VIDEO GAMES - NOW AND THEN

While I was looking for a new video game for my son this Christmas, I began to reflect on my own childhood. While I do recall being one of the first kids on my block with the game Pong in the 1970's. I don't remember playing it that much.

We played outside until my mother rang a bell which was mounted on the side of the garage which was always well into the evening. We came home to eat and that was about it.

I even recall eating apples off the neighbors tree, raw corn from a random field and berries that grew on the side of the road. We fished in ponds and lakes. It was very simple then, as Pong is to the video games are today.

Now as parents we are straddled with video games which are time eaters as well as provide no long term benefits for our children. While I don't really understand playing a video game for hours on end, I too will follow in my parents footsteps and get him the game he wants, just as my parents did for me.