Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

Family Friendly Gaming with Xbox (with Xbox Elite Giveaway!)

By

I am not a gamer. At least I wasn’t until about a month ago.

My extent of playing video games is limited to playing Asteroids, Pac Man, and Centipede at a friend’s house in elementary school, hanging out with the guys in high school while they played Madden, a brief MarioKart addiction, and then Tetris in college.

My brother always wanted to have a gaming system growing up and my parents always said no. As a parent, I can understand why they might have said no at the time- limitless time playing instead of studying or socializing, playing inappropriate games, cost, exposure to violence, etc. While the concerns are still the same, gaming companies are getting smarter about the kinds of tools they embed in their systems to control the types of games that family members can play or view.

I recently had the chance to try out an Xbox which is so much more than a gaming system. It is an entire media system that allows you to play music, videos, or pictures from it or your computer, access a live network to play with other gamers connected to the internet using Xbox Live, download movies via Netflix, and purchase games and other online content through their Marketplace. Since you can do so much with the Xbox and the ease of which you can access the internet and play games with complete strangers, I think the need for conversations about healthy gaming habits and parental controls becomes even more necessary.

Xbox has emerged as an industry leader in providing safe gaming experiences for families. They have embarked on an Entertainment Citizenship campaign to spread the word and include information about it with each system. Each Xbox comes with a PACT- a contract that stands for Parental Involvement, Access, Content, and Time and Family Settings booklet. The idea is to sit down as a family to discuss the kinds of media that are available through the Xbox, what is appropriate for each family member based on their age, and the amount of time that should be spent using it. In talking to Microsoft about PACT, they strongly believe that you need to “spell out what types of media are appropriate for each child and where, when and how your child may use them.”

While it may seem super- Pollyanna -goody -two -shoes to sit down and have a discussion like this, I’m a big believer in having a healthy media diet. Just as you wouldn’t let your kids eat cookies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a healthy gaming diet ensures that screen time is only a small part of their regular activities.

How do you maintain a healthy gaming diet once you introduce a gaming system like an Xbox into your home? Each Xbox comes with built in Family Settings. You can determine your settings immediately upon plugging your system in or anytime. Settings are always accessible and easy to change. I was very impressed with how easy it was to set up Family Settings to control the amount of time the Xbox would be used and what our kids could access when they are old enough to use it on their own.

Family Settings aid parents in regulating content that their children see. Since you probably don’t want your 6 year old being able to play Grand Theft Auto, Xbox allows you to set controls for the entire console that will prohibit games of certain MPAA ratings from being played. We set our box to include only E games that are designed for everyone like Kung Fu Panda, Banjo Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and a downloaded game of UNO. The MPAA ratings also apply to video content. Since Xbox came out with a new feature where you can stream movies from NetFlix, you can also choose to control the video content.

Depending on the paramaters you place on your Family Settings, children can be prohibited from playing games or seeing movies containing certain ratings and accessing live gaming options. They will still have their own personalized Xbox Live account but you can rest easy that they will only be playing games you approve and are using the built-in safeguards to ensure their safety online.

Now if there’s an adult in your home who wants to play Grand Theft Auto after the kids are asleep, the ratings can be overridden by entering in a password. Xbox takes the Family Settings password very seriously…If you lose/forget the password, the Xbox has to be sent in so it can be reset. Xbox says this is so kids can’t call up pretending to be their parents in order to access content that Mom and Dad don’t want them to see.

Family Settings also aid in time management so there are fewer concerns about endless time with the Xbox. The Family Timer enables parents to set parameters around the amount of time games are played and movies are watched on the Xbox. Select a certain number of hours on a daily or weekly basis or leave the timer off.

Remember how I mentioned that you can join networked games with complete strangers or online friends with the Xbox? This is done through Xbox Live– something that is standard on all current Xbox models. When you set up the Xbox, you create a gamertag. The gamertag allows you to form an online identity and play networked games with others. The gamertag is kind of like a Facebook profile except think of your Facebook account as being open to everyone. Everyone can see who you are, ask you to be their friend, and engage you in live chat. As a parent, that freaks me out! I don’t even want strangers to see my personal gamertag nor do I want to chat with them.

So what do you do? Block the Xbox’s access to Xbox Live or set parental controls that help manage privacy to restrict friends on and off line. Parents set up an administrator account and can choose to have gamertags for their children linked to their own account. That way, parents can approve friend requests on behalf of their children, block friend requests, and ignore communications from other users.

While Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer are still too young, in my opinion, to be using the Xbox for games, we love being able to access movies via NetFlix. We can sit on the couch, add a movie to our instant queue, and have it instantly stream to our TV. This sure beats waiting a couple days for the little red envelope to appear in our mailbox. Hooray for instant gratification! We also have an Xbox Live Vision camera set up so we can do video chats comfortably from couch instead of crammed in my chair in front of the computer.

Soon enough our kids will grow up and will be clamoring to use the Xbox all day every day. We’ll have to find a balance of using the Xbox within the framework of a healthy media diet and when that time comes, PACT will give us a good excuse to sit down and talk as a family about the Xbox, our issues and concerns, and then determine priorities and a solution before enabling the Family Settings.

I just hope that we don’t have to do too soon because now that the kids are sleeping, I’m off to play Grand Theft Auto and Guitar Hero…And maybe some Deadliest Catch too. Thank goodness for Parental Control password override!

And now for the giveaway…Xbox has graciously provided Tech Savvy Mama readers the opportunity to win an Xbox Elite. This super sweet system retails for $399 and is a great gift for yourself or a super nice holiday surprise for someone else.

You can enter up to four times by doing each of the following:

  1. Leave a comment with your concerns about having a gaming system in your home and what Parental Controls you think you would use for your children.
  2. Write a post linking to my site and giveaway then leave an additional comment with your permalink.
  3. Twitter about the contest (I’m @techsavvymama on Twitter) and leave another comment.
  4. Add me to your blogroll and leave an additional comment letting me know!
  5. NEW!!!  Subscribe to my feed through e-mail or a reader and leave a comment for an extra entry!

Be sure to leave a valid e-mail address either in the text of your comment or make sure it is easy for me to find your e-mail on your site. Don’t make it hard for me to get in touch with you when you win the Xbox since I will choose someone else!!!

Huge thanks to Microsoft and Xbox for the Xbox Elite!

Fine print: To be eligible, enter by completing the above tasks and leaving your comments by Saturday, December 20, 2008 at Midnight. One person can enter up to four times by completing each of the tasks as outlined above. Winner will be chosen at random by random.org and will need to reply with their mailing address 48 hours to claim their prize. Xbox will only be shipped within the United States.

Thanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama through your feed!

Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Navi says

    1. My biggest concerns are the online access and spending too much time.

    I’d definitely use the parental controls to set up gamertags for the kid (my younger two are a bit too young).

    I’d definitely use the time management option as well.

  4. Nicole says

    The Family Timer is a cool feature. We have a huge problem with keeping track of how long our 5 year old plays – even when we’re with her! We all get swept up in the action and lose track.

    As for Netflix – we just found out about that and I blogged about it last week as a result of my HouseParty. Instant Gratification in the Technological Age was my title – we’re on the same wavelength!

  8. Patti from the pool says

    My concern about having a gaming system in my home is that the books and quasi-learning toys are abandnoned for the Xbox games….so, for Parental Controls, only on the weekends and w/ mom or dad in the room.
    Thanks,
    Patti at PTLalley@aol.com

  13. Terri Fisher says

    This is a great post! We have two boys, ages 14 and 11, who love computer games, but we are super cautious about their use of the computer unsupervised. I would definitely control their “friends” and who they could play with online and who could contact them…if I even used that feature at all. But the games sound great, and the other features (movies, etc.) would be wonderful family activities. Thanks for the great info and giveaway!

    tfisher83 AT myexcel DOT com

  15. Deb says

    I worry about the lack of exercise. When we were kids we went outside and ran around like little crazy things!

    I would block xbox live and set up an administrator account.

  17. That Girl Who Likes To Go, Go, Go says

    We recently learned about being able to watch Netflix movies on the Xbox. That’s really neat. We’d definitely do it.

    I would want to limit time and content. How nice to have different settings for each child. We would not want to limit our 13, 16 and 19, 20, and 22 year old children all the same. Can you imagine the outrage? We’d surely have a coup on our hands!

  18. K|nneret says

    I’ll definitely be using parental controls … GTA is way too violent, imho. So are many of the other games out there. The Timer is a winner too.

  19. MudslideMama says

    We don’t have any gaming systems like this yet, although my kids have been asking for one. We use Bumper Car on our Mac OS as parental controls, and we’ve been very happy with it so far! I do get concerned about what my under-age-10 kids might accidentally k=find on an unfettered Google search. 🙂

  24. nape says

    Gaming geeks often have a lousy FOOD diet. Grabbing something quick often means grabbing a “top of the food pyramid” snack. I’d establish house rules about eating a balanced family meal before the gaming begins..

    Great giveaway. Thanks!

  26. AJ says

    My only concern is time. Managing how long they can play. And taking turns of course

    Thanks for the chance
    ~AJ
    AJ1014[at]gmail.com

  31. Gwendolen Gross says

    I use many parental controls–the best is that at this age my 9 year old says, “oh! I can’t play anything that’s not appropriate for my age!” Why I’m this lucky I don’t know, but so far he doesn’t like the more violent ones. Still, I’ll have to turn to you to keep updated!
    Thanks for putting my name in the hat!

  32. valmg says

    Great prize!
    I worry about inappropriate games which is why my best control is knowing what games he’s playing. Family timer is a great idea. This is the item that was on my son’s list last year that he still doesn’t have and wants more than anything, if I win this Santa will deliver this year.

  34. chelle says

    Yes once they are online I am totally scared. I was an online gamer for years before I had kids and there can be some nasty stuff going on. Children so need to be protected form that!

  35. amym says

    “My boys” (two sons, one husband) would LOVE to hang together with the XBox. But, the Family Timer would be a must!

  36. kimberly/tippy toes says

    I’m concerned about addiction! We’ve been testing my daughter out with electronic toys and so far she is very good about obeying our limits, which makes me think we are ready for a system. I know my husband is ready!

  37. karen Putz says

    The family settings sound like a great way to set up control over the gaming. Love that. I really appreciate this post and how you explained it all.

    I’m off to Twitter it (DeafMom) and you can reach me at karen at karenputz dot com.

  39. hellokittiemama says

    We have a wii, but no x-box. I worry that my husband will want to play this more than my son though! And I worry that they won’t share!!!! My husband will want to play games that are not appropriate for my son so this will also be a concern – I guess he’ll have to play them after bed time. Sharing, Time Mgmt and Violence in games would be my concerns.

  41. adrianne says

    My biggest concern is not just the content, but the amount of time being spent gaming. I like the idea of parental controls that allow me to block certain content, but I also belive that I should be monitoring what my kids are doing.

    However since, that’s not 100% possible, the parental controls limiting content access are very important.

    I would also use the time limit settings all the time.

  42. wildwesthome says

    The whole internet thing freaks me out; I have uber parental controls – and my oldest is 15!

    I would want to continue the same parental controls as well as maintain the game in an open place. That said, my son has been asking for this game for months and months!

    I hope we win cuz it’s not in the budget – fingers crossed!

  47. Ginny says

    My only concern with my girls is the online access. I’ve heard about predators targeting kids through the online games which is scary to me.

  48. Bonggamom says

    I would definitely set up the system to only allow my kids to play E-rated games. And I’d have my handy-dandy kitchen timer right beside the game console to make sure they only get their allotted game time.

    Awesome giveaway, thanks so much!

  49. Shel says

    My older son who is 18 had a friend come over with his xbox. They hooked it up in his room and were playing. I was shocked to her the profanity coming from the game! I had no idea games used swear words now. I’m still living in the days of pac-man and asteroids. My 12 year old daughter wants an x-box (as does the 18 year old). I had no idea you could password protect your xbox, what a clever idea and a great safeguard for the younger children in the family. That’s something I would really use.

    shel704 at aol dot com

  52. Sheri says

    I am concerned about them never wanting to do their homework,lol. Timing controls would be great, and I’d definitely block outside user comments.

    unexpectedblissblog(at)gmail(dot)com

  53. Melissa says

    My boys are still quite young (3 and 5), so we’re always with them when they’re playing video games. However, I would definitely use the parental controls when they start to play by themselves.

  57. Selfish Mom says

    My concern happened just last night – my son played video games late when he was tired and got really mouthy when it was time to get off and go to bed, so I would set the parental controls to turn off automatically at 8pm so that he couldn’t play when he was too tired if I forgot to stop him.

  62. Gwen says

    My main concern is how graphic some games are, and how to keep my son from seeing them yet letting my husband to play them. I am glad we are on the same page about this though.
    gwenfloyd at gmail dot com

  66. Lexi says

    My only concern is my 12 year old. We have 1 year old triplets and I would not want him to get so into gaming that he feels left out of everything else. Parental controls would definitely be in order!

  68. Shamrocker99 says

    I hate to admit it but my son spends way too much time playing video games. I would definitely use the timer to limit him! What a great feature and I wish every system had it! Shamrocker99 at aol dot com

  71. Hf says

    Luckly my kids are too young to be able to access, but when my nephew is on I would like there not to be cuss words from other gamers.

  74. Toniann says

    I’d be interested in learning even more about it, but the gamertag/block friending/etc. functions would be very important to me.

    And the timer!

  75. Cat@3KidsandUs says

    My biggest concern for gaming systems in the house are the types of games that are played. I don’t want anything too violent and need to be able to control what they are doing for “fun”. For me, chopping off heads, shooting, etc are not considered fun for our household. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win, I’ve never used an Xbox system before.
    cat at 3kidsandus.com

  77. Erica Cosgrove says

    My big concerns are that we would never leave the house and never get any exercise if we got into gaming. But for all I know, the Xbox has exercise games too.

    Would definitely use the parental controls and set it as you did so that the kids could only access the “E” rated games for everyone.

  78. Christina says

    My biggest concern is that someday my girls will learn to use gaming systems with online connections and download inappropriate content. But the Xbox parental controls sounds like a great feature!

  84. lace says

    Right now my biggest concern with gaming systems is the violence that they will bring into my home. I don’t want the little ones to be exposed to that much violence whether it is through games they are actively playing or games they might happen to see being played.

    The parental controls that I would set are:
    Game approval – I must play the game first and approve of content. This would include checking the rating systems.

    time limits – I’d limit the amount of time spent playing video games.

  86. Jennifer says

    My children are still pretty young and do not play video games. Although, my husband and I would love this. And within a year or two, the children might be ready to play. I think that it is a good idea to safe guard against adult content. So,I would definitely like this feature.

    jenboots at hotmail dot com

  91. Giveaways Blog says

    I have all the gaming systems and PCs set up in my home office – makes it a lot easier to see what my kids are doing! My kids already have an Xbox 360 and the parental controls are great. Since they are both older, though, I haven’t had any problems with them using the system, and the rule in our household has always been schoolwork before games, which seems to work well, too.

    I’m in Canada but if I win, there’s a special someone in the U.S. I’d love to send this to – hopefully that falls within the rules of a U.S. mailing address!

  95. gia says

    my biggest concern would be my husband forgetting he had a wife & playing this amazing system every free moment! although we both tend get pretty addicted to games…it would be great for the winter…we dont have any kids yet, so no parental controls for us. if i am fortunate enough to win, i can be reached @ yummyfaerie@hotmail.com

  96. Tamara says

    My biggest concerns would be that they would devote too much time playing the games and not doing something more constructive like picking up a book and reading. But I know they would have alot of fun playing with the Xbox and it cold be a good thing such as a reward to lay it. I would use parental controls such as time limits and the games that are played are age appropriate. We could actually make it a family game night of it. Thank-you.
    tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com

  97. Bloggy Finds says

    With a 15 yr old in the house I’ve been concerned about parental controls on the satellite, computers and gaming systems as well. My other concern is also addressed and that is the amount of time the kids would like to be on their game systems, computer, etc vs the amount of time parents/guardians are comfortable with.

    jeanilynne[at]gmail[dot]com
    http://bloggyfinds.blogspot.com

  101. EatPlayLove says

    My oldest daughter is five, so she’s pretty easy to control at this point. But I have to admit, my hubby and I could use the timer, to limit the time we would sit in front of the gaming system. Oooh, too much fun! Great giveaway.

    eatplaylove (at) gmail dot com

  102. Tuesday Girl says

    my children and husband would love this and I know I would control their “friends’ and who they can and will play with.
    Thanks!

    tuesdayef (at) aol do com

  103. Ethan says

    Sorry. My other comment didn’t address the concerns and precautions. I’d be concerned about what games we’d have. Some of them are amazingly trashy. I’d screen the games my children play and hopefully teach them to enjoy cleaner games

  104. Victoria says

    My son is only two, so I wouldn’t want my husband playing violent games in front of him. Limiting all XBOX play until after the kid’s bedtime shouldn’t be hard, though.

  105. Mrs. Incredible says

    I like that the system has parental controls, but at this point, even though my kids are 12, 9, 9, 7, 6, and 4, my husband and I are the parental controls. Our (old) gaming system is kept in the living room, where the main tv is. Games that are not appropriate for younger kids are kept up and away from them. Kids have to earn time to play, and that time is monitored.

    Of course, Dad and Mom sometimes play too much, but we pay for it when we’re tired and grumpy the next day.

    Corey
    jcwaters2002@yahoo.com

  106. Jeff and Mandee says

    Time spent playing games is always and issue so it is nice that there is a tomer feature. Our kids are still too young to have to worry about it yet but I know the day will come, so it is nice to know the options are there.

    mandee220(at)aol(dot)com

  107. Bebemiqui says

    My main concern is definately the amount of time spent on it…we have young gamers (4 & 7) and they already love playing them. We have one day a week that is No Electronics Day (it’s been REALLY hard on me…no computer, boo hoo). It’s reminded all of us of the other things we can do together.
    This leads me to the best thing we can do as parents…set a good example!!! I spend a lot of time engaged on my computer, TV and cell phone. If I can’t limit it, why should they?
    BTW, I had no idea that Xbox had so many options for entertainment and for usage.
    bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com

  108. Peter Schott says

    Biggest concern is more about time spent on the game than anything else. Our daughter is only 5 right now and doesn’t really want to play too many different games – most available games are just above her skill level and thus she loses interest. (Though she keeps wanting to play Paper Mario, even though she can’t read.)

    I’m concerned about more of the adult-oriented games (not themed, just those aimed at an older market). However, I think that controlling this is more an issue for parenting than for the game system. The timer would be useful for everyone.

    I do like that the Wii contains some built-in timers. You can easily see how much time was spent on which games in any particular day. To me that’s much more valuable than locking out certain games. It helps to have a conversation with your kid if they’re playing a game that just isn’t appropriate.

  110. Karen says

    I am way more overprotective about my kids’ media exposure than most parents I know. That being said, I did finally cave in and get my son a Nintendo DS last year. I carefully monitor what games he plays and how long he spends on it. Soon enough he’ll be doing whatever he wants, so I want to instill good habits in him while I have the chance! Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.

  111. makeetis says

    The only concern I have is ratings. I don’t have any gaming systems right now but I borrowed my brothers ps2 and I saw that those ratings make a difference. I would only have the E rating games at my house. Thanks for the chance. brewerchickey78(at)yahoo.com

  112. Jenna says

    A concern with my niece is how long she spends playing the games. I am sure it will get harder to govern as she gets older. I think the Wii is a good idea though, because it actually can get you moving. Also don’t buy games you don’t want your kids to watch being played or play themselves. Thanks for the giveaway!

  113. Ferguson Family says

    I think my biggest concern is the family timer and my step daughter communicating with other people online. I’ve known a few people who have had MAJOR issues with their children and I worry that some crazy out there will do something to either upset her or be a predator use like using the internet on a computer. I’m actually very grateful for the technology to protect us but sometimes it’s just not enough!!

    I love this giveaway, and hope I win this would make a wonderful present for my family! My step daughter and husband would love me for eternity!

    Thanks so much!

  116. Seeryus Mama says

    My biggest concern is overdoing it. My son loves to game, and would much more than we let him. At 9 years old, he’s got every system figured out…and we only have one! It’s amazing how much they learn. I really like the fact that you can control the settings, certain games for the younger kids, all other for adults. That’s awesome!

    seeryusfam@msn.com

  120. oona. says

    I would be concerned that lots of game time would take away from the time that my daughter wanted to read books or use her imagination.

    We have a rule that she may only play E games and also, she may not be present when an adult is playing any games with any type of violence.

    Thanks! foxsquirrelrabbit at gmail dot com

  122. Fulmer Fam says

    Love it! We don’t really have any gaming system. We have a Playstation from before the kids were around, but now that they are here and my husband is deployed I don’t use it at all. I have been pretty stringent on even the use of television being that we have a 3 and 1 year old. Definitely there would be limits of time and it would have to be placed in a room that we are normally in, not a room off by itself for no visual control, that goes for computers too. I really like the webcam part you mentioned, I wonder how that could work with us, it is really difficult webcamming with dad in Afghanistan with our little laptop and two active toddlers! Also, I have started a movie night with my oldest and having the Netflix on demand like you stated would be awesome! I am rambling now, thanks for the chance to bounce into this technology!

  123. mike says

    My only concern is that it’s very tempting to use video games as a baby sitter when it’s far better to try to play the games with your children if possible. It’s the only way to really know what’s going on.

  124. Elsie says

    The key word in raising a child is BALANCE…
    in reference to meals, snacks, exercise, schoolwork, sports, free time, friends, privileges, and Xbox…

    A parent should be the authority, making wise choices, along with the child’s choices when the child makes good decisions… this should be the learned routine.

    pumpkinlady430@yahoo.com

  127. Katie says

    We actually have another gaming system as well as a DS Lite in our house. Our kids are still pretty small so it hasn’t been a big issue yet. So far we use them as rewards and limit the time they spend playing. I would hope we could teach them to respect limits on their own but if it doesn’t work out we will use the parental controls.
    katiekarr at gmail dot com

  128. Amanda says

    The msot important thing I am concerned about is being on for too long, and I am scared about my girls as they get older getting online and tlaking to strangers. I know that with a lot of the gaming consoles you cna get online and play with people, and that scares me for children. there are so many child preditors out there I’d be scared of them trying to get to my kids.

  132. Alibi says

    My biggest concern is also time spent on the games. I know a few families who don’t limit their kids time at all on the computer or game systems. I limit my kids time to 1 hour and that’s after homework and their chores are done. I love that this system comes with The Family Timer, it sounds like a great feature.

  134. Anjie says

    We are a big gaming family. Original XBox, Game Cube, Dreamcast, V-Smile and PC are all used in our house. We only get the kids games appropriate for their age (we use the ratings) and to limit screen time we use gaming time as a reward for doing homework ie. workbook pages, reading, flashcards. My husband doesn’t play kids friendly games while the kids are awake, and my games are ones we can play together to promote more family time.
    I’d LOVE to have an XBox Elite…thanks for the chance to win!

  135. ~*Just Plain Momma*~ says

    that family timer things is so cool…i want one of these so bad (for me and hubby but the kids can play too) my concern for gamindg systems is it seems nowdays they make more violent games than regular games for everyone or games that youd never ever even let your chld see the cover of much less play
    enter me please
    lilhottemomma@yahoo.com

  136. Nicole says

    Wow! This is an amazing giveaway! We’ve been looking into getting a gaming system in our home (yep…we don’t have one yet!) and this looks like a great match for our family!! I love the fact that we can have control over things like the ratings, making a family pact and screen time timer. And with more options beyond gaming (like movies, etc)…it’s sure to bea hit for everyone in the house!! Thanks for the chance to win!

    ncpnkr@aol.com

  140. walters123 says

    I would limit the ability for my daughters to play (or find) any violent games.

    walters123 (at) hotmail (dot) com

  141. The Lind's says

    My son is a huge “gammer”! Love any video games….games for that matter. So to avoid him wasteing too much time on them, we have set the rule that if he is good in school, homework done, chore done, ready for bed…can play 30 mins. And on Sunday he has to be good at church to be able to play. It’s actually worked out great…he is always GREAT at church…what more could I ask for!
    beclind12@yahoo.com

  143. camper223 says

    My son likes to play video games and the rule is after you finish your school work which he has all advanced class’s, he also takes a online advanced class, is in band and plays sports.
    I feel game systems should have the parents control but I also understand that sometimes parents can’t always be there 100% so maybe they could build a control device like our tvs have and computers that only allow certain games to be played. My family hasn’t had a problem as my children know their limits.
    I sure could use this win to get back into my sons good graces, here is why I need to win this.
    Last year my son wanted a xbox 360 for christmas that was the only thing he wanted and asked for. Since we are a one income family I have to stretch our money so I bought him a reconditioned one off the internet. My son was so happy.
    Well he stuck by the rules about not playing till homework was done. He made a 4.0 gpa so you know he only played it at short sessions. Well my grandson came to spend the summer, he’s a month younger then my son and is a game fantatic, my son was upset that I was allowing his nephew to play the xbox as he said that was his pride and joy and he took such good care of it. I said nothing will happen and allowed my grandson to play an hour daily. Needless to say the one day he went to turn it on and the red ring of death had ruined my sons xbox. My son cried and I very seldom see him cry. Microsoft would not honor thewarrenty as I had bought it reconditioned. Now I feel bad and keep trying to win him a new xbox but still not lucky enough.
    Thank you for a chance to win a awesome prize for someone I really love.

    Happy Holidays

    camper223@live.com

  144. melissad.williams says

    My major concern would be spending too much time on video games instead of homework or outdoor activities or, well, anything else really! The main control would be just limiting time to a half hour a day or so.

  146. Juicebox Mom says

    My biggest concern is playing with others, strangers, on-line. I haven’t even considered letting that happen yet w/my daughter (13). In fact we don’t even have a system that can do that, although have had a look at on-line games on the laptop…she’s 13.

  147. Kimberly says

    My only concern about having a gaming system is an “addiction” to it. However we would never let it get that far.

    The best kind of parental controls are PARENTS. You need to set rules as far as the game system is concerned such as days/times allowed. Just like with the computer our kids are not allowed to use it Monday through Thursday because of school (school work is more important). If they did well all week they can use it on Friday and the weekend.

    With the gaming systems we wouldn’t allow it during the week, only on Friday and the weekend. And they could only use it for about an hour at a time. They would also have to share it. We’d let them use it more then once a day on the weekend (or days off from school), just no longer then an hour at any given sitting.

    Thanks for a great giveaway.

    HunnyV “at” Optonline “dot” net

  149. Skywaywaver says

    We have a couple of systems, but don’t play more than a couple of hours a week. I’d like my kids to see what technology can do, since I remember Nintendo and Atari, but I want them to know that this is just a small part of life, as you believe. It can be healthy in small doses, but nothing takes the place of family and friend interaction.
    hematopoiesis at hotmail dot com

  150. Anonymous says

    MFJ:
    I have a toddler and she yet isn’t into gaming. However, my husband is a major pc gamer. I don’t know how he would behave with an Xbox system in the house. I think i would have to give him time limits to play.

  151. onangelwings says

    When it comes to games we use a timer. My husband and I were big gamers so we know the draw and the itch to play.

    Children should be allowed to play but their time playing should be limited depending on age and responsibility.

    We lost years of our lives that we will never get back so we are very careful letting our son play.

  152. Mistress Meeyee says

    If I won this I would not be worried about my kids because I would be giving this to my brother in law who has been wanting one of these forever.I have entered every giveaway for one of these for months but I know way too many people enter so I will not win but Thank you for the chance!!I still cross my fingers

  154. Jennifer says

    My son has short term memory deficit so we use video games to help with his short term memory. The only concern I have is over stimulation. I use time management limiting his playing time and WHEN he plays. We keep the game system in the living room so we know when he plays and what he’s playing! I love the online parental controls you suggested and will use them should we win the Xbox!

    Please pick me!

    jenrik06 @ yahoo.com

  156. thinkingbrain135 says

    Since both of our sons are extremely active, play sports, and just generally do not want to be cooped up in the house my only concern for this gaming system is the “Live” aspect. I don’t want them playing games or chatting with total strangers via any media source. I’d definately set up restrictions where either myself or my husband has to approve friends and password protect the gaming system.

    Thanks so much for this opportunity! Our oldest son has been wanting an XBox for a while now.

    thinkingbrain135 (at) gmail (dot) com

  157. Liz says

    I would use the Administer control so I was the one who approved who they’ld play online with. Since mine are older I worry more on who they are playing with. Plus I would use the weekly timer. Once your times up your done. Its like learning to manage your allowance but time doesn’t rollover

  158. barbarabaker says

    Actually, I have no concerns about the gaming system because it is something that can be controlled by parental standards. My kids are very great about telling me everything and I feel confortable knowing that this is the case. Parental controls (I think) can go beyond just what you set in the system…if you instill enough about security measures to them, believe it or not, they remember.

    If I were to win, the system would be set up in the living room so no matter what, I’d be there to supervise their game time. Plus, with it being in the living room, I have more of an opportunity to spend quality time with my kids!!!

    Fantastic Giveaway indeed!!!!!
    -barbarabaker 🙂

  163. Tracey says

    Our biggest family concerns are spending too much time gaming and who they “talk” to on Xbox live. I’ve heard from other people that you can talk to anybody, anywhere who happens to be online….. that’s a bit scary. They also don’t do any “fun” stuff until after homework, etc. My kids are older now, so most of the teaching about doing the right thing and not solving problems with violence has already been instilled. They still get “mini-lectures” every now and then though. I’m sure they would LOVE to have the Xbox Elite. I know that my husband and I would love to try the Netflix feature. Thanks for a great giveaway!
    tkrusi(at)bepc(dot)com

  164. PS says

    I think eye hand coordination is very important. However I worry about the time spent being in active. I think a timer would be a must on a game system not just for the day but for the week or month.

  165. Giraffe Fan says

    What I have found to be important is to keep all gaming systems (and computers) in family zones of the house – nothing in bedrooms or playrooms or other places adults don’t hang out much. Having a gaming system hooked up to the main TV limits game time because others want to watch TV, plus all gaming can be supervised. The other important aspect is to only purchase age appropriate games that fit your values. Don’t be swayed by your child’s pleas that “everyone has it”. If the game is rated mature, don’t buy it for kids. Rent first on any game you are unsure about (to precheck for violence level).

  169. kristine says

    I have two concerns – one is the content of downlads that they could access and the other is how long they would spend on it.
    I would definitely use the downloadable content blocker and the timer!!

    kristinemjones at hotmail dot com

  173. Kristie says

    I had never thought that I would want a gaming system for my kids, because I was afraid they would want to spend too much time on it and not care if they did more imaginative play. I now think that as long as we have a system to limit video game time, that it would be ok and I’m sure my husband and I would enjoy playing too 🙂

    khmorgan_00 [at] yahoo [dot] com

  174. Viv says

    As both a Mom blogger and an avid gamer, these are issues I take seriously: our privacy online, our time together as a family, and knowing about the games my kids are playing!

    First, as far as gamertags go, I think the important thing to remember is what other people are seeing.

    Imagining that any info you put out on Xbox Live is going to show up as the headline on the front page of your newspaper might help.

    Our gamertags are nonsense terms that don’t have anything personally identifiable in them–I’m amazed when I see REAL Names, like “johndoe” as gamertags! Also, make sure you don’t include birth years in your gamertags!

    Here’s a tip–if you don’t want your kids to be targeted by strangers online, don’t let strangers even know they are kids! One of the features you can use through Xbox Live is choosing a robotic voice for communicating through the headset–might seem strange, but you really can’t tell how old someone is from their voice that way.

    Here’s something else I’ve learned by being a Mom gamer: lots of teens play together on Xbox Live, which is great, because kids do socialize with each other when they are gaming, BUT if you don’t want your kids to hear some strong language, you might want to teach your kids how to set up private teams with their IRL friends–yes, they can do this! Or censor the content that comes through the headset, or don’t use the headset at all.

    We don’t limit the time our kids play right now, but we do prioritize. They know not even to ask if they can play games until their homework is already done. And, since family time is the TOP priority, when we can all sit down together, the games go off.

    The only exception to the rule is when we play games together, as a family. I have to say, if I could have one wish for parents with gaming children, it would be for those parents to play WITH their kids (yes, both of you! Come on, Moms, you can do it, too!). That’s the best way to know what it’s like for your gaming kids.

    Sorry this comment is so long, but I think you are doing a valuable service here, explaining all the parental controls and timers that Xbox Live has (and by the way, THANK YOU! I didn’t even know about the timers, and I’ve been gaming for years!).

    We would love to win the Xbox Elite, too, of course! 😉

    Thanks so much for the opportunity!

    vbruss AT cfl.rr.com

  179. andrea v says

    I’m concerned on how long the kids are on. You get busy and don’t notice how fast the time goes. My kids are young enough I can control what they are playing, but I’m sure soon I’ll need the parental controls.
    vickers at comcast dot net

  182. Wendy Wallach says

    my biggest concern is playing the games instead of doing homework and I like that you can set a timer on this system

  183. chris says

    We worry about how much time our boys want to spend gaming, so we set a time limit, and they are only allowed to play after chores and homework.

    This would make a great christmas surprise for them.

  184. Rebecca says

    We currently don’t have a game system (unless a V Smile counts!), but if we did, I think our parental controls would intially consist of putting the remotes up high where they couldn’t get them, since all of our kids are younger than 5. I am sure the famil settings would quickly come intoplay though, as they becone more tech savvy kids 🙂 I love that you can simply block games and other content and require a password to access them.
    beccaj73[at]hickorytech[dot]net

  185. L321 says

    My main concern with video games is the amount of time the kids want to play them. The main control for them is to limit the time played.

  187. Anonymous says

    My concerns would be less about my daughters and more about my husband (and I). I’ve seen what happens when we get hooked into something. IT starts to take over. What parental controls would I use. Oh I would be the parental control. I’d keep the system in the family room where it’s use could be monitored. And of course monitor friend request or just block that altogether.
    Thanks
    chefskate at aol dot com

  188. tammy says

    Hi.I have had concerns about gaming for many years but I have been able to keep an eye on the kids’ activity so far.The kids have never been allowed to play Grand Theft Auto since I am very well aware of the content .The gamer controls on XBox would be a big help when it comes to controlling game time.I was unaware of that feature.I can’t wait to tell my friends about it.They have similar concerns.Thanks for the chance to win ! tamelamcmurray@aol.com

  189. Mary Avinger says

    My main problem would be the online access. I’m not sure what parental controls we will end up using. We will probably be playing games alongside our guy so will take every opportunity to educate him on the responsible use of technology.

  190. Teresa690 says

    My biggest concern would be for my kids to be too dependent on a game system and forget that they have an imagination! I would not allow my kids to go online with a gaming system and I would research every game they wanted, before purchasing! Thanks for the chance to win!
    Teresa690[at]gmail[dot]com

  192. Ursula says

    My son tends to get so into the games it gets addicting for him. I am glad there are controls limiting his time and the fact that, since I have four children, I can set different limits on each of them. Thanks for a great giveaway! uheeter at comcast.net

  194. caseykelp says

    My concerns would be the amount of time spent on it versus time spent doing other activities such as reading or drawing or something along those lines that promote your imagination without the game machine. Also parental control needs to be in place there are so many parents out there that really don’t know what type of games their children are playing.

  195. moushka says

    As with any gaming system whether it’s a stationary one or handheld, parent supervision nad time limitatiosn are best. Also if the parent plays the game to see what is actually involved and if you even want you child playing a particular game.
    Our children are only allowed to play video games after A. they get permission, B. they have completed all other tasks (ie homework) C. we set a time limit for each game played.

  196. mom2boys says

    My biggest concern would be the online access and limiting playing time. So I would use the parental controls to set time limits and not allow them access to online playing. My son would love this and it would be a great reward for his good behavior. Thanks for the chance!

    hottmomma_03@yahoo dot com

  198. Brooke says

    What an swesome giveaway!

    My concerns would be my kids get getting to hooked to it and only non-violence games!

    Thanks so much for the great chance! I’m crossing my fingers!

    ;-)Happy Holidays!

  201. carriem72 says

    My biggest concern would be that they spend too much time gaming and not enough outside playing. I would definately use time management as well as just being aware that what they are playing is age appropriate.

  202. Aura says

    My 5 year old son’s eye doctor actually recommended video games to stregthen his hand eye coordination and lazy eye, but I’m vary wary of bringing any video games into the house. I see way too many kids addicted and getting into things they should be. I can’t stand violent games and do not think children should be able to chat with friends virtually, let alone be allowed on the computer except for supervised research. I’m really happy to see that Xbox has so many parental control options and I would definately enjoy being able to see netflix videos on the comfort of my couch instead of cramming in front of my computer screen.

  203. cathykent says

    My husband and I have complete total control as to when my two yound kids can play their DS. No playing games at all during school day and if they all finish their homework for the week, then they can play a few hours on the weekend. We also encourage them to play online learning game as well. So far, everything works out really well. Thank your for the chance to win this cool giveaway.

    cathyk33@yahoo.com

  204. Melanie says

    Like most people, it seems, my top concerns are time spent playing and online access!

    thelaclairs at yahoo dot com

  205. jenny says

    wow this would be to grate to have please enter me in for this i realy love to win this so then i can get the rock star game drumset so my little ones dad can rock his self in to the rock star hall of fame lol

  206. Ann was here... says

    1. my biggest concern is just that too much time would be spend using the console (i mean something like the entire day)! xbox is fun and has great games, but they are also so fun and great that they can be addicting. but the benefits seem to outweight the risks ;). the parental controls i would use is to pick the games that are available in my house.

  208. TXsunlover says

    My main concern would be too much time spent sitting in front of a video game when they should be outside playing and exercising. The Family Timer would be wonderful. And I would block XBox Live.
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    proudyaya04 {at} yahoo {dot} com

  211. kaylee8 says

    My kids are now old enough that I wouldn’t have many concerns as to the content of most games except for my youngest who is only 12 and doesn’t like “scary” games. I would use the control to limit how much time they can play though! My teen son seems to forget everything else when he is playing.

  212. Pleasant Hoyland says

    Our family has nevergone online and played via Live online play. We prefer to kick back and enjoy our video games the ole fashioned way. We are huge gamers. Parenting should be of the sole parent… and to some folks adding parental guards works for them. I try not to limit my child. I talk and explain situations to my son and that open form of communications allows our family to stay connected and understood of each other. 😉 I would LOVE to own the new Xbox…

    Happy Holidays to you and yours!!

  213. Pleasant Hoyland says

    Our family has nevergone online and played via Live online play. We prefer to kick back and enjoy our video games the ole fashioned way. We are huge gamers. Parenting should be of the sole parent… and to some folks adding parental guards works for them. I try not to limit my child. I talk and explain situations to my son and that open form of communications allows our family to stay connected and understood of each other. 😉 I would LOVE to own the new Xbox…

    Happy Holidays to you and yours!!

  214. gjgille says

    My concerns would be how much time the child is pending on gaming versus how much is spent on engaging into educational and developmental activities. Time limit will need to be introduces on playing games.

  215. Melissa says

    My biggest concern is spending too much time… even for the grownups! I love the built in timer though, what a great way to prevent the “just 5 more minutes” comment… or, “I’m almost done with this level!” jeepcutie82 at msn dot com

  217. Jennae @ Green Your Decor says

    One of my biggest concerns is that my daughter doesn’t know when to say when. She’d play all day if we let her. Even though she loves to play outside, once she gets a game controller in her hand, all else is lost. So the The Family Timer would be blessing. She’s still too young to need the gamertags, but it would be great to use it for Netflix.
    Email: jennae {at} greenyourdecor {dot} com

  218. furygirl3132 says

    I’m concerned about my 6 year old spending too much time playing games, but I think having a gaming system in the house would be great for when she needs a little downtime. I can control how much she plays. I would set up Parental Controls as to how much time she actually gets to play and only allow her to play family fun games, she would not be allowed to access the internet unless I set her up with a game myself. Thanks so much for such a wonderful giveaway, what a great gift this would be for the whole family!

    Eloise
    furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net

  219. Jill says

    My daughter is only 20 months old, so I don’t have to worry about her yet (but when she gets old enough, I would definitely have the parental control on to limit violence, etc.) – I would be more worried about my husband because I won’t see him for 6 months! So I may have to figure out the family timer for him! 🙂 thanks for the chance

  223. sarah says

    i am really concerned about the kids spending too much time sitting down in front of the tv. im afraid my husband will get sucked in and i wont get any help from him. and im afraid it will instill unhealthy habits including overeating… and perhaps too many violent things.

  226. girlof80s says

    My concerns about having a gaming system in my home is how am I going to be able to afford games for it. There are so many games for some of the systems especially the Xbox but many of them are expensive and I sometimes worry I will be lucky enough to have a gaming system but not too many games for it and it will just sit around collecting dust. I don’t have any children so I am not worried about Parental Controls. But if I did have children I would limit the amount of time they could spend on Xbox Live and certainly try to prevent them from playing games with Ratings that are not suitable for young children. This is a great giveaway and I really hope I win as I have wanted an Xbox for what seems like forever. Thanks.
    girlof80s@aol.com

  227. angela says

    I would use the parental controls to set time limits. But mostly, I would try to be around when the kids play so that I know what they are doing and how long they are playing.

  234. Leah says

    My main MAMA concern is too much time spent a’playing instead of livin’ it up outside in MOTHER NATURE! And, best parental control is monitoring the gaming.

    Thanks so much for this fabulous give~away! : )))

    leahita[at]gmail[dot]com

  236. JamericanSpice says

    My concern about having a gaming system in my home would be that the books and learning toys are abandnoned for the Xbox games….so, for Parental Controls, only on the weekends and with the supervision of mom or dad

  237. Samantha P says

    i’d be worried that i’d spend all day on it! i’d probably keep it in my room and only let them play on it if i was there, so i’d know what was going on.

  239. Mary_Freebies says

    I’d love a gaming system in our house, but we are all adults, and maybe I am the one who might need to be controlled. Gloops! For that, I think a timer is enough.

    InternationalFreebies.net == internationalfreebies AT gmail DOT com

  240. mom2anutball says

    I am very concerned that my kids will only want to play the game and not do enough physical activity. My husband is an avid gamer and sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get him off the game. I will not let my kids become like that. But I think playing as a family would be super fun!

  242. Brooke says

    Honestly, my biggest concern would be MY addiction to the games. I’m pretty good about setting up limits for my kids. We’d have time limits and rating limits.

  243. Rhonda says

    What a great system! I worry about the kids playing video games for too long each day and also the younger ones playing the older one’s games (since we don’t allow the little ones anything but E rated games). I would love the timer and the ability to set limits on the game ratings and online access! Thank you for offering this great giveaway! rhonda (at) acedesignstudio (dot) com

  244. collyn23 says

    my biggest concern in online gaming that would not be aloud at my house too many predators out there also too much time playing games so game time would be limited to 1 hour a day

  248. 3boyzmom says

    The concerns that I have is if the kids use it to play online, how much chatting or getting to know people could they really do? I would definitely use the parental controls to avoid them chatting without my permission or knowledge!

  250. Anonymous says

    I would love this for my grandkids!! I would worry about them playing for too many hours each day. I would use the parental controls to limit their playing time and set a timer for how long they can play.

    Diane
    superhobo96@gmail.com

  251. tammy says

    My concerns about gaming are that the kids get too addicted and don’t want to focus on homework or family responsibilities.I am glad to see the gamer controls on XBox though.Thanks for the chance to win ! tammyduc7@yahoo.com

  254. Holly Crosley says

    My biggest concern is the variety of games out there. There are a good many of them not appropriate for our 10 year old daughter. All in all I think gaming systems, though, have come a long way in the educational sense. There are many games that teach now.

  256. Viv says

    I subscribed to your feed through my Google reader! my email for that is my google one:

    Majicks.vivienne AT gmail.com

    Happy Holidays, and again thanks for the giveaway!

  257. Chrissy says

    Biggest concern is online access. I don’t want anyone spending that much time gaming, especially with strangers!

    henriettab294{at}gmail{dot}com

  258. Kristen says

    My concerns about having a game system in my home surround the inactivity it may bring. We will use the rating system on games (E, T, M etc) before allowing the kids to play.

  260. Ann says

    My biggest concern would be the time my kids would play on it. I love the idea of the timer, I also love you can limit the online access.
    Thanks for this fantastic giveaway!
    ann dot guns at mac dot com

  262. Emilie says

    I love the idea of being able to limit time. It is so easy to get sucked into a game and you’ve lost most of your day. I like for my kids to still be active! Thanks so much for the giveaway!

  264. Connie says

    I definitely worry about the online aspect and who is talking to them and I think the control that we would have to approve their friends is awesome. Of course I also appreciate the time management piece. 🙂

  269. A Family Completed... says

    My biggest concern would be the seemingly “addictiveness” of the video games. I think there are many pros and cons to owning a gaming system. I really love the parent controls on time spent playing and watching, what a great feature.
    Thanks for the entry
    tonyamcrain [at] aol [dot] com

  270. Anonymous says

    I worry about them playing outside enough, and I make sure I have seen the video games they want to play to make sure that they are age-appropriate.

    Thanks!

    Dee

    mhgatti (at) yahoo (dot) com

  272. klp1965 says

    we have a playstation 2 that i make sure only age appropriate games are in our home..the parental control i would use the most would be the time allowed to play because in our house that can be a problem 🙁

  273. Claire says

    My biggest concern would be too much time in front of the TV and to much time playing video games. I love the fact that there are parental controlls so that I can control what games my children play!
    Thank you for the chance to enter!

  276. Lessa says

    I think it’s great that the xBox makes it so easy to set up the parental controls; it sounds like it’s much easier than some others I’ve tried to deal with (I always figure the kids are more likely to figure them out than I am, lol). But with the password, and the settings (and making it so hard to reset the password), I think it would be really easy to restrict certain game ratings and the xBox Live interaction!

  279. cynthia says

    In order to prevent my child from spending all the time while I am at work, I use parental control software Ez Internet Timer. Works fine and very simple. It can stop all children’s on-line activity and block Internet browsers, e-mails, ftps or messengers according to my daily schedule.

  280. GregH says

    My 13 yr old son is showing signs of addiction with online games. We are concerned about this and have known that this is becoming a problem. We restrict & limit Internet usage with the help of parental control software Ez Internet Timer. My concern is that this will open the door to other addictive behavior in the future.

  281. hubbarsh says

    think they movies channels would be great to cut cable bill. I would use the timer for kids and limit gameplay to couple hours a day