Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of comments on here about people who just don’t do screens/ video games for their kids.
I just don’t know how that is possible. I really hate screens for kids but realized by resisting I was making our DS (9) the weirdo in his class as one do the few kids he knows that doesn’t play video games. Most of his social life revolves around discussing games/ tv shows. If there are kids who don’t get screens - where are they? Even school is screens all day!
We limit video games to 1-2 hours a week and do 30-45 mins a day of other tv/ videos.
With the modern world I just didn’t see another choice. We do lots of other stuff ( sports, outings, reading, board games) but some times the kids want video time and now it’s here to stay. I do feel them pushing for more and more. I know it’s addictive and i hate to see their little brains getting wired towards addictive type behaviors.
Part of me wants to go cold turkey and cut the screens. But I am not sure I could do that to my kids. I honestly felt like moderation was the key- but now I am not so sure.
I really feel myself longing for the 1990s before cell phones and when video games weren’t so “good”.
One thing my kids don’t do is “nothing”- I feel like when I was a kid I would spend a few hours every day just chilling in my room or just reading. Maybe we have our kids so much attention they can’t live without it.
Personally, when I shit on “screens” is when it’s like… mindless scrolling on tiktok, on demand youtube whatever you want, the kind of stuff that makes them so intolerant to patience, they’re used to being served what they want right then with no effort involved, just drag your finger to move to the next video.
At least with video games there’s thinking involved, and if it’s online your kids are probably talking to their friends. And TV as in like, cable where you can’t instantly binge your choice of 1000s of shows, have to watch commercials, have to
wait for your show to air at a certain time. I don’t think that’s too bad either.
Just my opinion though.