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Five Year Old Boy "addicted" To Video Games -- How Do I Get Him Interested In Other Things?
Dwayne-Judge, 2007-07-30 10:49:09
I watch my sister's kids during the day and I have been for pretty much three years now. The two girls are 10 and 4, and the lone boy is 5.The issue is with the boy. Each child only plays a maximum of 30 minutes a day, one turn for 15 minutes to a game they want to play, and the remaining 15 minutes devoted to an educational game, like JumpStart Learning, Hooked on Phonics or Reader Rabbit. We'll watch about an hours worth of television a day, one show in the morning and another show while I'm cooking dinner. The boy LOVES video games, just not the learning type. When it's time to turn the "just for fun" video game off, he takes an extra 5 minutes, at least, or until I take it away. When he wakes up in the morning, before he goes to the restroom or eats breakfast, he asks about playing video games, and when I say, "Not yet, we'll play games at x", he'll keep asking about it until it's time to play the video games. Continued...He doesn't want to color, he doesn't want to go outside, he doesn't want to go to the park, he doesn't want to read a book, he doesn't want to play anything else other than video games.When he actually does play with friends or his sisters, he only wants to play video games with them, or pretend they're in the video game. They (my sister and her family) went to Stone Mountain (big mountain with lots of family activities and a lazer show) this past weekend, he threw a fit over not being able to bring his gameboy.I'm just not sure of what to do to get him interested in other things. I love him, he's my boy, I potty trained him, taught him how to write and ride a bike and I've been with him. But he just doesn't seem to care about anything else and I miss just running around the yard with him, pretending. Or coloring with him, or reading a book with him. Any advice please? ):I've been thinking about cutting out the "just for fun" video game time for him, but it doesn't seem that fair since his sister's play video games just for fun, but they don't have issues with it.But then, they usually pick out the more educational games over the other.You know what, that comment that I don't do things with the kids is a low blow and I truely do not appreciate it.We go to the park. We color.We read.We practice writing and math.We blow bubbles out in the yard and play in the sprinklers.And it's not that I'm sitting on my ass the whole day just watching them play, not like these other moms I see at the park that are on their cellphones or talking to one of their other mom friends. I'm with them, going down the slides, pushing them on swings, practicing with them, making up games, making things fun, coloring with them, reading to them, having them read to me, doing all of that. He just doesn't care anymore. It's a fight to get his shoes on so we can go to the park. Don't assume things.
2007-07-31 03:19:39 Thomasina-Hanford wrote: you need to cut out all videos, not only the "just for fun" ones. children don't differentiate between educational and "just for fun". all he knows is he is allowed to play video games. so all video games have to be ceased. then after they've been weaned they need to be allowed to play with them only as a privelige that is earned by their behavior. they don't behave they don't get video games.
2007-07-30 13:08:03 Bud-Harrold wrote: I don't know what we're not susposed to assume. I say take away the video game. There's no reason to play video games all day. You'll have to take it away from his sister too though. Then tell him to do something else. If he doesn't like it too bad, he will get over it. You are in charge not him.It would be ideal to know how often he plays video games when you're not there looking after him. If he's allowed to just sit there and play video games all the time, then obviously there's the root of the issue. Since he's obessesed with video games, it might be a good idea for the parents to remove the video game system for a least a week. As you know, it's really not healthy for any child of any age to only think about video games. With the removal of the video game systems, he will have to find other ways to entertain himself. If he's still complaining about not being able to play video games after a week, continue to withhold the system. If it takes 2 months for him to realize that he can have fun without video games, so be it. Also, there is no need to explain to him why the video game system is being taken away. Of course, he will throw a fit regardless, so a good idea would be to take the system away while he is not around (or in bed for the night). All you have to say when he (most likely) asks why is something to the effect of we're going to take a break from them. This should work, as long as the system is not given back prematurely - wait until he seems to have forgotten about video games. It may take a very long time, but in the end, it will be better for his mental health.
2007-07-30 12:40:06 Avery-Dull wrote: Give him a countdown when he is playing the game. 10 more minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds, even a 10 second countdown. Let him know that once the countdown is done, so is he. Any extra time taken will be subtracted from tomorrow's time. If he goes into the negative then he loses a day.Give him a chance to earn extra time. I told my sons that for every minute they read, they get half that time in X-box minutes. To play an extra 15 minutes in the day, they have to read for 30 minutes (and I make sure they are actually reading by scanning the book they are reading and asking questions). The girls can do the same for TV time.
2007-07-30 12:39:31 Ina-Burney wrote: This is all you can do. Playing baseball with me, riding his bike, swimming in the pool earns him 5 minutes. This is a trend with a lot of kids, today. Hi Annie, Video game manufacturers made it easy, with the hand held games. But it backfires in a lot of cases. So he is banking time to play the game, but we will still limit it to after homework and active play with his friends. I told him to keep reading, through the rest of the summer, and when school starts we will receive an assessment on his reading level. Taking his dishes to the sink earns 15 minutes of game time. Picking up his dirty laundry, or toys earns 20 minutes. But, it sounds like he is being involved in many other activities. If he works hard enough, and is consistent, he earns the game system. Introducing him to outdoor activities, trying to involve him with other children, limiting his game playing. or you could take them out places? We also have a reward system, instead of allowance. My son wants a Wii game system. Good luck - you sound like you are doing all you can...well hes a kid, he loves video games, i was like that, and so were my cousins....well see what kind of games he likes, then try to get it in a educational version, if you want him to play educational games. Family outings, reading, bike riding. There is no cure, but you can limit the time he plays.
2007-07-30 12:25:46 Margy-Adams wrote: of course they're gonna play video games all day, that's because they are not ENGAGED in other activities, like riding the bike, playing ball, doing arts and crafts, reading, etc. kids need to be TAKEN CARE OF not just WATCHED by their mommies. your info gave me everything u need to know. YOU WATCH your sister's kids. but that's what u get when parents think their work is more important then the flesh that came out of their own bodies.
2007-07-30 12:24:17 Carmen-Mckinnon wrote: Don't allow them to play when you are watching them.
2007-07-30 13:38:32 Wilbert-Logue wrote: My five-year-old gets like this. He'll go a few days just fine, then it will start, and that's when the game is taken away, not for a few hours, but for at least a few days.I never introduced video games for that very reason!I think as long as the time is limited to 15-20 minutes, it's ok.
2007-07-30 12:25:39 Floyd-Saylor wrote: tell him if he keeps asking that he wont get to play it will work you just have to put your foot down
2007-07-30 12:48:10 Ann-Ewing wrote: All kids will ask things just don't give in. For every minute he goes over deduct the playing time from tomorrows time limit. If it still continues take away the entire 30 minutes and let him sit in his roomTo me everything is in moderation. Or in balance. So you allow only so much time for each activity. If he acts up then he loses the Video game for that day. You need to stand your ground and don't give in.
2007-07-30 12:52:34 Loyd-Haynes wrote: Your the mother take away the video games.
2007-07-30 19:25:40 Donald-Mortland wrote: cut out the videos for all of them for a week then do something together.after a few days and the withdrawl starts it wane a little, then he may start having fun doing other things.ride bikes with them,play dodge ball, go tot he zoo or a matinee.
2007-07-30 12:26:18 Xenia-Steele wrote: maybe get out side ride bikes go to the park take a walk grab a burger or a icecream cone!
2007-07-30 12:33:07 Leta-Cram wrote: i can only tell you what i would do. i'd declare a two week halt to all video games, for all the children. you might explain to the girls why you are doing it and ask for their cooperation. tell the boy that you are simply stopping all video time for two weeks, and when they start again, they are all going to get the exact same time playing video games, and no more. not one word. them's the rules and you intend to see they are stuck to, no exceptions. and maybe you can toss in there something about how if he so much as mentioned "video game" before it's time to play, he will not get his turn. i think you need to lay the law down now, right out of the gate, before this obscession gets beyond your control altogether. obviously, since they are your sister's children, you'll have to get her ok to this plan. i hope she will cooperate with you because i really do see the possibility of the situation becoming a real problem with the boy unless you break this compulsive trend.
2007-07-30 12:27:03 Jean-Ashbaugh wrote: just let him play video games, i've been playing video game since i was about his age and i play about 4 hours of video game a night, its not bad for him or anything as long as he does his homework and do excellent at school poker office 2 poker office 2. for example if i do bad in school my parents would take my ps3 away so then i have to do good in school.
- Video games are addicting with their constant movement, colors, etc.
- Read "Raising Boys & Loving It".
- Video games cater to the boy's (genetic) one-track mine and minimizes his ability to read - which requires both parts of your brain. video slots.
- It explains a lot.
2007-07-30 12:43:47 Rosena-Mosser wrote: i said if you can do it then you can play it. he forgot about it soon enough. now he plays outside like most little boys and climbs trees and collects bugs. i unplugged the x box, play station and game cube and told him i forgot how to plug it back in. my son was like that too.
2007-08-01 18:48:58 Ginger-Rader wrote: If she took it away he had a fit. Maybe one night let the kids help you fix dinner. My aunt had a similar but much worse problem. dancing to music, swimming,reading,something! Good Luck! Look on the net to. He played video games alllllllllllllllllllllllllll day long! She she eventually just got rid of teh video games becuase he was seriously like obsessed with them.But he has to have something he enjoys outside of video games.What about board games or dinosaurs? Just keep trying to get him interested in other things. Her son was about his age. Something easy but fun for them like homemade pizza or a creation that involves their fav foods. There has to be something else that he likes to do. Maybe its best to not let him play them for a while. Maybe a remote control car , legos. Sorry that some people are giving you a hard time about this and throwing accusations at you.
2007-08-01 17:05:32 Cornell-Heckendora wrote: I set aside a specific time each day for my son to play 30 minutes of video games,but only after he has done all his chores and read for at least an hour.Try going to the library and letting him pick out a book.Most kids will read if the book is something interesting they picked out themselves.And remember whenever you set rules don't back down because if you do it once they will take advantage and end up getting away with it every time.
