mother thinks video games are a waste of time

[alicskysareblue]

so my mother absolutely hates it when i play games whether its on the pc or xbox. every time i play them she either makes me stop and gives me a whole lecture on how i should be doing better things with my life or just limits my time playing. to be fair i only play on average 1-2 hours ish a day. how can i explain to her that they are actually fun and aren't pointless?

 

please dont troll i just want the opinion of other forum members. 

most parents do just accept it and try not to anything that would reinforce her opinion

[Kinda Bottlenecked]

It is true... Playing video games isn't productive at all... 

Unless you're earning money from it.

[Misanthrope]

Yeah they can be. There's nothing wrong with wasting time though, people live in way too much stress as it is since very early with school, school and part time job, full time job, kids and full time jobs, etc. People should be entitled to waste time.

[Trik'Stari]

My two favorite options:

 

1. Tell her that your grades are fine, life isn't purely about work, people need to blow off steam.

or

2. You didn't ask for her opinion. (the one I generally went with first, does not work well, but I found it to be more satisfying)

 

It is true... Playing video games isn't productive at all... 

Unless you're earning money from it.

 

No person can maintain 100% productivity throughout their lives.

 

People NEED to waste time at some point.

[HippY]

My two favorite options:

 

1. Tell her that your grades are fine, life isn't purely about work, people need to blow off steam.

or

2. You didn't ask for her opinion. (the one I generally went with first, does not work well, but I found it to be more satisfying)

 

 

No person can maintain 100% productivity throughout their lives.

 

People NEED to waste time at some point.

 

Do we know how much does he plays it?

 

I mean if he plays like 1-2 hrs a day, then just give him a break

if like 6+ constantly then she does have a point

[sulairris]

like some people watch TV or read books i gamed a lot. i made it out of high school AND a trade school. i'm almost 19. so yah it may be a waist of time for some people but its what I did to pass time. point is if you stay in school and do your work you'll be fine. just good luck trying to get a job is not easy for any one out of high school, or still in.

[Kinda Bottlenecked]

No person can maintain 100% productivity throughout their lives.

 

People NEED to waste time at some point.

 

Of course we need to entertain ourselves, but OP's Mom doesn't see it that way

[nightmarevoid]

i am 17 my mom is 52

Same boat, although I'm 19. For me, videogames were always an inspiration. Seeing how humanity can evolve in Halo, to the puzzle-filled fields of Hyrule, to learing boolean logic from redstone in minecraft, videogames were always a way for me to step back from the limited view I would ever be able to have in reality and see how things could be, and not how they are. This is an incredibly important skill, and I believe it has helped me. My solution is a bit passive aggressive, but start playing a game that requires thought, something with easy mechanics to learn (like portal) and when your mom lectures you, challenge her to prove to you that what you are doing progresses no skill and can be done by anyone right away. Ask her when she last had a sense of accomplishment that lifted her spirits. Ask her when she last read a book and felt like she was being involved in the story, or at the very least how often it made her smile. I feel like these questions really target the arguments that videogames are pointless. And if that doesn't work, turn subtitles on and show her that you can read and play videogames at the same time.

[GuruMeditationError]

"...that's why she insists I concentrate on the taxidermy".

 

Lols  

 

Sorry, I know....

 

   

[Shotgun]

Explain it to her,slowly and i bet she will understand,do not fight with her,that will make it worse.

[GuruMeditationError]

Seriously I could be here all day.

 

Edit:

 

(Oblique meme is oblique )

[Nosfy]

so my mother absolutely hates it when i play games whether its on the pc or xbox. every time i play them she either makes me stop and gives me a whole lecture on how i should be doing better things with my life or just limits my time playing. to be fair i only play on average 1-2 hours ish a day. how can i explain to her that they are actually fun and aren't pointless?

 

please dont troll i just want the opinion of other forum members. 

 

They are a waste of time but that is the whole point of them. They are an "escape" from day to day life. What would she rather you do?

[ShadowCaptain]

Technically she is right,

That very much depends on how you want to live your life, and what you find fulfilling, interesting, stimulating etc

 

People can spend their time doing whatever they want, if somebody wants to spend their whole life staring at a brick wall, then who am I to tell them not to

 

Measuring your "success" by other peoples standards is bullshit.... maybe Mr wall starer finds helping others, having a job, and raising a family a waste of time, since he could be spending that time staring at a wall

 

 

Why is somebodies time better spent doing one task or another? It doesn't change anything, the universe will continue as normal either way

[mr moose]

We can't really make specific comments on this, just express general opinions. E.G  I only curb my sons gaming when they start to priorities computer games over other more important aspects of life, like eating, study, social interaction and family values.

[-TesseracT-]

I hate people like that. They need to understand that everyone has different interests. If playing games is what you really enjoy doing in life, then do it and have a good time.

[SIGSEGV]

Does she want you to hang out with hooligans or what?

[nekomata]

Everything is a waste of time if you're not reproducing. So bring a guy/girl home and do em in front of your mom and says it's productive cause it's all humans are for

 

I play games to keep me sane from the shit I have to deal with in college and from the fact that I'm far from home and gf If my parents ddn't allow me to bring my PC, who know what I would become

[Guest]

Do heroin, then when you're an addict blame her 'should have let me play games'

[SeriouslyMikey]

My mum was the same, but she's stopped nagging me about it since I left school. 

I still get all my jobs done, but I spend my time gaming when I am not able to snowboard. 

Just tell he it's a hobby. If that doesn't work, the Xbox makes a great weapon. 

 

 

 

 

It doesn't make a great weapon.

[ofr057]

just tell her its better then smoking pot

[Sir Asvald]

Well, I'm in the same situation as you. BUT I do have a job, I work 3 days a way I work from 10am-11pm (I know, it's long). I've stopped playing console (PS4) since I got my PC (Coming to 7 months now). My mum always thinks that I'm gaming on the PC, I do, but sometimes I have to bring the work to home or sometimes work from home. 

 

Now, I'm going to study at Birmingham Uni next year, I'll need to find another job or leave my current one. 

 

Trust me, go look for a job. It'll help you, your mum won't worry to much then.  

[SkilledRebuilds]

Gaming makes you develop problem solving skills, has social interactions, stimulates your mind, and enables you to de-stress after a bad day.

 

Many good points have already been made,.. and gaming in moderation is best of course,.. like ANYTHING in this world.

 

Plus.. it's YOUR life, as stated before,... living by other peoples standards (esp who lived in a different generation/time) is stupid beyond belief...in some cases.

 

There are also people that see you when they come home,.. your gaming,. and they figure you've been gaming since you got up, regardless it may have only been started the minute before they saw you doing so.

You can't please some people,.. no matter what you do.

There are also so many people who do worse wasting of time,...TV/Movies/Music and such, at least Gaming is Interactive and stimulates your brain.

Many great points in this thread as I said,..  all taken into account,.. your mum is outright just trying to make sure you get the best out of life,.. without realizing it has other benefits that don't end with just your entertainment.

 

/Parents usually let off once you have a job anyway, like mine.

[Tech_Dreamer]

hey, can you say that she's wrong a 100% ? she does have a point but it depends on perspective i guess..

[Speedbird]

so my mother absolutely hates it when i play games whether its on the pc or xbox. every time i play them she either makes me stop and gives me a whole lecture on how i should be doing better things with my life or just limits my time playing. to be fair i only play on average 1-2 hours ish a day. how can i explain to her that they are actually fun and aren't pointless?

 

please dont troll i just want the opinion of other forum members. 

If it's a waste of time, but it's fun and you like it, and then it's not a waste of time.

[zonahbear]

Just say how you enjoy them, and that they are a good waste of time.  Tbh does your mom really want you on the street, hanging out with inappropriate friends?  Pick your poison.

both?