Electric Sista Hood: Fill in the Blank :: Video Game Reviews, Tech Gadget Reviews, and Anime Reviews

I've seen this too many times: well-meaning advice columnists talking about things they have no knowledge about, so when it comes time to give advice, they tell everyone to fear the thing they don't understand.

I was reminded of this by such an advice columnist named Marguerite Kelly, who writes for the Washington Post and is syndicated throughout the U.S. On Oct. 20, a reader asked about the advisability of giving her 8-year-old daughter a Nintendo DS for Christmas. Kelly, naturally, was appalled, immediately warning the reader of the possibility (Possibility? You must mean certainty!) of gaming addiction.

Although you can read the whole thing here, I will also reproduce the answer portion of the letter below. But instead of referring to video games, I'm going to let you choose which dangerous thing the daughter ought to be protected from. Just choose from a list of real (and imagined) dangers for yourself:

You're wise to hesitate. , like television and the computer, can create dissension at home and even get a child addicted to them -- if you let them. Just as children know exactly how many times a parent will nag before she blows up, so does your daughter know how many times she has to beg for something before you give in. Give your daughter only if you can afford it, if you can set reasonable limits and stick to them, and if you're willing to if she tries to negotiate for more time whenever she . You can always let her check out , like a book from the library. Since too much is bad for anyone, especially a child, your daughter shouldn't be allowed to , nor should an 8-year-old be at for more than two or three hours a week or for more than two hours a week. This will give your daughter time to read, do her chores and her homework and play with her friends and her little sister. The key, as usual, is moderation. Too many will make the family room look like but you needn't outlaw all of them. Many have no violence, sex or profanity and some require players to strategize more than Monopoly does, though not as much as chess. Insist, though, that your child teach you, her dad and her little sister how to and that she let you have occasional turns, too, so she won't get isolated from the family. It's as important for parents to with their children as it is for them to read their children's books or go to their PTA meetings. You don't have to read every book or go to every meeting, but the more involved you are in your daughter's activities, the better you will know her interests, her abilities and her friends. It's also important that she be as well as . It's fine that she tells you what she wants for Christmas, but she should also be figuring out what she has to buy or make for family and friends. She will only do that, though, if you remind her frequently and if you take her to to find for Dad and Uncle Bob, to pick up the she needs to make for her grandma and buy fake to decorate she's giving to Aunt Tilly. These kinds of gifts will teach generosity and empathy to both of your girls, which is absolutely necessary. If they don't learn these virtues at home, they may never learn them at all. Before you decide whether to give your daughter , make sure she plays with a few more times, since some children get bored with rather quickly. If she still wants one, expect to pay . Choose the ; it's supposed to be simpler, lighter and better. Whether you give your daughter for Christmas or not, she should love and