The Mugen Fighters Guild - Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

Niitris

Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#1 August 12, 2014, 06:21:31 pm

http://www.thelocal.se/20140808/swedish-dad-takes-kids-to-war-zone

Quote

"We were sitting at the dinner table last autumn, and my kids started telling me about this game they wanted to play, the latest Call of Duty game, and told me about the guns and missions," Helgegren told The Local on Friday.

"I thought I had a pretty good idea from television, but when I was 29 I realized I had absolutely no idea what war was. And my kids couldn't explain it, either."

So Helgegren struck a deal. The family would take a trip to a city impacted by real war. The boys would meet people affected, do interviews, and visit a refugee camp. And when they came back home, they would be free to play whatever games they chose.

"We went to the Shuafat refugee camp in east Jerusalem. They saw the conditions there, where people burned trash in the streets, and there was an illegal drug market right next to the school. We went to a clinic where kids were being stitched up every single day because they had been hit in the head with the butt of a rifle," Helgegren recalled.

The family stayed in the Middle East for ten days, and Helgegren said at times the journey was tough.

"I had to explain quite a bit. I was especially thorough when explaining the politics, and pointing out that the Israeli politics do not necessarily reflect all parts of Israeli society," Helgegren explained.

When the family returned to Sweden, Frank and Leo decided not to play Call of Duty after all. They also said they would like to go back one day.

"I have received messages calling me the worst parent in the world, saying that I am traumatizing my children, that I am a pompous bastard, and that I should be doused in napalm," Helgeren told The Local. "I didn't really expect such a reaction."

"Video games in themselves are not bad," Helgegren clarified.

"But in Sweden and Europe we are very privileged. We have all this wealth and rights and social services. And with that comes the responsibility to educate ourselves and not just become zombies playing video games and consuming hamburgers."

Knowledge is power.

Lith

Re: Father takes CoD loving kids to Israeli warzone

#2 August 12, 2014, 06:25:41 pm

Seems a bit excessive but nice that he took the time to focus on educating his kids with experience.

It doesn't seem as excessive when you notice that it's apparently something both he and the kids discussed and agreed to beforehand, it's something they all caught interest in. That makes it clever.
(edit - well, beside the whole "that's insanely dangerous" issue of course, but hey, it's not like no one does that without the video game factor)

If I struggled to the end of my determination, to the end of my way of life with my followers, if the result is ruin, then this ruin is inevitable. Grieve. Shed tears. But you cannot regret.

Last Edit: August 12, 2014, 06:48:22 pm by DKDC

MightyKombat

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#4 August 12, 2014, 06:30:10 pm

Eyyyy

Yeah. I mean it is a bit...unorthodox but he doesn't deserve fucking death threats over it.

Besides, couple less CoD dudebros so

Mgbenz

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#5 August 12, 2014, 06:38:03 pm

It did not traumatize his kids at all. It gave them more knowledge and perspective on how life is in a real war zone. If my dad would took there and made me see these things, both the good and the bad, I'll be thanking him for it.

He is a pretty awesome father.

-Red-

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#6 August 12, 2014, 06:38:54 pm

Complicated.cns
No, I've never played a Zelda game before, shut up

I'll take this over a beating any day. His kids were even smart enough to both take the challenge AND learn something from it instead of just staying at home and whine about how their dad wouldn't buy them the latest CoD.

pls

Bea

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#7 August 12, 2014, 06:40:06 pm

A paragon of purity, chastity and innocence

That is one darn good, responsible father.

To quote Lt. Frank Drebin: "Cheer up, Ed. This is not goodbye. It's just I won't ever see you again."

All your MFG bandwidth is belong to me.

Titiln

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#8 August 12, 2014, 06:53:48 pm

good thing they didn't want to play dead space

fanfictionimg | badgame!

Jango Hakamichi

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#9 August 12, 2014, 10:41:34 pm

[The only one worthy of my love!]

We need more fathers like that. Kids aren't stupid, and they know that if a parent says "Because I said so," it's because they don't have a real answer. Kids can tell when their parents respect their opinions and reason with them, and while going to a warzone may have been a bit extreme, it shows that the father sees his children as living human beings capable of critical thought.

So kudos to him.

Ryūku Tsukuyomi

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#10 August 12, 2014, 11:06:26 pm

If only there were more parents like that.

"During a time of struggle, K-ON's beautiful story provided the influence needed for me to become an ideal president. I am now a better man."
— Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States

Legendary DeMoNk@I

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#11 August 13, 2014, 01:21:26 am

The Visionary

Wow thats fuckin heavy. huge salute to him as a father seriously^^

https://sites.google.com/site/demonkaimugen/

Alpaca-San

Re: Father takes kids to Israeli warzone over CoD

#12 August 13, 2014, 07:43:38 pm

I bite the faces of people who don't wanna be cool

Grant your kids an educational experience that they agreed on?! The audacity! Douse this man in napalm!

Vans said, January 15, 2014, 10:25:02 pm

I'm also under the impression that people keep neglecting data from the game, do you guys know how PotS made his original characters? He actually studied every single game he referenced, down to the core. Doing this properly requires understanding how the original system was made, not just winging it.