A couple of years ago, a Nintendo DS entered our home. Liam's Christmas gift was fun and exciting. After all, we had been able to push off the video game generation a little longer.
Now, as a bit of an aside, we did have about 10 versions of different LeapFrog games, but they are more about learning than playing, something that was learned quickly by a child's mind.
So, loaded down with a couple of games, the Nintendo DS (for those not in the know, it's a hand-held video game) quickly became a reason to argue.Everybody wanted to play it. Liam wasn't to happy, after all, it is his and his alone. Still, thanks to some parental input, the game became something to share.
So, Liam would play it, then Brendan would get a chance and finally Malena (and sometimes Dad). Soon, though, the amount of time everybody was using the game became an issue.
'He had it longer than me.' 'I never get a chance to play.' 'When is it my turn.'
That's when the timer comes in. Now, everybody has a chance to play for 15 minutes. When the alarm goes off, it's time to switch.
Of course, that comes with its own set of problems. Some of the games take longer than 15 minutes, which means you get to hear a lot of 'just one more minute' or 'I just want to finish this one thing.'
Of course, the arguments come and it's time to put it away. The next day, there's a repeat, so it's time to hide the whole thing. Or, at least give me a chance to play.
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