Video Games?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2006
Video Games?
6
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 1:20am

DS has Asperger's. The "Peace at Last" thread got me wondering: How many of you have children whose obsession is the video game? Do you negotiate the time? Do you let them play as often as they want? Does it interfere with siblings/family dynamics? I mean more than having Asperger's does in and of itself? Tanner is obsessed with the PS2. I have 7 children and I do make him share, and I do negotiate his time on it. I always feel like I'm treading a fine line between accomodating his unique issues and expecting him to modify in order to be more functional. No matter which side of that fine line I fall I often feel like I've "stepped in it" KWIM?
Laura

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-29-2004
In reply to: book_faerie
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 8:36am
We have a PS2. DS (6) only gets to play on the weekends and then it is for an hour a day. Since this is the rule we set up when we got it, there hasn't been any issues. Our days are pretty full and although he enjoys the video games he would rather build with legos or blocks in his freetime. Come Sat around 7 am, he and DH are on it playing Lego Star Wars! Heather
Avatar for bigoldfatmama
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
In reply to: book_faerie
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 10:05am
Ds does have a ps 2 but he had to pay for it on his own.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
In reply to: book_faerie
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 10:12am

Kyle's obssesion is video or computer games. I think he actually prefers PC games. We only have two kids and thursday was the first time it caused a problem between them. Dd was never interested in video games before but we went to the video store and she couldn't find a movie so she surprisingly got a game. Kyle always gets a game. So there was a little spat over who got to play first.

I don't really negotiate the time he plays. He knows he has to his homework at 4pm each day. He's a really compliant kid so when I want him to do chores or get exercise or take a shower I just say in 10 mins you need to do such and such. We do run into problems with him not sleeping & not wanting to do anyting else if he gets obsessed with wanting a new game or gets a new game. We have a rule that he can only get a new game on the weekend so it doesn't interfeer with school.

Samantha

Samantha
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: book_faerie
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 10:23am

my son(age 13)is obsessed with video games,it's all he wants to talk about and i usually have to re-direct him.that said,we limit his playing time to the week-ends,one hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening.once in a while,he'll get to play during the week as a reward for good grades or good behavior at school,it's really the only thing that will motivate him!Hope that helps!

Laura S.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
In reply to: book_faerie
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 10:23am

This is more of an issue for us these days because of the sudden pull from yet another school into homeschooling, and the fact that ds is an only child. He is sorely missing other kids. We have lots of hours of therapy and physical activities, but homeschooling does not take that long and there are many hours in a day to fill. He does love his video games.

We limit him to 2 hours a day of alone screen time and it cannot be continuous. Unless it is educational, then he gets more time there. He never ever watches TV, and he does have some PC 4th grade curriculum games and typing games, mapping etc. Also, he has a gamer dad, and if they combat each other or play cooperative video games, that does not count against his alone screen time.

On weekends, when we can load up playdates, I do not count the hours he plays with his friends on multiplayer games. There is an obsessive element to the gaming, but it is also relaxing for him. And it gives Mom and Dad a mich-needed break.

He does also read ALOT, ride his scooter up and down our long hallway, play with stuffed animals, and do puzzles as well.

Sara

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: book_faerie
Tue, 01-16-2007 - 10:26am

Video games are a definite issue here that we deal with daily, but we have set rules and structure around it, if not it completely takes over. We also have frequent arguments because my nearly 7yo son loves them too and the girls would like a turn once in a while. We are thinking of getting a new system for the other 3 kids (not that the first one would be sons, it would still be a family one) but this way they could have access to the game without all the hassles all the time.

Our rules are

1) only after homework is finished and on school nights it is after everything for the evening is done so usually about 30min to 1 hour before bed. We are more flexible with time on the weekends but he has to ask permission and it is still limited.

2) Any fighting over games and it goes off

3) Any aggressions and you lose access to the games for a set period of time

4) As soon as we see the video game antecendent behavior (usually very silly or starting to get angry and snappish) it is time to turn it off and do something else for a while.

But right there with you. It feels like constant battle.

HOnestly, I hate getting new games because that is when it is it's worst. Once he finishes a game or gets bored with it the machine mostly stays off and he does legos. But a new game, OY.

Oh and to him you CANNOT touch his games unless you put them back exactly when he doesn't see you. They are all alphabetized and perfectly straight. Lol

Renee

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