Parents let son drop out of school to focus on gaming
Mikey 9 comments
Sixteen year old Blake Peebles is either a master of manipulation, or his parents are just plain ignorant. Some might say he is the luckiest kid on earth, because Blake's parents have allowed him to drop out of school so that he can - wait for it - focus on playing Guitar Hero.
To be fair his parents have hired tutors so he can continue some studies at home, but the focus is clearly on getting Blake into a professional gaming career.
Let the pad parenting flaming begin.
mini-mel
Monday 18th August 2008 | 10:27 AMand this is another reason why kids should not be allowed to own any gaming devices.
im not too sure who deserves the beating more, the kid or the parents?
Jake
Monday 18th August 2008 | 10:59 AMThat is intense Mike, and to be honest, if you can plainly tell that your child has a future in one area or another, better that you support it than have them half arse everything else out of spite.
Chris
Monday 18th August 2008 | 11:25 AMMicheal Phelps was crap at school, Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, drugged him up but made him continally groggy. So got him off the drugs and let him burn off the energy playing sport...
Unless the kid is some genius, then fair go. But I doubt it and the parents do sound like dumb asses
Travis
Monday 18th August 2008 | 12:13 PM...in response to this comment by Jake. Want to know how many people make a living playing video games? Statistically speaking you have a batter chance at becoming an astronaut.
It's fine to encourage your kid if they show promise in a particular field but the odds of making a living from playing video games are seriously stacked against you. And beside, all the big money pro gaming competitions (the ones you can make a living from) are for real games like first person shooters not toy games like guitar hero.
The parents in this case are douche bags.
Add to this to the WTF? bin.
I can't even imagine pulling a kid out of school and encouraging him to play Guitar Hero of all things. Bad parenting strikes again.
Jake
Tuesday 19th August 2008 | 07:28 AM...in response to this comment by The Movie Whore. I don't know man, bad parenting doesn't usually include tutors.
xanz doe
Wednesday 20th August 2008 | 02:39 AMAre you aware that the average stat on American education states that only 30% of children are truly "educated" in this country by attending public school? Most children do not fit our system in any sense of the word.
An irresponsible parent does not equip his child for living as an adult. i don't know these people, but if they are hiring tutors and he is receiving an education at home, i say more power to them. i only wish i could have kept my child at home to be schooled, but i didn't have that kind of money or time.
i guess i should have gotten an abortion, since i wasn't perfect in raising my son, because if i had been gaming aside, i certainly would have never subjected him to this crap we call primary education in the US.
"But the focus is clearly on..." Put whatever spin you like on it, but the truth is we don't have the truth here. i would sure hate my parenting, my choices, to be put under the microscope and judged.
There are widely differing opinions about raising children in this society, but i maintain that the goal is a responsible, compassionate, contributing adult. Gaming may not be my choice, but with all of the idiocy and money spent on it, he may at least become a successful producer of them one day and then i guess i will feel stupid that i am starving myself sending my son to medical school... whoops, another institution under scrutiny.
i'm just not ready to condemn people for what i don't completely understand.
Thank you, Jake, for THINKING and admitting you "don't know" for sure.
Janine
Monday 18th August 2008 | 08:45 AMIrresponsible parenting at it's finest. I think you're first assumption is accurate - the kid has manipulated his parents, who are obviously too dumb to know better.