close ad  Video-Gaming with Your Kids  If you feel that the
opportunities to connect with your kids are few and far between,
the solution might be to break out a video game. (Seriously!)
Video Games: A Useful Learning Tool  I'm well aware that a lot
of my fellow parents (I'm the father of four) see video games as
a pastime for children -- not adults. This stirs up an intense
need within me to tell them that they're missing out on an
amazing way to bond with kids. At their core, most video games
present a specific problem that needs to be solved, whether it's
an alien invasion to face down or a simulated civilization to
help survive. Match the right game to the right kid and the
process of trying to figure out solutions is nothing short of
exhilarating. For sure, gaming comes with caveats, but in my
experience, it's a powerful addition to your parenting arsenal.
True, news reports linking video games with violent behavior
abound, but there's also plenty of recent research touting
potential positive effects of