I hate to be a naysayer but...
If your child has issues with time limits and boundaries - DO NOT get a Wii or a DS. If your child has an obsessive and/or addictive personality, do not get a Wii or a DS. One way to gauge this is if your child really likes computer games and will insist on playing for long periods of time. If you restrict the computer games and they beg/whine for more time, do not get the Wii or DS. We purchased the Wii since he seemed to enjoy it immensely at the homes of friends. Little did we know that having one would increase his desire to play it rather than decrease it.
We have the Wii which we got for Christmas 2007 and it has been unhealthy for us. I sincerely wish we'd never bought it and particularly regret the purchase of the Lego Star Wars Complete Saga game. The only bright spot on the Wii other than Wii sports is the Endless Ocean game. I wish there were more games like that one. It is fun and highly educational.
If you have children that adhere to boundaries well and won't become addicted - go for it. It is amazing technology and can be fun. STRICT limits need to be set and I hope they require minimal reinforcement in your home. HTH...
Last edited by momx2; 12/06/08 07:35 PM.