Video Game Culture- any way to avoid it
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Anonymous
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I really don’t like how kids just want to veg out playing video games. We have tried fighting it but now allow our 7 year old 1-2 hours video game time on Saturday’s after chores. Our 4 year doesn’t get any time right now.
What really getting to me is that so many of the kids in his class seem to have unlimited video game time and access to games which are totally inappropriate( Fortnite/ roblox). I want I tell these kids parents WTF- what’s wrong with you? My kids think we are the bad parents for restricting this stuff - I don’t want to tell my kid the truth that his friends parents probably just dump their kids of video games to get some peace and quiet. these games are so absorbing I fear our kids won’t want to do the fun activities I love doing with them (hikes, bike riding, family game night). I just feel like I am killing myself doing what I think is right for my kids and society is pushing in the opposite direction. How do you manage this stuff? |
Anonymous
Have something planned after 1 hour of Saturday video games so you can drag him away to whatever it is. |
Anonymous
I agree with you completely. We purposely have not bought an XBox or Nintendo Switch because we are fearful our son will become addicted. Many of his friends already watch hours of television and play video games constantly. |
Anonymous
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My MIL loves to tell the story about how she realized her two boys would rather play video games than play outside so she unplugged the TV and took it to the trash. She still brags that she’s never had a TV since, and she hasn’t.
Neither my DH or his brother watch TV (his brother doesn’t even watch sports), so maybe there’s something there. But you asked how people manage it. There’s one approach. |
Anonymous
I allow one hour and then have something planned and my kid complains the whole time "This isn't fun". I'm at my wit's end. I kept it away from him for as long as possible but the other boys are all obsessed and he wants so much to be part of the crowd. It was much easier in summer since he loves being outside when it's warm but he doesn't enjoy winter stuff, museums, etc. at all. |
Anonymous
| Another hard part is my husband doesn't see what the big deal is since he played unlimited video games as a kid and now as an adult doesn't play at all (one of my criteria when dating was no gamers!) |
Anonymous
My oldest is a year younger than yours, but the neighbor kid plays video games. Unfortunately, my DH plays desktop video games and the kids know it. He has an Xbox, but doesn’t play it while they’re awake. My oldest is in the pipeline for testing for ADHD. Knowing that he’s at risk for addiction, we’ve gone low screens. Ten minutes of screen time before school, and thirty minutes while I cook dinner. Any video game time has to come out of that preexisting screen time. We let them play apps on “the family iPad,” and are careful to point out that it doesn’t belong to them, we have control over it, we are kindly loading it to them, etc. I know the oldest gets more screen time at school. I refuse any game or so that I’m not 100% comfortable with. I don’t know if any of this helps. |
Anonymous
| We never have had video games in the house. We've said no to downloading them. Oldest didn't care - I am fairly sure he played at friends' houses but that's fine. He's out of the house. Younger guy is in sixth and wants to play a lot more. We are not afraid to say no. |
Anonymous
| Agree with you OP. Some parents are so terrible and stick their kids on screens so they themselves can be on screens |
Anonymous
| Unfortunately you are simply a loser if you do not play games among kids today. You can restrict video games but your child will be a social outcast. This is how (boys) socialize today |
Anonymous
I don't know if I would say "loser" but certainly a bit of an outcast. I think this is more the case in 4/5 grade and middle school. I have also seen where kids who do not get any screen time at home will be more addicted to it when they are not home. For example, a friend of my son (12) isn't allowed video games, a phone or much TV at all at home. DS says he is on his laptop the entire lunch period and never talks to anyone because its the only screen time he gets. I would rather my kid be able to play video games at home when he is alone than to not interact with others when in a group setting. I agree with you on Fortnite though--we still don't allow that one and my kids don't seem to care. |
Anonymous
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Your kids are so young to already be into this, OP. I'm sorry to say but I would just rip the bandaid off and get rid of the whole system/s. They are still young so can re-set.
Your kids will be able to survive. BIte the bullet and get rid of it all. |
Anonymous
| Really, really easy to avoid at 7. Not so easy around 11-12 and on. Just don’t have the system in your home and enjoy the next few years while you can. |
Anonymous
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First, OP, stop being so judgmental. Occasionally handing your kid a screen so you can get peace and quiet isn’t bad parenting, it’s being human. If you start from a WTF place with other parents over this, you’re going to find it very, very hard to sustain friendships.
Second, you can balance out their video game time. Our kids play video games (sometimes with DH, all snuggled together on the couch). They also love to ride their bikes, play on the zip line outside, go the pool, etc. Limit their screen time, engage in a balance of activities, and you’ll be fine. It is smart to avoid online games when they’re very young, though, that’s true. |
Anonymous
As a dad who also plays the occasional video game with my daughter (7) like this, it's really nice. We find lots of other stuff to do and she plays games honestly very little, but an afternoon of Mario Kart as a family when it's cold or rainy outside is really nice. |