Video game time limiting strategy

[eileenandjim]

Please help. My boys are missing out on life in general. The love video games, computers, all things tech-y. I need a system of weaning them off it- does anyone have a good way to do this?
Thanks for your advice,
Eileen

[Dadu2004]

You don't need to ween them off of it...it's not an addiction, it's a behavior. Set time limits...they get a certain amount of time whenever you feel it's best.

[JessicaMadison]

Hello,

I know how you feel. My son is like this too. But, instead of weening him off it set limits like Dadu said.

Like my son isn't allowed to play with his video games, computer until he's done chores, homework etc. And on the weekends he's allowed 2 hours at the most per day.

Encourage them to call their buddies and hang out with them. I don't know, but it's tough.

[AmyBelle]

Like the others said, they dont need to be weaned off it. When Rebekah got a DS for her birthday she wouldnt go anywhere without it. It got ridiculous, so I took it off her and told her that it dosent come back until she realises that its not needed to have fun. Then, when she showed that she was fine without it, it came back, if it got excessive, it went again. Now she plays it for about half an hour every other day and I havent had to take it off her for over a month.

[Aunt]

time limits are good or I try to take an "only if" approach. That is only if the homework is done, you have showered & brushed your teeth, helped load the dishwasher etc.
This eliminates too much time

[eileenandjim]

Excellent, thank you very much. I do the 2 hour a day limit, and there is heavy-duty protesting. I agree with the idea of playing with friends, and the "only if" strategy.
I would like to ask what addiction means to Dadu. If I drink alcohol because I am an alcoholic and I cannot stop, I would agree that drinking is a behavior. However the inability to stop or the brain state induced by the alcohol is the addiction. With your argument, if I were an alcoholic I could just say that I had a behavior, not an addiction. The dopamine rush that goes along with these games and beating the levels and the bosses is very powerful, I think maybe more so for boys like mine--I don't see little girls that go at it as avidly as my 5 and 7 year old boys do. I'm sure there are some, but these guys wake up and look for something video based, and left to their own devices would even forget to eat just to get to the next level, beat the boss, etc. Occasionally these games are a little delightful, like crayon physics, for instance...but most of the time I find these things really really boring. I think there is addiction at work here as I understand the word addiction.
Eileen

[Dadu2004]

While I see your point, alcohol is a drug that changes the makeup of the body. The body gets to the point where it needs the alcohol. Same with drugs, cigarettes, etc. I don't see that with video games. While I don't doubt that there is a dopamine rush, and it certainly is powerful, I don't see it being on the same level as an addiction.

Either way...how's it going with the limit?

[Aunt]

you know I dont know if it is an addiction or not but I can see your concern 2 hrs is plenty & while there is always a little initial resistance most kids get used to a rule. Can you "trick" em into less time.
Like perhaps 1 night a week is board game night with no video games or tv or if they play a sport then that eliminates a few hours.

[bigearl67]

Something I would like to add to all the fine advice you are getting: Set times for homework, dinner, sleep and chores. Between two of these put in the video game time. That will eliminate long hours spent not learning and not make you out to be the “villain”.

[Xero]

This thread is OLD. Please read the rules!

Very cute babies though.