When is "enough's enough" for videogames at a sleepover?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is just sad that 11 year old cannot think of what else to do with each other. Well the rain isn't helping at all. But still. Most of the kids who come over do not play board games. I don't get this. We play board games as a family - Cataan, Ticket to Ride, etc - but I guess others do not? So the answer to "play a board game" is: "Larlo doesn't play board games." It is not out of control as my 11 year old doesn't do too many sleepovers either. But so sad that they do not know how to interact with each other without the device.


So you need to cultivate the boardgaming kids! They are out there - my kid is one. Plus, even if they SAY X doesn't play Boardgames, with a little effort you might find one that all think are fun - Terror in Meeple City, King of Tokyo - especially if they are limited for video games.


They like what the know. We play cards or a board game every single night before bed. I think we are a relic of the past. We got this tradition from my DH'S family and I think it really contributed to how my DH'S brain operates. He can remember everything and look at things 5 steps ahead. It's pretty remarkable. I did not grow up like this and now my 10yr old beats me at chess and is a great Rummy player.

Cards and board games are so much better than video games. We actually interact. Imagine!

My family also likes board games, but we don't like to play them with judgmental people who think they are better than everyone else.

Cool?

[Anonymous]

I actually like it when there is a group of boys in my basement playing video games. I love listening to them talking smack to each other. They are playing together. Mine our 11 & 14 and I prefer it over when the older boys are all in the same room, but each on their own phone. It's the interaction. I'll ask for lights out at 12 or 1. It's not like it is every weekend. There is more interaction with each other on the video games than a movie.

My boys and their friends will also play D&D, so it's not a board game, but still same non-video thing. I wouldn't want them playing D&D every weekend (dork fest!) and I wouldn't want them playing video games every weekend - they figure out a balance on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 11 year old DS wants to apparently only play videogames at sleepovers. No movies, board games. He and his friends will play some ping pong, chat a bit, eat dinner. But most of the time it is videogaming. I feel like it has become worse this year. How normal is this? If it is not entirely within normal range, what can I do, as a parent, to reign these boys in when I am hosting? They don't want to do anything else. They get "bored" with movies!

These were the best sleepovers when I was 11. We would play video game shooter tournaments all night, then we would eventually argue and wrestle each other over petty stuff until we were too tired to fight anymore.

Those sleepovers were the best. We'd play old school Genesis and Super Nintendo games, probably drink a ton of soda and eat a ton of pizza. We might have mixed in some driveway basketball when we were at it.

Those were the days!