My son plays videogames and I've allowed him to do so since he was about 3. He had a "LeapPad" then which is basically a kids tablet with games and educational material on it. Then he moved on to the laptop.
Thanks to his interest, he's learning how to code and will probably get further in life with that one skill-set than I've managed, haha.
"Ever thought about giving your kid a book?" .... .... .... Do people even realise just how much reading is in some of these games? 😅 My son knew his numbers and ABCs and a few words, we read a book at bedtime every night. Okay. But then he got onto some games where he was forced to learn how to read to play the damned things and WHOOSH, now he's one of the best readers in his grade. He loves soccer, going for walks outside, playing with sticks in the mud, he has friends and you know what they talk about together? Mario and Assassin's Creed. xD Then they jump around going WOOHOO! like Mario does before going and playing with a ball or going on the trampoline, playing with nerf guns, whatever.
He's also made to do a couple of chores, has meals with us, watches movies with us, helps out in the garden when we're doing things out there...... The writer makes it seem like all gamer-kids are hiding in their dim, dark rooms, ignoring reality, and grunting like neanderthals instead of speaking. Regressing into a primal form. Lol.
Right? That was my issue with the article. I think the writer needs a reality check.
Video games improve speed decision making... and improves chance of making the right decision...
Because some games have 100s of different things happening at the same time... like multiple enemy attacks from different sides in Strategy games like age of empires...
The ability to command a large army can also be learned 😅