I have to say, I HATE the term "screen time". To equate all television programs or all video games with each other is bad enough (think of the difference in mental stimulation between, say, "Hannah Montana" and "The Dead Zone"). To equate the two of them, a non-interactive medium with an interactive one, is even worse. There are plenty of video games that spark more thought than the very best "real toys".
Ladybugmom: I must advise you that your son is almost certain to know you've lied to him if you tell him his games "broke".
Austin: it's great to hear about parents playing games with their kids. My mom used to try and we always had a great time figuring out how she'd managed to get herself into whatever ridiculous situation she had found (it usually involved facing backwards and not realizing it)!
Breakaway: I've just been accepted to the University of Connecticut's MA program in Educational Psychology with a focus in Gifted Education. I'll be doing most of it online (summer courses in CT). It's a great program with a great reputation - Joe Renzulli is still a teaching faculty member (at 73!), the National Resource Center for Gifted and Talented is on the campus, and the Neag School of Education is consistently top-ranked. I also considered the University of North Texas. You can find more info on Hoagies.
