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My kid also reads and plays soccer and baseball. He rides his bike and he jumps on the trampoline.
Just because kids play video games doesn't mean they don't do anything else.
He can use a screw driver and can replace batteries.
Pssh. Video games dull the mind! Nonsense. Perhaps if other cognitive, creative and behavioral traits aren't cultivated at an early age. If parents don't facilitate a well-rounded learning and creative environment and video games is all there is, then sure, it can have negative effects on child/youth development. I grew up playing games, and still play games, sometimes with my older two kids. We enjoy a good amount of screen time as a family.
But I also stress the importance of creative and academic achievements. My avid gamers are voracious readers of fiction and non-fiction. They're on winter break right now and I still encourage they read at least two hours everyday. Today 10 year old read 200 pages from a book in a series she's reading. Then she played Minecraft, and after playing Minecraft she and her older sister made Minecraft stop motion videos. She also explored one of her meteorite activity kits (one of the dozen plus minerals/rocks kits she got for Christmas) that she's had an interest in for a few years.
She's also a star student and really good at drawing. She sometimes walks around like a dinosaur and makes Chewbacca noises, so a healthy imagination.
My 12 year old, an honor roll student, just finished playing a game on our PS4 and is now playing with dolls with her two year old sister. They're also wearing superhero capes. She also read quite a bit today, watched and drew some anime, and watched videos.
Yeah, my kids don't suffer from a lack of imagination and creativity due to video games. Lolol
How is, say, Minecraft, more of a waste of time than Lego?
My cousin is an engineer. He is very high up and deals with the use of robotic manufacturing.
He has severe difficulty hiring new grads. New grads are great with computers, can punch in the numbers and come up with the right answer.
HOWEVER: none of them have any knowledge of spatial relations. Physical space. How parts FIT together. When he asks them to explain HOW they got the answer, they can't. When he asks them to SHOW him, diagram, use their hands, to help demonstrate what they are explaining, they can't.
That's the difference. In your hand knowledge and experience performed physically for a complete understanding of how parts fit together versus WATCHING a computer do it for you.
In the immortal words of some random kid... ¿Porque no los dos?
This was going to be my post.
I dont get why gaming has to mean "only gaming". I have been gaming since some time around 1981. I also played 12 years of baseball and 6yrs of football and put hundred of miles per year on my bike hanging out with my friends.
Doing one doesnt necessarily mean not doing the other.
It also shouldnt be used as a reward. On top of everything else you cant necessarily play a game in 30mins/hour. Heck one game of Madden even with the clock rolled back to 10min quarters takes the better part of an hour to play.
Spouse would like to introduce video gaming to our only child (in kindergarten now). I'm uncomfortable.
I'm wondering, what do we need to do as parents to ensure our child does not become a video game addict?
Besides ensuring our child is only playing age-appropriate content, what do we need to do as parents to ensure that her playing video games now is a not a determiment to her development?
Uncomfortable because your child is playing videogames?
Jesus, how do you know if your child will ever become an addict to anything?
This, 1000%! I cannot believe how many people I know in my age range (under 40) who literally do not know how to do simple things, such as these mentioned above. Oh, and God forbid anyone gives a child a BOOK to read Gasp! The horrors of the written word!
Video games are banned in our home, period. Games on the tablet are banned and the only playing they do on that thing is an art/music app that came with it. There is no way my husband and I want our kids to prefer video games over things like riding a bike or creating messy art projects (although, sometimes I get tired of finding countless crayons and fuzzy balls under the table/couch/cabinets ).
Wow, I feel bad for your kids then if video games are banned in the home.
I have been playing videogames since I was 4. Moderation is key here.
I know how to do everything you mentioned except home repairs and sewing..and yes im under 40. So see, not everyone turns out that way.
Really simply limit gaming time and set rules. Has she not played games at all yet? My middle child started playing (or attempting lol) since he was about 2-3 years old. He is a great gamer now. My 4 year old rescued 3 puppies today on her barbie puppy rescue game lol. We always played games as kids (did other stuff too not just video games all the time but we played a lot of em) and I never got addicted, got good grades, started working while still in school and being overall responsible.
And as far as the hand-eye coordination argument goes how about:
Learning to cook, measure, chop, knife skills heck even using a CAN OPENER (yes, kids cannot do this today)
Home repairs, learn to use a screwdriver, hammer and nail, tie knots, use a level, replace batteries
Camping skills, setting up a tent, chairs, campfire, etc.
Basics of sewing, ironing
There are so many USABLE skills that adults today cannot do.
I can think of so many other useful things kids could be doing.
I do not think the games really build hand eye coordination, but those things you mentioned I can do them, but I hate to sew. I cook as often as I can and enjoy it, I can use household supplies and tools, i am hoping to build a weight pull track this spring, replace batteries? Who cannot do that? I can't tie any fancy knots but the basic ones I think most people know.
My kids love games but do other things too. My oldest at 10 years old is into computers and electronics (building them and knowing what makes them work), writing (he has been into writing from a very early age), reading, making crafts and building things. My almost 6 year old is probably the heaviest gamer but he likes to run around, play and do normal kid things, he also likes writing to the best of his ability (learning how to spell in kindergarten now) and drawing pictures to go with it writing his own short stories, he likes playing with legos, nerf guns, rc cars (I always help him but he can use the screw driver himself to open the remote and replace the batteries lol), he has an rc helicopter and wants a drone for his birthday, and he likes helping do things like vacuuming and sweeping and helping with cooking I think my kids will learn how to cook from me like I did form my mom. My youngest likes games too, but she also likes reading time, drawing pictures, running around playing, she does Jr handlers and works with her dog leading up to shows, she's helped put together Kurunda dog beds and also knows what tools I need for certain things, she is at that age where she wants to help do everything including scooping dog poop. It does not matter if a child plays games, it does not mean they do not like other activities and will not learn how to do anything.
While I hate sewing my brother on the other hand, a huge gamer and has been his whole life can sew like crazy and even make costumes for people. He is a great cook, can weld and use tools, works on his corvette, ect
If all someone does is play games then yeah they are not going to have basic life skills, but it does not have to be that way.
everything in moderation. If you outlaw things like video games at home, your kids will find other ways to play behind your back. Or, like me, who wasn't allowed much TV at all, go completely TV crazy once I got to college
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Gasp! The horrors of the written word! 
).
