Thursday, September 10, 2009

Game imitates real life

Playing games can show you how a person will react in real life. Well it did for me when I noticed my children's "strategies" when they play.

For example, both of them are on restaurant city. The older one, will keep all her money, and then spend them on all the ingredients necessary to upgrade her dish. Doesnt matter if she doesnt have all the ingredients, but she will spend all the money necessary, so that when the ingredient goes on sale, or if she is able to get it thru trades, she can reach top level very quickly. Also, she will purchase or trade and plan in advance even for levels which she has yet to achieve!

The younger one, is the kind soul. He will happily trade with his friends for ingredients to help others achieve their upgrades. Never mind his own. Also, he would rather spend his money buying gadgets for his restaurant - like the TV, boom box, speakers. And when the ingredients that he needs goes on sale, he finds that he is short of cash to buy what he needs.

I have been using this game to teach him on the need to save for what he needs and not blow it all on the latest items. It also really shows me how their attitudes towards cash are, and who I know will make a good treasurer, and who the interior designer.

So it looks like there are benefits to be obtained from them playing games. Its not time all lost or wasted on the game. They can learn real life strategies as well.

5 comments:

bp said...

that's a win-win, i love how u use the game to teach the kids real-life skills, that no amt of textbooks n exams can teach us in school. is this a game on fb? (pardon my ignorance but i'm hardly there unless someone leave me a mssg!). but isn't it great, there are benefits with playing games!

u have a gd weekend coming up with the family!

stay-at-home mum said...

yes bp, the game is on FB. You have a great weekend too!!

Jo said...

this reminds me of Kelly. When we play monopoly, she will say, "I don't want to buy anything. I want to save money." The daddy then will reply, "Oh good good. Don't buy, don't buy" Which of course, sends us into fits of laughter!

NomadicMom said...

Unfortunately, the games my boys play doesn't seem to have any benefit at all!!

Anonymous said...

i play famville it needs patient.