Posts Tagged ‘parents’
Dad Concerned Son’s E-Gaming Career May Not Last Forever
The headline “Dad Concerned Son’s E-Gaming Career May Not Last Forever” may sound like it belongs on The Onion, but it’s real. Here are some quotes from an article that was on the FRONT PAGE of the New York Times a few weeks back.
(Note: the photo below is from a a DOTA Championship back in 2005. Remember 2005? Good times, good times. OK, not really.)
English: The top three finalists in DotA Allstars, from WCG 2005 (a computer gaming championship). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
His obsession with video games was a sore point with Mr. Dager’s parents during his teenage years, as it was for the parents of many top gamers.
“I, and many players like me, sacrificed everything,” said Mr. Dager, who is almost a senior in college but is not attending school now. “We gave up on sports and friends and school just so we can play more.”
Mr. Dager’s income was meager last year, amounting to less than $20,000. But he estimates his income so far this year at more than $200,000.
He recently looked at a condominium to buy in Fort Wayne. His father, Joe Dager, said he was proud of his son’s success but uncertain about the longevity of his son’s career.
“There’s hardly a week that goes by when we don’t reiterate the fact that that’s all fine and good, but at some point you do have to make provisions to finish school,” his father said. “We say that, but I don’t know if Bill Gates’s parents are still saying that to him.”
(Note: emphasis added above.)
Quick comment: making money playing video games does not mean you are Bill Gates. It doesn’t even mean you’re a programmer, or know a thing about how to start a successful business, much less the multibillion dollar Microsoft. So let’s not get too crazy.
What I say to kids who tell me they want an e-gaming/e-sports career is the following: start really young, keep your expectations realistic, and don’t skip college unless you’ve got something tangible happening where you are making actual money. Not potential money. Actual money. And any money you make? Save it. Put it in the bank. Invest it in something low-risk. (Unless you have a trust fund or something. In that case, be a mensch and donate your winnings. That would be a nice thing to do.) Because the game that you happen to be a master of could easily disappear as quickly as it became popular. Maybe even faster.
In E-Sports, Video Gamers Draw Real Crowds and Big Money – NYTimes.com.
Related articles (Note: These are offsite links; DaddyTips takes no responsibility for outside content.)
Kids Trash Former NFL Player’s Home, Parents Defend Them
This is why I need to find a new Internet. One that doesn’t have stories like this.
What the hell, parents? Your kids pull this crap, take pictures, post them online, and then you defend their behavior? This is indicative of a very real problem: parents who don’t discipline their kids, and allow them to behave like jerks. If this news report is accurate (that’s a disclaimer in case it isn’t, but there are, you know, PHOTOS), the parents should pay a fine and perhaps go to jail if the law allows for such a penalty.
If you feel like getting more irritated, read the comments. Some morons are actually mad at Brian Holloway, the NFL player in question, for posting photos that WERE ALREADY POSTED ONLINE BY THE KIDS WHO BROKE INTO HIS HOUSE. Allegedly. In case the report is wrong.
Either way, I have noticed a lot of “my son/daughter would never do that” when in fact said son or daughter did in fact do that in front of dozens of witnesses. Or perhaps they posted a picture on the Internet of said action. You defend your children against bullies, stand up for their rights, love them unconditionally. You do not defend offensive behavior and make excuses.
Grrrr. And people wonder why I’ve seen the Avengers movie 12 times. Beats reading the news.
Teens trash home of ex-NFL player, teens parents threaten player (CBS Sports)
HelpMeSave300.com (website set up by Brian Holloway)
This Is Why You Have Passwords
I object to the use of the term “hacker” in this story. I prefer “schmuck.” That said, I suppose it’s not unfair for CNN to call the schmuck who… OK, fine. Someone HACKED into a baby monitor and said nasty things to a little kid. This is why you have to password protect everything.
I don’t want to be unkind to the parents involved; the above image is meant to be a little joke. According to the CNN story, the family whose monitor was hacked (I wish I could think of a better term) did have passwords turned on. I don’t know what that means. Is it possible that the alleged schmuck/hacker was so desperate to insult this little kid that he (I believe the CNN story said it was a he) worked extra hard to crack the codes and deliver his foul-mouthed message?
Perhaps there is more to this tale than meets the eye. Or not. Either way, have good passwords.
Foul-mouthed hacker hijacks baby’s monitor – CNN.com.
New Android Software Has Parent-Friendly Feature
From TechCrunch, a report about the latest version of Google’s Android software, which includes this parent-friendly feature:
New to Android 4.3: advanced multi-user support, bringing in “restricted profiles”. Restricted profiles lets parents limit what their child’s account can do, for example.
Haven’t looked into the specifics yet but the concept is great. Reporting from the announcement, TechCrunch’s Greg Kumparak writes:
Hugo is running through a demo of the restricted access feature, walking through how you can limit an account to only run certain apps. Apps can even be configured to hide in-app purchase items from kids.
An account that only runs the apps you want your kids to use would be awesome.
According to the article, this feature is part of Android 4.3, which will be installed on the new Nexus 7 Android Tablet announced today by El Goog. For more, including a photo of an enormous tray of bacon, visit TechCrunch.
via Live From Google’s Mystery Announcement With Android Head Sundar Pichai | TechCrunch.
Smart Diaper With QR code?
CNET via CBS News has a story about a Smart Diaper with a QR code parents can scan when their little ones go wee-wee.
Why?
So that parents can “track changes in a baby’s urine, potentially showing signs of a urinary tract infection, prolonged dehydration, or risk for kidney problems,” according to the CNET/CBS article.
At the moment the Smart Diaper is only a dream; funds are being raised via IndieGoGo. The company behind this potential pee capturing data device is Pixie Scientific. This is an actual quote from their web site:
360 million diapers are changed every day
None of this health information has been used
Until Smart Diapers
They made the the words “smart diapers” blue, not us.
There’s a video. Watch if you dare.
‘Smart Diaper’ with QR code may track tots’ health | Crave – CNET.
New Language Began With Baby-Talk
Here is a fascinating article in The New York Times about a new language, Light Warlpiri, which is spoken by a relatively small group of Australian Aboriginal people. Everyone who speaks it is younger than 35 years old. And it began with baby-talk.
From the Times:
There are many dying languages in the world. But at least one has recently been born, created by children living in a remote village in northern Australia.
Carmel O’Shannessy, a linguist at the University of Michigan, has been studying the young people’s speech for more than a decade and has concluded that they speak neither a dialect nor the mixture of languages called a creole, but a new language with unique grammatical rules.
Here is a video, “Monster Story in Light Warlpiri Child39”, from Dr. Carmel O’Shannessy’s YouTube account.
So what’s this about baby-talk? Again, from the Times: Read more »
Mom Advice That’s Also Good For Dad
From Mom365 comes some good advice about how to be a “Calm and Happy Mom.” Dads can use these tips as well.
(Full disclosure — I write for Mom365 periodically; here’s an example.)
The third item on the list, “Be Grateful,” is something that I personally want to spend more time on. The author, Valerie Reiss, suggests that a good way to practice gratitude is to “Every day, name three things you’re thankful for; it’s an instant joy boost.” Sounds good to me.
This particular piece of advice is perfect for parents of all genders, dads as well as moms. Most people know that parenting can be frustrating at times. What is less often discussed is how dealing with kids on a daily basis can distract you from other parts of your life. Children, especially young ones, require a lot of attention. It is very easy to get caught up in the details of dirty diapers and daily dinners. That can lead to forgetting how good life is and how lucky you are.
Lest you think gratitude isn’t cool, a certain band called The Beastie Boys would disagree with you.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdJ5e70Q8mw]
So would Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. Also me.
Other items on the list include “Dance” (this may not be for everyone but I’ll give it a shot), “Create” (defined here as making something, “even a doodle”), and drinking lots of water, which is healthy and forces you to take a trip to the bathroom more often. Sometimes that counts as a parenting break.
Click the link below for the full list.
10 Ways to Be a Calm & Happy Mom – Mom365.com
