Video Games and High and Mighties

I have developed this pet peeve lately. I keep a game boy and leapster in the car. When we go to doctors appointments or anywhere where we have to wait (sometimes even grocery shopping) the boys each get a game to take with them. I am amazed at the number of people that look at the kids playing their games and shake their heads and glare at me. Some even have the nerve to comment how sad it is that a kid cannot be away from a video game long enough to go (where ever) so they have to carry handhelds.

The last lady that said that to me I got kind of rude with. She made her comment and I turned to her and said "Look, I know that some kids play video games too much, I understand that. You don't know anything about us and how much these kids play video games. If they did not have the video games, you would probably be complaining that the kids were making noise and running around!"

Since I leave the games in the car, the kids only get to play them when we are out. That way when they get them, it keeps their attention during the duration of whatever we are doing - they don't get bored with it! They do not have the volume up loud (I let them hear, but it is very quiet) and they are not messing with anyone or anything.

This is especially nice at doctors offices. If the kids are not involved in something it makes it very difficult to talk to the doctor and the visits take twice as long. Also, at the grocery store, I don't hear fighting AND I don't hear "I want" every two seconds.

If the kids sat at home in front of the tv, computer or video games, I could understand peoples thinking. But, Caleb rarely plays his Nintendo (or computer) and Isaac is VERY limited on the computer (he would spend all day on it if I let him).

My peeve is not completely the video part - it is those people that think they are high and mighty and better parents than every one else. Usually these are people that are either not parents or older people that have not had kids around for a long time!