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Five Year Old Boy "addicted" To Video Games -- How Do I Get Him Interested In Other Things?

Jerrica-Monroe, 2007-07-30 11:01:05
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.

2007-07-30 12:26:24 Gail-Mays wrote: 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 free video strip poker. Or you could take them out places?

2007-07-30 12:24:54 Jennine-Catlay wrote: 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 12:26:18 Millard-Eisaman wrote: maybe get out side ride bikes go to the park take a walk grab a burger or a icecream cone!

2007-08-01 18:48:58 Dorthea-Faqua wrote: dancing to music, swimming,reading,something! There has to be something else that he likes to do. Something easy but fun for them like homemade pizza or a creation that involves their fav foods. Look on the net to. Maybe a remote control car , legos. My aunt had a similar but much worse problem. Just keep trying to get him interested in other things. Sorry that some people are giving you a hard time about this and throwing accusations at you. Good Luck! If she took it away he had a fit. He played video games alllllllllllllllllllllllllll day long! Maybe its best to not let him play them for a while. Her son was about his age. Maybe one night let the kids help you fix dinner. 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?

2007-07-30 12:27:03 Ola-Stone 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. for example if i do bad in school my parents would take my ps3 away so then i have to do good in school.you need to cut out all videos, not only the "just for fun" ones. children don't differentiate between educational and "just for fun". 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 play free roulette games online. they don't behave they don't get video games play free roulette games online. so all video games have to be ceased. all he knows is he is allowed to play video games free roulette service reviews.

2007-07-30 12:29:12 Emmitt-Kern wrote:

In my experience boys are a lot more interested in playing video games than most girls.
My son would play all day if I let him and my daughter usually only plays a couple of times a week.
I would just plan other activities for all of the kids and then go out and do these activities together.
Since you are the babysitter, you could even go so far as to say "we don't play video games at my house".
He won't like it at first, but eventually he'll get used to the idea.
You might let him play as video characters.
The kids in my family all used to play like they were the characters in the "Zelda" vidoe games.
I can remember playing "Little House on the Prairie" as a kid and I know a lot of the older generation played "Lone Ranger" and things like that.
As long as they are playing they are still using their imagination and not just sitting on their butts all day long.

2007-07-30 12:40:06 Fidela-Barth 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 12:43:47 Scot-Painter wrote: my son was like that too. i unplugged the x box, play station and game cube and told him i forgot how to plug it back in. 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.all kids will ask things just don't give in free roulette service reviews. 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 room free roulette service reviews.

2007-07-30 12:25:39 Skye-Jackson 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 13:34:44 Johnson-Focell wrote: say look There is other4 things to do or,UN pluck The video game and put th3e thing away and tell him go out and play.

2007-07-30 12:43:18 Gaylord-Hincken wrote: My nephew is 6 and he plays them all day long... we told him they are broken and in for repair. It is a shame that a lot of parents use the games and tv as babysitters so they don't have to pay attention to their kids. I told my sis (who is a stay at home mom) to stop letting him sit in front of that tv all day, and just take them away completely......which she refused to do. My kids have them, but we put them up before my nephew comes over because we know it will be a fight, and he will want to play.. I have a real issue with video games. mI would talk to my sis and share your concerns with her. when I go to my sister's house, all the other kids go out to play, and he just sits in the house and plays these games.... he really has a problem. I would not allow any video games at your house what so ever.

2007-07-30 12:52:34 Jared-Zadovsky wrote: Your the mother take away the video games.

2007-07-30 12:25:52 Coy-Moulton wrote: Video games are addicting with their constant movement, colors, etc. It explains a lot. 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.

2007-07-30 12:39:31 Derek-Hays wrote: 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. But, it sounds like he is being involved in many other activities. So he is banking time to play the game, but we will still limit it to after homework and active play with his friends. Hi Annie, Video game manufacturers made it easy, with the hand held games. My son wants a Wii game system. Good luck - you sound like you are doing all you can... This is a trend with a lot of kids, today. Family outings, reading, bike riding. We also have a reward system, instead of allowance. Playing baseball with me, riding his bike, swimming in the pool earns him 5 minutes. Introducing him to outdoor activities, trying to involve him with other children, limiting his game playing. If he works hard enough, and is consistent, he earns the game system. Picking up his dirty laundry, or toys earns 20 minutes. There is no cure, but you can limit the time he plays. This is all you can do. But it backfires in a lot of cases.

2007-07-30 12:25:46 Mckinley-Ledgerwood wrote: your info gave me everything u need to know.YOU WATCH your sister's kids. kids need to be TAKEN CARE OF not just WATCHED by their mommies. 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. 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 Nickole-Hayhurst wrote: Don't allow them to play when you are watching them.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 free roulette service reviews.

2007-08-01 17:05:32 Cedric-Fea 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 play free roulette games online.

2007-07-30 12:33:07 Shirely-Marcotte 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.