Does anyone else’s teenager play video games during class?

[Anonymous]

We are in Montgomery county. Somehow kid can play while simultaneously listening to class. His grades are far from perfect but he is attending class most days. How common is this?

[Anonymous]

It was common until I put a stop to it.

[Anonymous]

My 5th grader does it. He has ADHD. Its funny. When I make him stop and pay attention in class, he retains nothing. If he listens and plays a game, he can talk about what he learned in school for an hour.

It kills me but I've given up trying to stop it. If he's retaining the information, who am I to say how he has to absorb and process it.

[Anonymous]

No....but she Snapchats endlessly all day

[Anonymous]

I cannot talk to video games specifically BUT when I doodle and take bites during working meetings it helps me concentrate on what is being said. Sitting in an auditorium or meeting just listening without the ability to do that results in less retention of the information. I believe there are studies on doodling.

I will also say that when working on projects that require a lot of creative problem solving (tech R&D and consulting/PM world) I need distraction to push through. It’s like writers block or something.

My guess is that your kid may able to zone out playing the video game, so that he can open up his mind to listening to his teacher. I have doubts about this ability with video games though for multiple reasons and shut down my kids when they tried to do that (because they actually were not focusing on class), but I wouldn’t rule it out the possibility. If it is a “mindless” game, I think it could work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot talk to video games specifically BUT when I doodle and take bites during working meetings it helps me concentrate on what is being said. Sitting in an auditorium or meeting just listening without the ability to do that results in less retention of the information. I believe there are studies on doodling.

I will also say that when working on projects that require a lot of creative problem solving (tech R&D and consulting/PM world) I need distraction to push through. It’s like writers block or something.

My guess is that your kid may able to zone out playing the video game, so that he can open up his mind to listening to his teacher. I have doubts about this ability with video games though for multiple reasons and shut down my kids when they tried to do that (because they actually were not focusing on class), but I wouldn’t rule it out the possibility. If it is a “mindless” game, I think it could work.

Bites = notes

[Anonymous]

Yep. All damn day.

[Anonymous]

Yes. And it's not okay!

[Anonymous]

Yes.

And he got raked over the coals for it.

Now I check every now and then, but he seems to have calmed down. He can close laptop windows quicker than I can physically come over and look, but the giveaway is his facial expression... which I can see from afar. So I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep. All damn day.

+1

[Anonymous]

Yep. 10th grade boy. Grades are good so not a lot to say, but it drives me crazy!

[Anonymous]

I think many of them are doing it. Mine hears me coming, but he’s flipped back to school by the time I enter the computer room. There’s only so much we can do. Grades are fine.

[Anonymous]

Its a parenting issue. Our kids share an office with a parent so they know better. Its not an option in our home. Plenty of time after school and during breaks when everything else is done.

[Anonymous]

Mine watches Netflix or YouTube during class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its a parenting issue. Our kids share an office with a parent so they know better. Its not an option in our home. Plenty of time after school and during breaks when everything else is done.

Would it be a parenting issue if they did it in their own rooms or would you blame the teacher?