Well now that all of the holiday festivities have ended, I can turn my attention back to my blog (and my disaster of a house). Little Man was spoiled rotten this year by Santa Clause and the rest of the family. I think because he is now three, toy shopping has become a lot more fun, as well as watching his over the top reactions when unwrapping his gifts! But of course every Christmas or birthday comes with at least one non-working or disappointing toy. Well we had both this year, the non working one being the Nerf gun that Santa brought, and the disappointing one being what this particular entry is all about! So without further ado, here is my LeapPad 2 review!
Now I guess I have already given a spoiler as to my feelings toward the LeapPad 2, but it's not all bad. In fact, with just the free pet app, Little Man is already taking his first attempts at writing letters (which we have tried to work on in the past but he became quickly frustrated). The games are quality to the extent that a preschool game can be and, as promised, effectively educational. He has also already taken a spill while holding it, proving it to be quite durable.
A family member purchased the LeapPad 2 for him, I knew in advanced and was really excited about it. We took it out of the package shortly after he unwrapped it and here comes my first disappointment, it is battery run. It is a tablet that requires batteries. It was Christmas day and obviously there were limited places that I could purchase batteries, and none of which were going to charge me less than an arm and a leg for them. So, no playing with the LeapPad on Christmas. In the company's defense, it is not their fault that we didn't have batteries ready, it was really a silly mistake on our part. They also offer a charger (for $20) that doesn't charge the tablet itself, but a set of rechargeable batteries. I have read reviews on this and have decided that I can buy my own battery charger for less and it will apparently work a hell of a lot better than the one they offer.
Then there's the issue of the games (or apps if you prefer, since it is a tablet), They run on average at $20 a piece... for a simple 2D game with limited play-ability. If you're looking to save a few bucks you can buy a package of eight games for...$80! I was appalled, all of the apps I could have got on a regular tablet ranging from free to $2.99 began to flash through my mind. It does come with two free games, one that is already on the LeapPad and one you can download once you hook it up to the computer (which I have still been unable to successfully download). The one it comes from consists of a pet, it's kind of cool. You can customize him, bathe him, feed him, etc. But, it runs out of food. The free game runs out of free food. Now I have to explain to Little Man that he used all of the food and he has to wait until tomorrow to feed his little pet again. On the upside my son is some kind of genius because he found out that there are four account slots. What does that mean for super fun pet treat time? He can use it up on one account, and then switch to the next with a full pantry of pet food.
So my first instinct was "I'm gonna jailbreak this son of a bitch". So I got online to learn more about the LeapPad's hack-ability...only to find what I should have already known. The damn thing is not Wifi capable...the tablet is not Wifi capable. It comes with a USB that you have to hook up to your computer to access their exclusive marketplace. It appears to be air tight, and if there is any way around it its too new and nobody has found a way yet. What does this mean for me? Unfortunately I will be paying outrageous prices for mediocre games and pretty much sinking way more money into this thing than it's worth because Little Man loves it so much; all while taking the proverbial slap in the face from Leapfrog, repeatedly. And what does this mean for you? Let's put it simply, you have been warned. Do your research (which I would have done if I was the one actually purchasing the thing for my son) before buying like, anything.
And I want to wrap this up with an apology of sorts, I have not been keeping up on this blog as I should have. The holidays have thrown me some curve balls but I'm back on track with the promise of a new blog entry every other day. Once again, feel free to continue the discussion in the comment box below :) thanks for reading!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Friday, December 20, 2013
Ten Reasons Why Video Games Won't Ruin Your Kids
Today I want to address the ongoing debate of weather or not we should allow our children to play video games. I feel that they have gotten a bad wrap because of violent games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. I am using these games as an example, I am not going to get into the subject of young kids playing mature games, there is a clear rating on the cover and if a parent feels that a game like this has ruined their child, well it's their own damn fault. I am talking about appropriate games, kids games, E for everyone rated games. Do they rot your brain? Is your little one's eye sight at risk? Are you worried your kid (kids) wont want to go out and get active?
Ten reasons why I support children playing video game:
1. We've all heard it "Step back from the TV you'll burn your eyes out!". I don't know why this one stuck around for so long but it is flat out not true. And as far as games are concerned, they have actually been proven to improve focus and attention to detail...don't believe me? Do a quick Google search, there is a slue if informative articles on the subject.
2. I had heard in the past that video games can spark creativity, it makes sense right? Little Man is a perfect example, he loves pretending he is his favorite video game characters, and has surprised me on several occasions by trying to make costumes to look like the Link, Mario, or even Samus. He even creates his own heroes and story lines! I think it has to be mentioned that he does not do this with cartoon characters.
3. In my house, video games are a reward for good behavior. He does not wake up in the morning and immediately jump on the game to remain there until bed time. After we are done playing in the living room he is to help me clean up the toys and get his bedroom back in order, he also often helps me with the laundry. If he has behaved himself and helped around the house he gets to play a game while I do the things he can't help me with (dishes or me getting a shower). I have to say, it works quite well! And of course, as with just about anything else, it's all about moderation.
4. Games really seem to give my son that "can do attitude". He knows that if he tries and fails in a game that he can try again (and sometimes again, and again, and again) but when he finally succeeds he is so proud of himself! The game rewards him by giving him coins, points, or a new area to explore as a form of motivation.
5. It's family fun! Multiplayer games are a favorite in this household. Since Little Man is three, he doesn't quite get board games yet, but all of us getting into a Super Smash Brothers showdown is so much more fun anyway!
6. Video games improve memory and directional skills. I have even seen this in myself, if I am playing a game with a really elaborate map I tend to get turned around while out and about substantially less ( I have the worst directional skills known to man, I blame genetics on that one).
7. I think this is an obvious one, video games improve problem solving skills. You are required to solve puzzles and problems in many game (Legend of Zelda games for example) So while most don't come straight out and teach ABC's and 123's there is still much to learn from playing games. They are made to be challenging after all.
8. Winter time is tough. When my son has friends over, I try my best to discourage them from going in the bedroom and wrecking what we just cleaned, or even worse, breaking one of his toys. So when it's not freezing outside, I usually sit with them outside while they play ball, or just run around goofing off. But the first day of winter is tomorrow, and it has already started to get quite nippy here. I would much rather them get together and play a multiplayer game than wreck my house (haha). FYI it's a good way to get kids in to take a break when its blistering hot outside too. (Who knew, video games can prevent heat stroke! hehe)
9. Your kid is not going to turn into a fat slob teenager who sits in front of a video game all hours of the day and ignores his responsibilities and (EEK) hygiene. That is, if you don't allow it to happen! Limits have to be set now so once you and your little one get to that point, it has become a habit to set the game down and take a break and get want they need to get done, done before beginning gameplay. The link between laziness and video games is faulty at best (but I do think we need to make sure games, or anything for that matter doesn't become an obsession), laziness has been around long before video games ;)
10. The final point I have to make is, I know my kid is going to love video games (especially since I have a boy). He is going to play it at friend's houses, and with the other kids in the family. I feel my only fighting chance in having any say in what he plays as he grows up is if I have a genuine interest in the things he enjoys, and participate in them too! Hopefully I can also instill the artfulness that goes into games, and the importance of the story they tell (yes I see a lot of games as interactive books, especially the ones that actually do make you read).
Thank you for reading through my list, hopefully it was a bit informative and a fun read! Feel free to continue the discussion in the comment box below :)
Ten reasons why I support children playing video game:
1. We've all heard it "Step back from the TV you'll burn your eyes out!". I don't know why this one stuck around for so long but it is flat out not true. And as far as games are concerned, they have actually been proven to improve focus and attention to detail...don't believe me? Do a quick Google search, there is a slue if informative articles on the subject.
2. I had heard in the past that video games can spark creativity, it makes sense right? Little Man is a perfect example, he loves pretending he is his favorite video game characters, and has surprised me on several occasions by trying to make costumes to look like the Link, Mario, or even Samus. He even creates his own heroes and story lines! I think it has to be mentioned that he does not do this with cartoon characters.
3. In my house, video games are a reward for good behavior. He does not wake up in the morning and immediately jump on the game to remain there until bed time. After we are done playing in the living room he is to help me clean up the toys and get his bedroom back in order, he also often helps me with the laundry. If he has behaved himself and helped around the house he gets to play a game while I do the things he can't help me with (dishes or me getting a shower). I have to say, it works quite well! And of course, as with just about anything else, it's all about moderation.
4. Games really seem to give my son that "can do attitude". He knows that if he tries and fails in a game that he can try again (and sometimes again, and again, and again) but when he finally succeeds he is so proud of himself! The game rewards him by giving him coins, points, or a new area to explore as a form of motivation.
5. It's family fun! Multiplayer games are a favorite in this household. Since Little Man is three, he doesn't quite get board games yet, but all of us getting into a Super Smash Brothers showdown is so much more fun anyway!
6. Video games improve memory and directional skills. I have even seen this in myself, if I am playing a game with a really elaborate map I tend to get turned around while out and about substantially less ( I have the worst directional skills known to man, I blame genetics on that one).
7. I think this is an obvious one, video games improve problem solving skills. You are required to solve puzzles and problems in many game (Legend of Zelda games for example) So while most don't come straight out and teach ABC's and 123's there is still much to learn from playing games. They are made to be challenging after all.
8. Winter time is tough. When my son has friends over, I try my best to discourage them from going in the bedroom and wrecking what we just cleaned, or even worse, breaking one of his toys. So when it's not freezing outside, I usually sit with them outside while they play ball, or just run around goofing off. But the first day of winter is tomorrow, and it has already started to get quite nippy here. I would much rather them get together and play a multiplayer game than wreck my house (haha). FYI it's a good way to get kids in to take a break when its blistering hot outside too. (Who knew, video games can prevent heat stroke! hehe)
9. Your kid is not going to turn into a fat slob teenager who sits in front of a video game all hours of the day and ignores his responsibilities and (EEK) hygiene. That is, if you don't allow it to happen! Limits have to be set now so once you and your little one get to that point, it has become a habit to set the game down and take a break and get want they need to get done, done before beginning gameplay. The link between laziness and video games is faulty at best (but I do think we need to make sure games, or anything for that matter doesn't become an obsession), laziness has been around long before video games ;)
10. The final point I have to make is, I know my kid is going to love video games (especially since I have a boy). He is going to play it at friend's houses, and with the other kids in the family. I feel my only fighting chance in having any say in what he plays as he grows up is if I have a genuine interest in the things he enjoys, and participate in them too! Hopefully I can also instill the artfulness that goes into games, and the importance of the story they tell (yes I see a lot of games as interactive books, especially the ones that actually do make you read).
Thank you for reading through my list, hopefully it was a bit informative and a fun read! Feel free to continue the discussion in the comment box below :)
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
How did I manage to squeeze The NeverEnding Story, A 1980's cult classic fantasy/horror, Harry Potter, and Star Wars all in one post? Keep reading to find out!
Ok, so this entry was supposed to be posted earlier, but I didn't have half the things in my cupboard that I thought I did so I had to get really creative with dinner! A couple of weeks ago I had introduced The NeverEnding Story to my little man (having been in love with the movie myself as a kid) and had planned on writing about my experience re-watching it as an adult (boobies on the Oracles people, I had completely forgotten about that). Well, little did I know that preparing to write this review of sorts would take me in a whole different direction.
I was researching actors, maybe for a possible 'Where are they now' sort of section. While looking at Noah Hathaway's (Atreyu) other work in films (which wasn't much of a list) I came across a 1986 cult classic called Troll. If you were to ask people who had seen the movie it might be described as little more than an obscurity in a movie buff's collection. It's about a tall, skinny, dark haired boy who discovers a secret world of magic, but here's the kicker; here is where I abandoned my initial review idea; Noah Hathaway's name in the film was Harry Potter Jr.(GASP!)
I had to find out more about this movie, had my beloved Harry Potter been ripped off of a poorly received movie from the 80's? Yes let me make this clear before we move forward, I am a big fan and plan on introducing the books and movies to my son when he is old enough to understand. I was shattered, there was a secret magic world, witches and wizards, and Harry Potter Jr. even has to stop a powerful wizard with an evil plan.
I dove deeper, finding that the makers of Troll had scheduled a re-make in 2012, possibly to to make it known in some way that they had come up with Harry Potter first. I also found a number of lawsuits that had been taken against J.K. Rowling. Accusations of her stealing the term "Muggle" and robbing several other stories of their original idea. The only problem was, although I had all of this information about lawsuits and accusations, I didn't have any information on weather or not any of these ended in her favor.
I was relieved to find that the courts had actually ruled in her favor in all of these cases. Depending on who you ask, the case could be that these accusations really couldn't stand up in court, or that J.K. Rowling's billion dollar Harry Potter was just too strong of an opponent. In my opinion, I know that the idea of Harry Potter "fell into her head" in 1990, four years after the release of Troll and the similarities are interesting(it also needs to be mentioned that there are far more differences than similarities in the two works), but I do not believe J.K. Rowling plagiarized Troll or any other creative work. Could she have possibly taken influence, even unknowingly? Definitely, it is entirely possible that she took influence from other works, it is almost impossible to come up with a completely new idea in the present day considering the rich history of literature this world has.
I want to wrap this up by leaving you with an example of another successful storyteller who took influence from more movies than you can shake a stick at! I don't think anyone can say it better than my favorite internet nerd, so for more information on George Lucas's long list of theatrical influence please visit the link below. I believe you will really enjoy this short video, however you must be warned to get the kiddies out of the room first ;)
James Rolf's (AVGN) Star Wars Episodes 4,5,6 review part 1
If you have any questions about the subject (or just want to elaborate on it) feel free to comment and I will do my best to reply in a timely manner.
I was researching actors, maybe for a possible 'Where are they now' sort of section. While looking at Noah Hathaway's (Atreyu) other work in films (which wasn't much of a list) I came across a 1986 cult classic called Troll. If you were to ask people who had seen the movie it might be described as little more than an obscurity in a movie buff's collection. It's about a tall, skinny, dark haired boy who discovers a secret world of magic, but here's the kicker; here is where I abandoned my initial review idea; Noah Hathaway's name in the film was Harry Potter Jr.(GASP!)
I had to find out more about this movie, had my beloved Harry Potter been ripped off of a poorly received movie from the 80's? Yes let me make this clear before we move forward, I am a big fan and plan on introducing the books and movies to my son when he is old enough to understand. I was shattered, there was a secret magic world, witches and wizards, and Harry Potter Jr. even has to stop a powerful wizard with an evil plan.
I dove deeper, finding that the makers of Troll had scheduled a re-make in 2012, possibly to to make it known in some way that they had come up with Harry Potter first. I also found a number of lawsuits that had been taken against J.K. Rowling. Accusations of her stealing the term "Muggle" and robbing several other stories of their original idea. The only problem was, although I had all of this information about lawsuits and accusations, I didn't have any information on weather or not any of these ended in her favor.
I was relieved to find that the courts had actually ruled in her favor in all of these cases. Depending on who you ask, the case could be that these accusations really couldn't stand up in court, or that J.K. Rowling's billion dollar Harry Potter was just too strong of an opponent. In my opinion, I know that the idea of Harry Potter "fell into her head" in 1990, four years after the release of Troll and the similarities are interesting(it also needs to be mentioned that there are far more differences than similarities in the two works), but I do not believe J.K. Rowling plagiarized Troll or any other creative work. Could she have possibly taken influence, even unknowingly? Definitely, it is entirely possible that she took influence from other works, it is almost impossible to come up with a completely new idea in the present day considering the rich history of literature this world has.
I want to wrap this up by leaving you with an example of another successful storyteller who took influence from more movies than you can shake a stick at! I don't think anyone can say it better than my favorite internet nerd, so for more information on George Lucas's long list of theatrical influence please visit the link below. I believe you will really enjoy this short video, however you must be warned to get the kiddies out of the room first ;)
James Rolf's (AVGN) Star Wars Episodes 4,5,6 review part 1
If you have any questions about the subject (or just want to elaborate on it) feel free to comment and I will do my best to reply in a timely manner.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Meet this geeky momma!
Welcome to my little corner of the Internet! I want to start off light and just give an overview who I am and what you can expect from Parental Geekery. I am a mommy of one (for now) three year old boy. I am married to my best friend who is the best daddy in the world! We are both geeks...and by geeks I mean we are those types of geeks who are completely unwilling to give up our childhoods, which I think makes being a parent that much more fun!
I love video games and cartoons, old and new, and I am guilty of successfully introducing little man to the wonders of the late 80's and 90's. For example, he is a huge Legend of Zelda fan (he calls it Green) and also loves the original TMNT (Ninja Turtles). I am careful to play (or allow him to play) appropriate games that don't include blood or anything scary (so mostly NES or SNES games), and only for a short period of time. I also enjoy my anime, but let's face it, it's tough to find an anime that's appropriate for a three-year-old so I am in between trying to watch while he is sleeping and completely slacking in the anime department.
So I think I have made it clear that I will be covering some gaming, cartoon, and other geeky topics within this blog...but besides that I am also known to cook, clean, play ball/blocks/pretend, kiss boo-boos and (unfortunately) discipline, you know mommy stuff. So join me in my day by day attempt to make it as a parent. With stories of Little Man's anecdotes, my personal challenges, and hey some product reviews for all of the things I feel make mommyhood easier :).
Check back often, I have a lot of great topics I would like to cover within this blog and am really excited to share my thoughts with you! And feel free to leave a comment, I will take all the feedback I can get!
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