Official NT dad thread: can the dads get love

[jaypesoz]

NT dads whats your take on games

I always felt like playing videogames made me a lot smarter. I was born in 91.
I had a ps1 and the various gameboys. Between final fantasy, pokemon, crash bandicoot, etc. i did a ton of reading and I also was overcoming losses and challenges figuring out how to beat games between 6-11 years old. loved gta 3 and vice city in the 3rd through 6th grade and i turned out okay.

I feel like games are a little different today. a bit more addicting. maybe too realistic or graphic. when do you guys think is too soon? what about mobile games? do you guys have strategies to regulate or decide on rules. I was thinking of maybe graduating the exposure shifting from old games and systems to new ones before blasting the young brain with that data overload.

Im cool off letting him play it. My friend works for an optometrist and she says more and more kids are coming in and having vision problems because they are glued to their iPad/iPhone/etc.

When we were kids, you had to turn on the tv to play video games, it wasn't as accessible as it is now like for today's kids. They got games on everything with a screen. You once had to sit 5 feet away from the tv screen. Now you hold the damn screen inches from your face.

My issue is more with having vision problems.

My daughter's only 3 months old, but it(technology) is a legit concern of mine. I'm torn because I know how much technology encompass our lives, especially hers in the future, but I also want her to learn how to live a happy life without it. My wife shared this article with me the other day and it really worries me.

http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/11/02/most-babies-have-used-mobile-devices-study-shows

My boy had his 2 yr. old's bday party a few weeks ago and while some kids were running around, there were definitely a few kids under 4 just glued on phones/tablets the entire time

 

[iamdef]

Gamig is as harmless as watching television but has the same possible negative effects if what is being interacted with is not monitored. Last year our 9 year old ask "What a condom was?" because of something he saw on YouTube. Needless to say he no longer had access to YouTube. And this year he was asking for Mortal Kombat as a gift and I told him I was not going to buy that for him because it's not age appropriate but got him Street Fighter because there's less gore but same kind of gameplay

 

[dathbgboy]

Video games and technology are great to a point, you just have to learn how to balance usages for your kids. My daughter is 7 and she has a Wii to play games and DS, iPad, and computer. But I also make her use the iPad for learning too. Her laptop sucks so she can't do things on it that I want her to do e.g. learning to code.

She used to use her iPad to spell words, but now I make her used a dictionary and make her read physical books and not ebooks.

Video games teach hand-eye coordination and make you think which helped me growing up when I would get stuck at parts of games so that's great, but too much of it isn't good since it doesn't teach them to acclimate themselves in the real world, having genuine, real interactions w/ people etc.

The thing I need most is filtering television for both of my children, sometimes it's great for entertainment and even learning (I love Paw Patrol, Wally Kazzam, Team Umi Zoomi, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Micky Mouse Clubhouse) but there are a lot of shows that are just mindless dribble and even more today than when I was younger.

 

[iamdef]

There's just gotta be a balance. Games help with hand eye cordination and reflexes and may even ignite a career goal in that feild or a thought for a needed invention for society but if not monitored can become quite a hiderence. Anti social, inable to hold a conversation, etc but also holds just as many benefits

Create a structured schedule with a set time for reading, playing with toys/friends/family, and playing with games.

 

[mr s j king]

Congrats! 

Proud dad of three checking in.  My wife got hers tied after the third - still wants me to get cut.  Any NTers out there willing to chime in on their experiences getting snipped?

Been putting it off for about 6 years :}
Heard it ain't that bad. Swelling goes down after a couple of days.

NT dads whats your take on games

I always felt like playing videogames made me a lot smarter. I was born in 91.
I had a ps1 and the various gameboys. Between final fantasy, pokemon, crash bandicoot, etc. i did a ton of reading and I also was overcoming losses and challenges figuring out how to beat games between 6-11 years old. loved gta 3 and vice city in the 3rd through 6th grade and i turned out okay.

I feel like games are a little different today. a bit more addicting. maybe too realistic or graphic. when do you guys think is too soon? what about mobile games? do you guys have strategies to regulate or decide on rules. I was thinking of maybe graduating the exposure shifting from old games and systems to new ones before blasting the young brain with that data overload.

My 10yr old is a bona-fide gamer.
Can go all day and will go all day if we let him.
The vision concerns and lack of hand eye coordination are my only concerns.

When it comes to regulating playing time, I'm putting the onus on him.
It's up to him to make sure his homework and chores are done.
I told all three of my kids to add up the number of hours in a week. They all came up with 168 hours.
Then I told them you can take a couple of hours to clean up and have the rest of the week to play the game; or don't clean up and lose your privileges for a whole week. The choice is yours.

Don't got time to be policing them over that machine.
If they don't handle their business they won't be playin video games.

 

[mr s j king]

Playing video games doesn't teach hand eye coordination, because they are only really using the thumb and index fingers when playing video games.
I coach little league sports and can immediately tell which kids regularly play video games for extended periods of time, just off of how they position their hands.

 

[iamdef]

Games that require cameras I would assume do (Kinect, Wii)

 

[dathbgboy]

I guess it could be argued if it does or not but then u also have to take into account that some kids are just uncoordinated My daughter plays Just Dance on her Wii and it helps when she has to learn new cheers for cheerleading because she remembers the steps, it's like inexpensive dance classes

I guess video games can help them focus on more than one thing at a time depending on the game.

How do you cats feel about YouTube channels like CrashCourse, CrashCourseKids, and the likes for teaching them things?

 

[stuntman mike]

my son is almost 3 and the only TV he gets to watch is one pixar movie on some friday nights and we only just recently started allowing this. he knows how to go on my phone and look at pictures/vids but we only do that for about 5 minutes a night right before bed. i'm pretty sure most any kid can quickly become adept with an ipad/iphone given the exposure - it's not some sort of special skill. at this stage of his development, we try to focus on experiential learning as much as possible. none of the feeder preschools (the ones that are designed to get your kids into private school) that we considered allow the use of ipads or tvs to teach. when we eventually introduce personal tech for my son, i think the most important part will be to set strict boundaries and time limitations. there will be plenty of time for that when he's ready.

we were all in a restaurant once and there was a 2 year old kid sitting in his high chair stuck to his ipad. he was playing some sort of interactive game or story. when the food came, his mom told him it was time to eat and to put down the ipad. little kid went from 0-100 real quick. i swear there was flames shooting out of his eyes and mouth. i looked at my wife and we both had that telepathic moment like um yup, no ipad for our son

 

[jumpmanpro97]

my son is almost 3 and the only TV he gets to watch is one pixar movie on some friday nights and we only just recently started allowing this. he knows how to go on my phone and look at pictures/vids but we only do that for about 5 minutes a night right before bed. i'm pretty sure most any kid can quickly become adept with an ipad/iphone given the exposure - it's not some sort of special skill. at this stage of his development, we try to focus on experiential learning as much as possible. none of the feeder preschools (the ones that are designed to get your kids into private school) that we considered allow the use of ipads or tvs to teach. when we eventually introduce personal tech for my son, i think the most important part will be to set strict boundaries and time limitations. there will be plenty of time for that when he's ready.

we were all in a restaurant once and there was a 2 year old kid sitting in his high chair stuck to his ipad. he was playing some sort of interactive game or story. when the food came, his mom told him it was time to eat and to put down the ipad. little kid went from 0-100 real quick. i swear there was flames shooting out of his eyes and mouth. i looked at my wife and we both had that telepathic moment like um yup, no ipad for our son

Those are the parents that give their kids the iPad/iphone just to shut them up. They aren't really using it to help them learn. I'm glad my son never gets nuts if we tell him to turn it off to eat.

 

[dirtbagchueco]

My lil man is due this weekend. Hopefully he comes out on time. First child, it seems like the whole pregnancy went by fast but these final days are the slowest

 

[mplsdunk]

My daughter is 9 on Saturday. Feeling old out here. She always wants to do the same thing every birthday. Nickelodeon universe 3rd year in a row.

 

[brkfstchampions]

I'm just checking in, I haven't posted any pics or anything since she was born but daughter is going to be 6 months next week! Crazy how fast everything is going! But rep's to all the pa's here and I'll be back soon to update with pics of the fam. I just been so busy with work, traveling and being a full time dad, but I love every moment of it and so happy I can be a part of this club. NT Papi's

 

[Los Angeles]

Hey papas heads up if you guys buy clothes at Target for your kids.

Target Cartwheel has 30% off Toddler / Kids clothes, which is a pretty slick deal.

Also every day for the month they have a 50% off for a toy (varies).

 

[the qbz]

Moatly educational game with the exception of subway surfers


Plus he is super into cars and train..... by crashing them together

 

[the qbz]

Random but sams club cake icing = diabetes man


Had it at my sons classmate party

Kids was JUICED

 

[stuntman mike]

Hey papas heads up if you guys buy clothes at Target for your kids.

Target Cartwheel has 30% off Toddler / Kids clothes, which is a pretty slick deal.

thanks for the heads up! just sent a text to my wife. she has the app on her phone.

 

[jumpmanpro97]

My lil man is due this weekend. Hopefully he comes out on time. First child, it seems like the whole pregnancy went by fast but these final days are the slowest

congrats man, life's going to change real fast! The ride is just starting!

 

[Fozz]

My lil man is due this weekend. Hopefully he comes out on time. First child, it seems like the whole pregnancy went by fast but these final days are the slowest

Hey man, I know exactly how you felt. When my wife hit the 37 week mark, it felt like time was going really slow and I became anxious about her giving birth.

Then, two days passed and she gave birth.

 

[dirtbagchueco]

Is there any way to help when shes in labor? Knowin that there isnt anything i can say or do to help makes me feel bad for my chick. All i can do is hold her hand.

 

[the qbz]

Is there any way to help when shes in labor? Knowin that there isnt anything i can say or do to help makes me feel bad for my chick. All i can do is hold her hand.

Make eye contact and calm her down by have good energy. Make her aixtape.with her feel good song

 

[Case]

Is there any way to help when shes in labor? Knowin that there isnt anything i can say or do to help makes me feel bad for my chick. All i can do is hold her hand.

Be supportive without being overly annoying..Do everything she says to do..If she wants you to go outside and capture a unicorn for her, then get your *** outside and find a gotdamn unicorn..But most of all just pay attention to everything going on..Cause after she gives birth she may not remember everything that happened and she'll want you to answer any questions about anything under the sun, so pay attention..Oh and don't forget that this time is about you too..Soak up the whole experience and enjoy it..Congratulations and welcome to the brotherhood..

 

[Los Angeles]

Is there any way to help when shes in labor? Knowin that there isnt anything i can say or do to help makes me feel bad for my chick. All i can do is hold her hand.

Bro take my advice if this is your first child.

You do not want to be stuck in that room for hours waiting for that baby!

If you guys have already done so encourage her and you to walk everyday/night include stairs once the day comes closer and closer! It'll help!

Sidenote: my wife was having contractions, we went to the park and we started walking up and down the stairs no lie until she couldnt take it, we went home and showered, her water broke got her *** in my truck wearing whatever i threw at her, got at he hospital at 845a my daughter was born 915a , in 4 easy pushes all natural no meds, they even cut her up :x what a trooper. [emoji]128169[/emoji]

 

[dirtbagchueco]

Preciate all the advice homies.

the docs been tellin us he most likley will be 8 lbs or over so im hopin he just slides out and doesnt try to do a somersault amd make her get a c section.

I installed the car seat in my truck already and its just crazy knowin im gona have a baby back there soon.

 

[Fozz]

Be supportive without being overly annoying..Do everything she says to do..If she wants you to go outside and capture a unicorn for her, then get your *** outside and find a gotdamn unicorn..But most of all just pay attention to everything going on..Cause after she gives birth she may not remember everything that happened and she'll want you to answer any questions about anything under the sun, so pay attention..Oh and don't forget that this time is about you too..Soak up the whole experience and enjoy it..Congratulations and welcome to the brotherhood..

Yes, I got on my wife's nerves when I tried to breathe with her