Inside Mesa

Steve Ikeda has raised some good points about immigration and what to do about it. It made me stop and think! Read my response on his post…it’s sure to make you think as well.

Reading the article by Mary K. Reinhart, Tribune, I found the article about kids, TV, and video games to be so true! My personal experience of this is my grandson, it started about 6 years ago.My grandson, now 16, is a different young man than he was raised to be and turned out to be from the age of 10. I’m guilty of sending the favorite video game at the moment, at Christmas or for his birthday. Thinking at the time it was harmless.I began to have some reservation, learning as the years went by, that he spent much of his time in his room on the computer, very much into the games that I see now has altered and changed the boy I once knew.Here was a wonderful kid that was polite, a straight A student, responsible, the kind of kid other mom’s praised for being such a good example. That changed. After six years of influence, a steady diet, upgraded each year with more violence, it became significant upon entering high school. He had become the example of conflict, putting in motion all he had within him. A stubborn and defiant behaviour, not caring about his grades, rebellious against his parents, skipping school believing, I’m certain, he was in control. Not realizing how out of control he had become.It has been a challenge to my son and daughter-in-law. I know teenagers have their phases, but it gets worse with a stronger rebellious nature when all you have digested is nothing but conquer, divide, fight back, rule, be who you want to be, don’t tell me what to do attitude. Much too much for a precious young mind. So many in our society are unaware or don’t want to face what they know — the consequences of a mind stolen by a ravaging theif clothered in an entertaining package is something to be dealt with, it’s work as a parent. Video games, becoming what you invest in, believe in, feed on; children stop listening to and respecting parents and all authority in their lives.I agree with the writer, to take heed and take charge of what is seen by our children. It’s tough being a parent, investing time and effort into who they become. It’s a responsibility that needs to be first; they will be our next leaders, our future, our society.