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We have the Wii and my kids both have DS's. The Wii Fit is very fun and we're getting Dance Dance Revolution and the Outdoor Adventures for Christmas (actually they are presents for me! LOL!!!!!!). Guitar hero is very fun and so are the Star Wars Lego and Indiana Jones Lego games. Big Brain Academy is fun and so is My Word Coach.

Lots of kids do play too much, but if you set the boundaries they won't. My kids know how much time they get to play and then that is it. If you start off with rules in place and stick to them it shouldn't be a problem. Lots of the games are very, very fun!!!!

Check your public library for Wii games -- we checked out a bunch of them from ours. I nearly became addicted to the screaming bunnies game but I was saved because I had to return it .

Oooh! Good to know. I hate the notion of spending a bunch of money on a game only to find that it's boring or inappropriate or whatever. I never thought of looking for games at the library! Thanks!

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...

Many of us live with intense family members. Some of these family members are children. Many families do fine with the strict limit thing, but not all. Unstrict limits will cause problems for many kids, but a kid with difficulty doesn't nescessarily have parents who aren't strict. Also, the odds of getting both parents equally strict and invested, are low. That's just part of life.

Lately I've been thinking that what all my family members need is an 'asbestos cup'- and interest that can sop up the overflow of energy that comes from within. My interests tend to change over time. DH's 'cup' usually involves physical labor. DS12 has had a series of 'cups' - some of which I've felt better about and some I've felt worse about. I was tickled about the Rubix cube last summer, and am loving the Chess interest now. OTOH, he whistled for an entire year. I would say that every waking moment was an exaggeration, but it sure felt like that. I think it all goes back to the OverExcitabilities.

Lots of behavior that looks 'diagnosible' in a ND kid, is just plain 'to be expected' for gifted kids. Not all, but lots.

My experience with DS is that usually he does finally 'beat the game,' and be without a place to put his drive for a while. I try to stand ready for those times with new activities that will appeal to both of us.

Also -Some kids transition better than others as well. See 'Your Spirited Child.'

Smiles,
Grinity

DS7, DH and I are all just like that, Grin: obsessive about an interest for a while, then we get over it and move on to something else. DS4 is even a little like it lately. I'm the video game addict in our house. Can't get enough!

So yeah, I guess I don't worry too much about those intense interests...

We do have pretty strict computer limits. The kids have to earn computer points before they can "spend" them on game play. They earn points at the whim of their mercurial parents whenever they make our lives easier AND we feel like giving them out. This prevents the "But I was good, so I should get points" nonsense. Points are not payment for services rendered, they are a reward sometimes granted when the kids are easy to deal with. Psychologically, it's a more effective method of behavior modification. <evil grin>

When the points are gone, computer time is gone.

As a result, they aren't on much, and they tend to behave pretty well. <shrug> Maybe it will be different with a Wii, but I kind of doubt it. And I may well go much easier on the games that get them moving around when the weather is bad. I'm so sick of their wrestling and hurting one another, but I know they need to burn off some energy. If they obsess a bit about exercise...well, I'm really okay with that!

I have to say I was hesitant to post my comments, albeit "anonymously." I wish you luck and success but if I had a reset button, we wouldn't have purchased ours. Similarly, DS and DD have been begging for a DS (what they originally wanted and I had the bright idea of getting a Wii instead since it wasn't portable) but we are resolved not to give in. We have tried tokens, timers, etc for playing time. I guess we could improve on our "strictness." BTW - DS has mastered Endless Ocean and several levels of the Lego Star Wars game. However, these games just seem to have level upon level upon level... The "get you moving" games are good but DS just loves the Star Wars game and seems to prefer it over anything else. I wish the game came with a timer/lock feature and would shut down when the alotted time was over. I think I am onto something... ;)It would make life much easier. Just my 2 cents...

We've borrowed this from Kriston for computer time. Works GREAT. In our house we have certain activities that will give a reward for and a certain randomness too to prevent "I-deserve-it-ness" that Kriston mentioned. And we never take chips away. However, you can't spend chips if you are on restriction. And you will be on restriction if you talk back! So don't try it in our house

I took some of my old poker chips and marked them with 1, 5, and 10 minute increments. Not only does it work well because there is a lot to be said for physically holding time chips. Something about handling them like money and not being able to cash them in if you loose them helps teach responsibility. DS also likes to change them so that he's always holding the least number of chips possible. Another teaching point there too.

Been meaning to thank you for this idea Kriston...

JB

Oh, I may borrow right back from you JBDad! We've just been putting hash marks up on a piece of (now very messy) paper on the fridge, and we scribble them out when they use up the points. The chips sound like a better idea.

Hmmm...

Anyway, you're welcome! I'm glad it's working for you, too. I'm really rather amazed at how effective it has been for us. This system actually cut DOWN on the amount of time they spend on the computer, and they seem grateful to get it. No more whining and pouting when time is up. Marvelous!

But, momx2, I don't think you should be hesitant to post! One of the great things about this forum is that we hear all sides. I think you make some valid points.

momx2 - DH insisted on getting the Wii. I told him, under no circumstances, is he to buy LEGO Starwars or any such game for the Wii. We have LEGO Starwars episode 4 one for the Mac and that almost drove me insane. We moved to weekends only when DH is home b/c he can remain unemotional and will simply unplug the computer at the alloted time. I buy into the I just 5 more minutes to finish this level etc then i get busy with something and 20min later, they are still playing. So the weekend only rule worked well in our house.

My issue w/ computer games today is that they never end. In my day, we had pacman and space invaders etc and those games end. The games that the boys play like Tribal Trouble, The TRibe, Star Wars never seem to end. With Star Wars, even though the computer is in the living room, I never stop moving so I miss when they finish a level which is a good stopping point and then move on to another one.

My issue and maybe we should break this out to a separate topic but i have 2 boys who both want to play. but they also want to watch the other play. SO if I give them each an hour, it ends up being 2hrs. So I had to institute a "watching the same as playing" rule.