Gaming for kids? I think not

So the other day at a family reunion my mom said I could be a doctor if I didnt play games all the time.

That made me think because i dont have any doubt that gaming good for the brain. its just the image of gaming thats not good, cause if i was reading books all the time it would be fine, or if i a chess champion, or some other well seen hobbies. but no i play video games instead and i could argue that its a particularly good hobby as far as stimulating the brain goes.

the list of benefits is huge, games allowed me to fully integrate several concepts that allow me to play better. I then apply these concepts to real life situations and im able to analyze them quicker and find a solution faster. For example i wrote a blog entry a while back about positioning and pressure while playing games or sports. if youre not immersed in a competitive world that demands you to perform you just dont fully grasp the importance of these things.

Playing Guild Wars at a high level allowed me to learn these things, and i dont think just anyone could play at that level. yo uactually need to be good because in a balanced environment where everyone has access to the same tools. the only way to get the upper hand is to play better, have better teamwork and better strategies. and to get these advantages you actually have to make your brain work hard.

When i was about 15 year olds i used to play unreal tournament 2004, I averaged between 15-35% accuracy with hitscan weapon. How come that number suddenly jumped to 35-50% when I started to play 3 years later after taking a really long break? You dont just magically become much better at aiming if you dont practice, the only explanation i can provide is that during these years i didnt play FPS games i played other games, and in the end i had a better understanding of games, had smarter movement and was able to anticipate better.

If gaming wasnt challenging, if i wasnt good at it, i wouldnt be playing at all and there would be no interest in doing so. I have no doubt gaming played a big positive role in my development and its not wasting time.