Eek!Parents!Follow

Any one have any suggestions on how to convice my dad that EQ is not a time wasting peice of junk that makes my brains go out my ears(which he thinks it is).

>.<.

-thanks

Edited, Mon May 17 19:44:46 2004 by Cygar

It is a waste of time, but on the otherhand sometimes I wonder what isn't a waste of time.

Instead of 1 hour a day, you may convince him of 2 3hour hour sessions per week....

EQ can become a huge timesink.

If you have finished all your homework and chores and present it to him as an option or activity you like doing other than watching TV, including some of the things you get out of it, then he should be reasonable about it. But you too have to be reasonable. Find out from him why he things the things he does about the games...

If he is keeping your time that limited it may be because you are not doing all he has asked you to do before hand....

Also, show him what you are doing and see if you can't get him interested in playing as well... may or may not work for you, but worth a shot

Do you really want your dad playing everquest with you? I sometimes wonder how married couples can play this game. Being a mom or a dad is a full time job and everquest takes up way to much time to allow for people to really take care of their kid or kids.

My parents think it's a waste of time also, and I can't convince them to think otherwise. The problem is after playing for and hour they tell me to get off then 15 mins later im allowed on agian, I can never stay on for long periods of time, which is what I need to do. I usaully just play after school before they get home, that works.

Tell him what I tell my girlfriend: tell him that of all the nasty, habit forming things that can be done out there, EQ (or any MMORPG for that fact) is really nothing at all. Or in my actual words to her, "I could be an alcoholic or crack fiend..."

Seems to work for me. It is just a video game. Make sure you make time for other things, possibly with the family to show him that you aren't 24/7 EQ.

Also point out, like I do to my girlfriend, that watching TV for hours and hours is probably 10x worse than playing a game online where you are actually thinking and relating to other human beings. Not just droning out watching "Must See TV" for 5 hours. She does that...and man, she doesn't say anything at all. She just sits and watches.

Again, works for me.

Edited, Mon May 17 20:58:21 2004 by orionreplay

Edited, Mon May 17 21:00:03 2004 by orionreplay

First of all, let me reply to DruidOfEQ, yes parenting IS a full time job. I am married with a 20 month old, and it's the hardest job you'll ever have and thank you for recognizing that. But somehow I still seem to be able to EQ a good amount.

Secondly, Cygar, your dad needs to be convinced that EQ will not rot your brain. I'm curious as to how old he is. (Yeah, I know, when someone hits 30 they should be pushed off a cliff, right?)

Does he watch a lot of sports? TV in general? You could possibly use that. "If I can't play EQ, you shouldn't watch football all day long!" You're actually playing/interacting with a game, while he just sits there and watches it.

What about compromise? "Let me EQ 2 hours a day and I'll do the dishes every night. 3 hours and I'll paint the garage. Let me play whenever I want and I'll build an addition to the house!" I'm getting out of hand, but you get the idea.

It's also possible that he secretly wants to use the computer and isn't as PC illiterate as you think.

And it's also possible he's just a jerk.

Anyway you choose to handle this, just don't do or say anything to **** him off, that'll kill your chances.

Hmm, if I didn't know better, I'd think you have MY dad. I can recall being forbidden to buuy the first computer I ever owned (a C64) because it was a total waste of time. Mind you, I was buying it with my money, none of which was allowance (all earned working a summer job). In this case, I did what I wanted. My money, etc. I bought it strictly against orders. And I was allowed to keep the computer through the intervention of my mother who put forth all of the bad things I could be into instead. In my case, I think my dad was almost as scared of having a computer geek son as he was of having a drug addict son. It took him about ten years to see the light, but he did.

Your problem seems to be EQ specific. You want to play EQ and your dad believes it is a waste of time and has no redeeming qualities. Hmm, that sounds like a good definition of MOST hobbies. A waste of time with no redeeming qualiities.

If it is important to you, then I suggest the following:
1. Follow the rules your dad lays out.
2. Tell him that this is important to you.
3. Mention that ALL hobbies are pretty useless which is why they are hobbies and not professions.
4. Point out the potential alternative uses of time: crack, alcohol, loud music, sexual experimentation, etc.
5. Wait ten years for it all to sink in.

It worked for me!

Seriously, you sound like a kid most parents would be proud to have. It takes time to prove that to your own paretns, though. Continue to do well in school, pay for your own EQ account, play when allowed, press for all you can get, and deal with life in general. As time progresses, you'll find that the things you want to do are accepted more and more as you prove that they don't interefere with noraml goals. And even if you don't have a level 65 character, you will have character.

Edited, Tue May 18 06:55:13 2004 by TStephens

TStephens wrote:


what's wrong with "sexual experimentation"?

seriously. good post.

apart from that, simply ask your Dad what he wants. what are his intentions in regards to your education. which career path would he like you to take (if it's up to him, and not your Ma or yourself ). might well be, that some EQ-parts fit in there.

Edit:
Shockeye wrote:


I would not suggest going down that route... don't argue with him like that. that's a negative comment which might put him off.

The "additional chores" idea I like though

Edited, Tue May 18 07:46:19 2004 by Kajolus

My mom thinks EQ comes from the devil. I think that aptly describes SOE.

Only if you let it. I play in the evenings after my son is in bed or occassionally on a weekend when he's at a friend's house for the afternoon or something. There's nothing that says you have to spend all day Sunday at the computer or skip making dinner to do a LDoN.

I play and my wife plays. EQ usually does not interfere with our lives at all. My kids like to play outside with friends. They like to go to the movies, ball games, and the mall. Personally, I think TV is the most negative influence on the planet, so anything that gets them away from the "idiot box" is fine by me. As far as letting my kids play EQ..... they can play whenever they want, for as long as they want, providing their homework is done, their chores are done, and they maintain good grades in school.

Descarte Meditations Arch Lich - Povar

Very off topic here, but I just thought I'd throw this in for everyone.

About a year ago, I was suffering from constant eye fatigue. I thought I was developing cataracts or something. This was BAD. I couldn't focus my vison acutely enough to read for sometimes hours at a stretch. And there were times when my vision was perfect....on the same days.
After a visit and thorough checkup with a competent opthamologist, I felt sort of dumb. I took eye drops for a week and......
I moved my monitor down from its stand and placed it as low as I could on my desk. I got a taller chair. Effectively, I changed it so that my eyes were no longer forced to stay WIDE OPEN to play games and work.

I learned that lowering your monitor can drastically reduce both eye and neck fatigue. Remember as children, 'Don't sit so close to the TV, it will ruin your eyes!' Well, don't sit under your monitor, because it WILL ruin your eyes. If you have a poor computer desk setup, consider giving it a makeover to something healthier.

With a simple change to something more ergonomic, I regained my acuity of vision (all the time) and I can no longer crack my neck like Agent Smith of the Matrix (regrettably).