3 ms·

You banned it because it's popular and teaches kids to code?

sdegutis 12y ago
Not even in the slightest. I was responding to what stuck out to me the most in his comment: > because the son is mad about it. > School started today, he's moved to another school this year. The first thing he asked to his news friends was about Minecraft. Then he advertised how PC version is superior to the one on iPad. > My 2 yo daughter knows what Minecraft is, tells she'll play Minecraft when she grows up. These stuck out because our children had similar signs of unhealthy obsession. (So did my wife and I for a while.)
- washadjeffmad 12y ago
  Sounds more like an issue with time management at home. A very permissive schedule might be: no games or internet until after 8pm, one hour limit, weekdays only. Weekends, up to two hours total, after family activities, chores, etc. I suppose I don't totally understand your decision. If your children were equally as engrossed in a popular and technical school sport or club, would you disenroll them from it and cut them off from their peers? Have you found that your children having deep, socially enhancing interests and being willing and able to learn new or advanced concepts to be mutually exclusive? Things like this can be important to kids, so if you're willing to give it another chance (since it sounds like you enjoyed it, too), I would try incorporating principles of analog circuits into labs for your kids to do in Minecraft, then design a project with them using what they've learned to see if it works the same way in the game as it does in the physical world. (I haven't played Minecraft, so I don't know that this is possible, but from what I've heard about it, it seems plausible.)
  - Filligree 12y ago
    Very difficult (but possible) in vanilla minecraft; much more plausible with mods like Project Red installed.
- wpietri 12y ago
  I totally get it. A few months back, I wanted to see what the story was with Minecraft, and I had a 16-hour trip. So I got a copy for my Android tablet and played it basically every moment I was able. My whole body ached from the weird position I had to take on the plane to be able to play, but I kept going. When I got home, I deleted it from my tablet. It was too addictive for me. I'm sure there are some people who can play it in moderation, but I'm sure not one of them. It's an amazing game, but like you I value getting things done in the real world.
- imarg 12y ago
  Well they would have to talk about something anyway. When I was at high school age, after changing school, the first thing my new classmates asked me was which soccer club I was a fan of. I find this to be worse (obsessing about clubs) than talking about something like minecraft. (edit: spelling)
- stef25 12y ago
  > signs of unhealthy obsession Most people here probably have an unhealthy obsession with computers and they're going much further in life than people with no hobbies who spend their spare time watching TV
  - sdegutis 12y ago
    My concern isn't about "how far in life" they'll get. In fact, I'm pretty sure life doesn't have a distance. I'm concerned about their well-being.

Not even in the slightest. I was responding to what stuck out to me the most in his comment: > because the son is mad about it. > School started today, he's moved to another school this year. The first thing he asked to his news friends was about Minecraft. Then he advertised how PC version is superior to the one on iPad. > My 2 yo daughter knows what Minecraft is, tells she'll play Minecraft when she grows up. These stuck out because our children had similar signs of unhealthy obsession. (So did my wife and I for a while.)

washadjeffmad 12y ago
Sounds more like an issue with time management at home. A very permissive schedule might be: no games or internet until after 8pm, one hour limit, weekdays only. Weekends, up to two hours total, after family activities, chores, etc. I suppose I don't totally understand your decision. If your children were equally as engrossed in a popular and technical school sport or club, would you disenroll them from it and cut them off from their peers? Have you found that your children having deep, socially enhancing interests and being willing and able to learn new or advanced concepts to be mutually exclusive? Things like this can be important to kids, so if you're willing to give it another chance (since it sounds like you enjoyed it, too), I would try incorporating principles of analog circuits into labs for your kids to do in Minecraft, then design a project with them using what they've learned to see if it works the same way in the game as it does in the physical world. (I haven't played Minecraft, so I don't know that this is possible, but from what I've heard about it, it seems plausible.)
- Filligree 12y ago
  Very difficult (but possible) in vanilla minecraft; much more plausible with mods like Project Red installed.
wpietri 12y ago
I totally get it. A few months back, I wanted to see what the story was with Minecraft, and I had a 16-hour trip. So I got a copy for my Android tablet and played it basically every moment I was able. My whole body ached from the weird position I had to take on the plane to be able to play, but I kept going. When I got home, I deleted it from my tablet. It was too addictive for me. I'm sure there are some people who can play it in moderation, but I'm sure not one of them. It's an amazing game, but like you I value getting things done in the real world.
imarg 12y ago
Well they would have to talk about something anyway. When I was at high school age, after changing school, the first thing my new classmates asked me was which soccer club I was a fan of. I find this to be worse (obsessing about clubs) than talking about something like minecraft. (edit: spelling)
stef25 12y ago
> signs of unhealthy obsession Most people here probably have an unhealthy obsession with computers and they're going much further in life than people with no hobbies who spend their spare time watching TV
- sdegutis 12y ago
  My concern isn't about "how far in life" they'll get. In fact, I'm pretty sure life doesn't have a distance. I'm concerned about their well-being.