From Buzzing To Bored - One Child and a Computer

To any 'experts' who think that computers and internet games are good for our children, then I have a few real experiences to share. My daughter, age 8, heard about an internet game called Runescape through her brother, who is 14, and likes to play it. It's a fantasy world where you create your character and move around, fighting battles, trading etc to make 'money'. When she discovered this, clearly addictive, game, she went from being a outgoing, happy, inquisitive child to being dissinterested in anything going on in the outside, real world. She lost interest in her friends because they suddenly became 'boring', and did not want to go out. What she DID want to do was play all day every day on the internet. When told to leave it she would go into a rage. Luckily, now we have the summer sunshine, she is happy to go out with me to the beach, and to play outside games, so the lure of the dark computer room is no longer a pull. She suddenly wants to invite her friends round, and to draw and make things. To me, a real experience of what these internet games can do.

My son once said to me "Mum, Runescape is good for you because you get to learn about orienteering". So, will we have a generation of kids who are great orienteers, but don't get off their butts and go outside and do it?!!!