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Since video game systems were introduced into homes, parents have been worried about their children spending too much time with their eyes glued to the TV and a game controller in their hands. Where earlier generations would play games outside, the video game generations would engage in challenges acted out on their television screens. The long hours that gamers invest in their pastime has led many to associate the activity with all-time high levels of obesity among both children and adults. But that's just one side of the story. While in many ways, video games can be seen as a waste of time, there are actually many skills and values to be learned from devoting time and energy to gaming. Many of us derive joy from hobbies and pastimes that are ends in themselves, where the journey itself is the point of the destination, such as crossword puzzles or sudokus. Video games exist to challenge the player. Like any challenge, it requiring the challenger to assess the situation, determine an appropriate course of action, and then make adjustments as they try and err. Even the simplest of games, including simple free online flash games for kids, involves figuring out how the game's virtual world was programmed in order to succeed. In order to improve at a video game, one has to keep working on it. One needs to be disciplined in order to continually put in the energy needed to improve at any activity. It helps when one finds the activity inherently fun, but if you are determined to successfully complete a video game, it takes discipline to keep coming back to it and determination to keep pushing when it gets too challenging. Another valuable skill to develop is the ability to adapt. Often in video games, the way forward is not always apparent. If you're fighting a boss at the end of a level, the tactics that you've used to get to that point may not be effective. It may take several attempts to figure out the right timing and combination of moves that will get you past an obstacle. Stubbornness will not help you. You need to step back, reassess the situation, and try something else. Of course, an excess of dedication and determination may lead to overuse. Parents need to monitor their children's activities to keep them from hurting themselves. Accordingly, children need to learn restraint. Video games can become an addiction, and a child who enjoys video games needs to be able to put the controller down when they've had enough. Parents can help by imposing limits on game time, but when someone is on their own, they need to know when enough is enough. There have been multiple instances of gamers who literally played themselves to death, spending days at a stretch in their virtual worlds. No one activity should consume someone's whole life. For those who aren't interested in playing a single game for weeks on end, there are many free flash games online that allow you to exercise these valuable life skills. In addition to having some fun, if you rise to the challenge of the game and succeed where you previously failed, you might make yourself proud.
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