Anyone elses child obsessed w/ Gamecube?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Anyone elses child obsessed w/ Gamecube?
2
Thu, 10-20-2005 - 1:50pm

My 7 yr old DS (diagnosed in May w/ Asperger's) doesn't have any interest in doing anything except Gamecube and computer. He has a one hour limit because he could play ALL day if allowed to. Lately he has been going beyond that limit simply because I just can't find something else to get him interested in!! When I tell him he needs to stop playing gamecube he of course has a fit/is sad and then usually tries to go play computer. Of course I don't want him just going back and forth between gamecube....computer....and TV all day. He has NO interest in going outside to play! I try almost every day to get him outside for at least a little bit but he refuses. I would actually have to force him if I wanted him to go outside! I think playing outside would be so good for him....but I don't think I need to force him. He will sometimes go outside without me even asking but it doesn't last long before he's inside on the gamecube again.

Sometimes I can get him to play with Legos or Knex but it really goes in phases just like the playing outside. He just tells me that he doesn't like doing anything else.

How can I get him to have more interests aside from getting rid of the Gamecube or TV!!!!

I just wish his obsession could be something a little more "healthy"!

Help! Any ideas!
Julie
3 DS's ages- 10, 7, and 2

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Thu, 10-20-2005 - 2:09pm

My 8 y/o is obsessed with video games too. One of the things we've done, and it hasn't been easy, was make him earn his "screen" time. For every minute he reads, he earns a minute of "screen" time. When he intentionally goes over his time limit, or throws a fit when he has to shutdown mid-game, we take away all "screen" time for a week. The idea of loosing his video games all together has become an excellent motivator! (Evil mom, I know.)

We've also managed to get our son interested in a couple of other things...but it's taken some coaxing. He's into science, so we push those activities. For Christmas we're buying him a circuit board, and a build your own engine kit. We're working on teaching him the inner workings of the electronics he likes to play so much.

Good Luck, this is a tough battle-

Amy W.

Meez 3D avatar avatars games

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Thu, 10-20-2005 - 3:36pm

My sone is obsessed with Game boy, and we limit his time too. One thing I do, is set a timer for when his time is up. That way he gets a five-minute warning and a chance to save his game.

I am lucky, he is also obsessed with climbing (trust me, this is a double-edged kind of lucky) so I can get him out of the house for some fresh air and physical activity.

-Paula

-Paula

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