Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 14:24     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not until he asks.

This is not something to introduce.


He has asked since when he goes to friends' houses they play games. So far I have said no, but we are the only ones without a gaming system. I'm also afraid kids won't want to come to our house to play?


That is a different question then. He has already been introduced so there is no introducing to do. Your decision if you buy a system or not.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 14:24     Subject: Re:When to introduce video games?
We never got a gaming system. 16 year old son and 13 year old daughter. They might play at friends.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 14:23     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are very low screens. DS watches movies on an airplane and he watches TV maybe once a month. No tablet, no phone, no Chromebook. When would you introduce video games, and which systems/games? I'd like a console system (so no portable gaming) that just stays with the living room TV. This would be for weekends once in awhile and for when friends or family visit. Lots of friends and cousins have the Switch but I don't like the handheld aspect. Is there an old school model that would still be fun? Like the Wii sports or other lower graphics games that aren't crazy? I admit to no longer being able to watch many movies and kids programming nowadays with all the frenetic cuts and overstimulation.


If he's not asking for it don't open this particular Pandora's box.


This. We never introduced video games. At some point, DS was introduced to video games at friends' houses. We never had a system of our own until he was in 9th grade. He is too busy with school work to have much time to play with it but he does play when friends are over and occasionally on a rainy weekend or snow day--mostly the sports games.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 14:19     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We have a lot of fun with our family Nintendo Switch. We only use it for playing games together- we don't use it as a handheld but rather on the tv. We got it three years ago when our kids were 4, 9, and 11. Our older two are girls and don't really gravitate to it, but there are a few games we all enjoy here and there. Our younger has mild CP and we have been letting him play since he turned 5. He is very stereotypically boy - wants to just play sports and video games - and he is horrible at both, so we look at it as fine motor practice and social cred. There have been a handful of times where we've had to put it aside because of a meltdown about wanting to keep playing or being upset about losing, but for the most part it has not been difficult to manage. He does not have a tablet or any other device. We just play on weekends, if his sisters are babysitting, or on trips (where we have recently started letting him use it as a handheld).


What games do you have for the Switch? Have you had any issues with the older 2 wanting to have it handheld so the "baby" won't interfere? Like if friends are over and they want to grab and play in the room without the others?


We play a lot of Mario Kart, sometimes Arms, Super Smash Bros, and then our favorite game is Ultimate Chicken Horse. We got into Overcooked for a little bit, but played that the 4 of us after DS went to bed. The kids and DH have all played a bunch of the Lego games. We have never had an issue with the older 2 wanting to have it handheld or just play with friends. It is technically DH's Switch, plus it's not really something they ask to do with friends (only DS does- and his sisters are more than happy not to join his playdate lol). It's always just been an open-invitation family device, with the exception of traveling. DH and I both have ipads, and then we have the switch, so the kids will take turns on the different gadgets.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 14:09     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:It's okay to say no.


no its not boo
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 14:04     Subject: When to introduce video games?
It's okay to say no.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 13:31     Subject: When to introduce video games?
We did to replace crappy games on the computer (like Roblox and Poki). He’s 10. We also play sometimes as a family.

Games he likes are Zelda and Minecraft. He obviously needs to be limited.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 12:35     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:Not until he asks.

This is not something to introduce.


He has asked since when he goes to friends' houses they play games. So far I have said no, but we are the only ones without a gaming system. I'm also afraid kids won't want to come to our house to play?
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 12:25     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Not until he asks.

This is not something to introduce.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 12:13     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:We are very low screens. DS watches movies on an airplane and he watches TV maybe once a month. No tablet, no phone, no Chromebook. When would you introduce video games, and which systems/games? I'd like a console system (so no portable gaming) that just stays with the living room TV. This would be for weekends once in awhile and for when friends or family visit. Lots of friends and cousins have the Switch but I don't like the handheld aspect. Is there an old school model that would still be fun? Like the Wii sports or other lower graphics games that aren't crazy? I admit to no longer being able to watch many movies and kids programming nowadays with all the frenetic cuts and overstimulation.


If he's not asking for it don't open this particular Pandora's box.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 12:04     Subject: When to introduce video games?
Anonymous wrote:We have a lot of fun with our family Nintendo Switch. We only use it for playing games together- we don't use it as a handheld but rather on the tv. We got it three years ago when our kids were 4, 9, and 11. Our older two are girls and don't really gravitate to it, but there are a few games we all enjoy here and there. Our younger has mild CP and we have been letting him play since he turned 5. He is very stereotypically boy - wants to just play sports and video games - and he is horrible at both, so we look at it as fine motor practice and social cred. There have been a handful of times where we've had to put it aside because of a meltdown about wanting to keep playing or being upset about losing, but for the most part it has not been difficult to manage. He does not have a tablet or any other device. We just play on weekends, if his sisters are babysitting, or on trips (where we have recently started letting him use it as a handheld).


What games do you have for the Switch? Have you had any issues with the older 2 wanting to have it handheld so the "baby" won't interfere? Like if friends are over and they want to grab and play in the room without the others?
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 11:06     Subject: When to introduce video games?
We have a lot of fun with our family Nintendo Switch. We only use it for playing games together- we don't use it as a handheld but rather on the tv. We got it three years ago when our kids were 4, 9, and 11. Our older two are girls and don't really gravitate to it, but there are a few games we all enjoy here and there. Our younger has mild CP and we have been letting him play since he turned 5. He is very stereotypically boy - wants to just play sports and video games - and he is horrible at both, so we look at it as fine motor practice and social cred. There have been a handful of times where we've had to put it aside because of a meltdown about wanting to keep playing or being upset about losing, but for the most part it has not been difficult to manage. He does not have a tablet or any other device. We just play on weekends, if his sisters are babysitting, or on trips (where we have recently started letting him use it as a handheld).
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 10:29     Subject: When to introduce video games?
11 is da best age
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 10:22     Subject: When to introduce video games?
My kid is 7 and I haven't done it yet. My nephew throws a lot of tantrums over video games and it's turned me off them a bit.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2026 10:21     Subject: When to introduce video games?
We are very low screens. DS watches movies on an airplane and he watches TV maybe once a month. No tablet, no phone, no Chromebook. When would you introduce video games, and which systems/games? I'd like a console system (so no portable gaming) that just stays with the living room TV. This would be for weekends once in awhile and for when friends or family visit. Lots of friends and cousins have the Switch but I don't like the handheld aspect. Is there an old school model that would still be fun? Like the Wii sports or other lower graphics games that aren't crazy? I admit to no longer being able to watch many movies and kids programming nowadays with all the frenetic cuts and overstimulation.