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You make some really great points. I also agree that video games are violent and can potentially send kids the wrong message and expose them to dangers/situations they wouldn't typically be exposed to. I agree that there are some games out there that are good. Games such as math games or games that teach kids values and morals but typically, kids aren't playing these types of games. They are usually playing killing and war games. I feel strongly about children developing social skills and I feel that games (and technology in general) has hindered social interation. We have discussed this topic in class and have come to the realization that perhaps the definition of socialization is changing. Maybe texting, talking online, and gaming are becoming the "new" ways of socializing. To answer your question, if I had kids, I would strongly encourage them to play "good" games--games that help them learn as opposed to video games that don't require high mental capacity. I would provide my kids with many resources to find the good games and wouldn't buy the bad games but if they happened to find them on their own/buy them with their own money, I wouldn't stop them. Regardless of what game they play, I would set a time limit on how long they could play. I believe that playing outside is very vital in a child's development so I wouldn't allow them to sit in front of a screen hours at a time. 
What would you do if you had kids?

To share a personal story about gaming, I remember playing the game "Madeline" when I was younger. From what I can remember, I learned a lot. Of course there were fun games like coloring but I also think that there were math games, reading games, and even geography facts. So this is one positive aspect of gaming/a beneficial example from my personal life. 

Do you recall any games from your childhood? Do you think they were beneficial?