Prince Charles - more books, less games
HRH wants to ween children away from computer games
Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, has weighed into the debate over children and video games, telling an audience at the British Museum that "one of the great battles we face today is to persuade our children away from the computer games towards what can only be described as worthwhile books". The call to arms came as part of a request for lottery money to be spent on encouraging children to take an interest in books and the performing arts. "None of us can underestimate the importance of books in an age dominated by the computer screen and the constant wish for immediate gratification."
While we would agree that sitting around playing video games all day is probably not good for children, and that playing Quake or Everquest is no substitute for reading a good book, previous studies have shown that computer game players are more intelligent than non-gamers on average, and that games can be a valuable educational tool for children. It's also a little ironic that the Prince's own children, Harry and William, are both known to enjoy computer games. Rumours that Prince Charles himself is a closet Deer Hunter fan have yet to be confirmed.