You will be glad to know that your not the only one who has a child who speaks pokemon. When my son gets together with our neighbor or his cousin they begin to talk pokemon. It is really strange. I just don’t get it and don’t want to I guess. The show is so annoying but I would never tell him that. It is just a phase I hope.

Really, Pokemon isn’t that hard to understand. The video game was last year’s top seller if I remember correctly. The TV show is undergoing a resurgence and is on Cartoon Network. The card game has players of all ages from 5 to 65 and features a once a year event that brings together players from all over the globe. In fact the biggest competition is usually among the players who are 15 and up.

The basics idea behind Pokemon is that these critters (Pokemon = shortened form of Pocket Monster) form bonds of friendship with their “trainers.” Many of the trainers compete in various sorts of events much the way kids compete in Soccer or Tae Kwon do events. Pokemon don’t ever “kill” each other. The worst that ever happens after a “Pokemon Battle” is that they have to visit “Nurse Joy” at the equivalent of a first aid center after getting knocked out.

There is less violence in a typical Pokemon TV show than in any of the old style Road Runner cartoons you might have watched growing up. Pokemon stresses friendship, responsibility, healthy competition, and adventure. These are things that most kids eat up which is one reason why I think it stays popular. The difference is that instead of just having a TV show there is the modern multi-media blitz with the games, cards, toys, and more.

Ok, I am 17 and I haven’t come here to rat on adults, but…the Pokemon trading card game has been around for years. I have been playing the game since the 3rd grade and I still managed to graduate early from high school, start college, and live a happy life. Pokemon is a card game with absolutely no violence. It is a game where two pokemon (pocket monsters) battle until one of them faints. It is specifically named fainting because a pokemon can be revived after it has fainted; therefore there is no death involved. Yes many have called it evil, but why? The stories that are presented in the Bible contain more violence than this card game. The Pokemon’s mutation is merely evolution. When a Pokemon reaches a certain level, it evolves and learns new attacks. Some attacks, such as sing, do nothing more than lull the opponent to sleep. There is always controversy over the Pokemon trading card game and that is understandable in the world we live in today, but…without that card game many children would resort to other hobbies that could result in a more violent attitude.

Listen Sabrina. Pokemon is a game and absolutely nothing more. First of all, I suggest that you take your kid aside and tell him face to face that pokemon aren’t real. If he continues to talk as if pokemon are violent evil creatures that mutate into bigger and even scarier monsters that are bent on killing each other, than you should probably just take away pokemon for good. They aren’t important to his growth. In fact, they may get in the way of school and/or his social life at one point. I also suggest that you start him on something creative (such as music, theatre, or art) that will improve his depth in character instead of him thinking about a silly card game 24/7. I hope things work out well for you.

I’m 14 and I have played the numerous games that are out there that involve Pokemon of some sort. Take it from me, Pokemon is not violent or evil. Your 6-year-old son is a little off on his definition of what Pokemon actually is. All of the 500-or-so Pokemon that Nintendo has made in the past year are not “ferocious, shape-shifting warriors with stunning powers to kill or be killed”. Trust me.

Hope this helps.