NEWS: Wil Wheaton's Geek in Review: The Damn Parents Today

That was pretty much my experience too, up until we got a modem hooked up to our computer. I mean, she didn't usually actually take my physical books away (I had far too many for that to be practical), but I was not to be reading them until I'd done whatever it was she wanted me to do. And if she caught me doing so, I was in big(ger) trouble. She did take away the book I was *currently* reading from time to time.

But once I got addicted to the Internet, that was the new thing to withhold.

It's so great when people who don't have kids make broad sweeping generalizations about whole generations of parents and children based on a few limited observations.

my sister inlaw lets her kids run rampid and they pull pop after pop out of the fridge all day as they please. the tv is always on, junk food strune about the living room and really the whole house. to eat super she puts their food on the coffee table and then sits at the kitchen table and ignores them, they dont eat anything, the 5 year old just throws it all out and she lets them, then off to yet another pop. the sadest part, they are autistic. so they need more disapline, not less. it hurts my head. i sit my baby infront of 'my first signs' to teachhim sign launguage, but i also watch it and then use those signs later with him. i tell my boyfriend often that we are not raising our child that way, or rather not letting the tv raise our child. i agree whole heartedly with this article. i say to my mom a lot that i dont understand why there has to be a dvd player in new vihicles. i had a discman and a gamegear when i was a kid, but i know what the rocky mountains look like. i saw bears and moose and mountain goats and glaciers. i went fishing and survived with out tv for a week or more on many occasions in my childhood. my son will have an imagination.

bravo wil,

i'm a tv baby and i can admit it. but i still know how to get away from tech for a while every now and then.

I guess a healthy liking of DnD and MTG as well as spending my teenage years in scouting helped. but i still don't see how people get into that trap of raising kids that badly.

I just hope i can do a good job of raising our children when my fiance and i have some.

That happened to me too. Probably why I hate trees. They're like the neighborhood bullies of my childhood.

Its interesting ... some friends of mine run a Ecology School at a beach in Maine and talk about Outdoor definency disorder ..

Some kids don't know how to just play outside ...

I can see nothing sillier then bringing the PS2 to go camping near the beach .. or playing World of Warcraft when camping ...

And my attention span is pretty short .. I can't imagine how it will be for Generation Z (After X and Y) ...

+++ You've met my son I see. Don't get me wrong I loved tv growing up but once we were outside we had to forced to come inside! My son has to be forced outdoors and then whines to get back in or that he's tired when we go for a hike in the woods. Mind you once we get him away from all technolgy he claims boredom, so he worries me lack of imagination to create his own games. 10 kids running around he claimss there's nothing to do!

Every year since I was BORN my family has taken a summer road trip from Edmonton to Vancouver Island. This involves two days of driving, various stops for food, and an overnight hotel stay in Kamloops. During NONE of this were we allowed to play games or watch TV, even when we were in the hotel. Instead, we swam in the POOL. What a thought. We were given books to read, coloring books and toys; we played I-spy, twenty questions and the alphabet game. We listened to tapes or the radio. And every year we made it! We never had temper tantrums or my mom would have probably killed us. She just doensn't put up with shit like public temper tantrums -- really, no parent should. I'm ashamed to be part of this narcissistic, self absorbed generation and I'm afraid of what will happen when we all grow up.

Who's this directed to?

Great but scary article.

Team Wheaton or Team Corddry?

Kudos on the article, except for the fact that now I seriously hope that I never run into a ferret on crystal meth. That sounds fucking TERRIFYING.

Those stick figure stickers are for parents that care enough to get an SUV that'll protect them and their kids (but making damned sure to KILL anyone in the car they run into) while being fucking stupid enough to give the friendly neighborhood abductor the names and rough age range of all of their children. Child molestors usually go for kids they know. What a terrific and friendly way to give 'em a chance to get your kids to mistake them for a family friend! "Sure you know me, Billy. Your dad's name is Dave and your mom's name is Sandy. And how's your dog Mr. Woof?"

That's a great way to keep the kids safe!

People who are that fucking stupid shouldn't be allowed to have children.

I'm at least smart enough to know I'd make a lousy parent.