this job either. I'm making less pay, more commute, and I've been sent home two times already due to them having nothing for me to do.
I am fearful of my future at this point. I really want a Pyra but I fear I will never be able to afford one at this rate.
Edit:

Got word from the temp agency. The place doesn't need me this week... Greaaat.

I feel like the career path im going is empty and has little hope.

 

[Klumpen]

That was my reaction stepping out the morning afterwards.

I think she was referring to the poor deer and not the car, it's just an object.

 

[Løra (Lolla)]

I think she was referring to the poor deer and not the car, it's just an object.

Exactly.

I didn't need to see anything visual to back it up .

 

[DrHAX]

I think she was referring to the poor deer and not the car, it's just an object.

Exactly.

I didn't need to see anything visual to back it up .

If I had the power to have moved it out of the way. I would have. Heck I feel horrible when I see a frog jump out into the road.


I took no enjoyment of the situation. I am just glad I'm still alive and nobody got hurt.

Life has been so strange and stressful recently.