Which gaming system should we get?

[danceboy]

I don't play video games. Neither does ricevermicelli. So we don't have a game system. But we're about to have two kids (5 & 2) that will be wanting to cling to, and climb over, a mother who will be trying to recover from surgery and possibly chemo. And who could hopefully be distracted by a video game console.

So what would people recommend? Both for a system, and for a few games. Something that doesn't grow with the kids is not a negative in my book (it might not be a positive either, but I'm certainly not willing to pay much for it).

ricevermicelli wants us to get something that can play netflix, but that doesn't seem to limit it much (unless some systems do it better than others?). The ps3, wii, and xbox 360 all claim to speak WPA2, so we should be ok there (unless one of them is lying...).

Also, anything that I don't even know enough to be thinking about?

Comments

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

BECAUSE I HAVE FUCKING CANCER.

I didn't have video games growing up either. I had two healthy and able parents and a full-time nanny to carpool me to ballet class and horseback riding lessons. This was all very nice, and I would adore to be able to promise my kids the same, but see above about the FUCKING CANCER.

I have two small children accustomed to parents who have encouraged them in athletic expressions of affection. I've enjoyed having the kids jump and climb on me. They do mid-air somersaults from my hands. I use them as weights for arm exercises. But I need a FUCKING MASTECTOMY, after which I am advised to wait at least two weeks before attempting to lift more than 10 pounds with my right arm. And then I'll probably need chemo, which I hear is like an all expenses paid trip to DisneyLand, plus Brad Pitt gives you a blowjob.

So maybe, we thought, maybe it would be easier on everyone involved, if we installed something in the living room that would be fun for the kids and require minimal exertion from me. Maybe it would be good if the kids could watch Phineas and Ferb without anyone worrying that a click or two on the remote could get them an eyeful of CSI:SVU.

It's really important to me right now that we make sure that the kids and I always have a way that we can play together, because so much of our connection and communication is embedded in playing, and I do not in any way want them to feel cut off.

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

My apologies - the above is possibly a little harsh.

There is no part of this that doesn't suck. Our focus is on coping with the cards we're dealt. We feel pretty good about the video games decision, given the circumstances.

[chalgaryn.livejournal.com]

No, that was a perfectly justified rant. Something like the Wii or Kinect that will get the kids up and jumping around near, but not on, you is a great idea that I'm not sure I would have thought of.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

the above is possibly a little harsh.

No, it was spot on.