Wife (33/F) and I (32/M) are having a disagreement on how to handle videogames with my son (just about to turn 4/m). How do you feel about kids playing games?

I grew up having the freedom to play videogames pretty much whenever I wanted to at an early age. I can remember asking permission to play regular Nintendo when I was around 5-8. Super Nintendo after that. It wasn't a total free for all. My mom would always say "yes" as long as I had done some chores or my homework. I'll admit I was pretty easy as a kid. I was an only child and pretty independent. I still played with friends outside and played sports, but I liked to spend my leisure time inside playing videogames and have done so throughout most of my life until I hit my 20s and became too busy with my career.I got out my old Super Nintendo yesterday and hooked it up for my son. We played Mario for about 20 minutes before it was time to cook dinner. He was on cloud 9 about it. I think it blew him mind that such a thing existed. I was excited too because it was fun having my little buddy play some videogames with me.He told my wife all about it at dinner and asked if she would play with him tomorrow (today). She said she'd love to play but it would have to wait until Saturday because videogames are weekend thing.This led to a conversation later that turned into an argument. Essentially, she insists that videogame time should be earned as a weekend treat and that it's not healthy for children to play videogames regularly. She even said that she means this all the way through high school and said that "two hours of video games on the weekend is plenty. It's just like going to the movies, which we wouldn't let him do every day."I tried explaining that I was exposed to so many stories, characters, themes, and interactions through videogames. I turned out okay as well. There's also an extensive amount of research out there (see James Paul Gee) about how videogames are an opportunity for literacy development and a literacy event in themselves.But she never owned a videogame system as a kid. Her parents were adamantly against it, and her first experience with a videogame was in high school playing Mario Kart at her boyfriend's house.What's the best way to go about this? I can understand her point of view that our son shouldn't turn into a gamer that does nothing but play videogames. But I'm pretty upset about the vilification of games in general and the idea that videogames will be strictly structured to the extent she's demanding. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2nRJJOV