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Question for the Dads

LOCAL669

New Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
1,079
Hey guys, need a little advice or input from some other dads. I have an awesome 16 mnth old and a great 7 yr old. My oldest is pretty much an athlete, he plays football, soccer, baseball and wrestling. He is non stop running around but recently he got a couple of those video games that you plug into the tv. This games are like kid crack, he always wants to play them. I was just wondering if anyone here has kids around the same age and if so do you put a limit on how much your kids can play video games? It drives me a up a wall when all he wants to do is play these things.. I have been letting him play for about 30 min a night. Usually he has some sort of wrestling practice so its usually every other night.

Just wondering.

Thank You.
 
I have two boys (6 and 8) and they love their X-box 360 that Santa brought them. Before that we had the regular X-box for years. They also enjoy playing on the computer. Oh ... they also have the DS handheld vieo game system. :whistling:

You are not alone in your dilema. My boys want to play all the time. Recently we had to institute a no video games policy until homework is done. This generally works out to a no video games during the week because of homework, dinner, baths, Daddy's TV time and then it is bedtime.

This of course means more time on the weekends and we have to limit that. Not that difficult because they are both really active. We sometimes have to place time limits but recently with the bad weather this has not been much of an issue as they cannot go outside to play.

At first this was a hassle as they would fight it. Once they get used to the rules it is really no big deal.

Good Luck.

- Jason
 
Well I sat in front the tv and played PONG for hours at a time and look how I turned out....eh...well... :D

I actually would sit and play video games with mine. Was a long time ago though. He would ask me all the time if he could play, however I wouldn't allow it except for at night after homework and bath was done. Then maybe. I really didn't have to worry about it as he and I both were more the outdoors type. Pretty day? We're outside! Nassy day? Video games, movies, board games, etc. However, I never really saw anything wrong with playing games or watching tv or uh...being on the computer 24/7? :laugh:
 
My 9 year old has a Playstation 2 and is playing NHL 2K8 as we speak. He's done well in school and has been on the honor roll each 9 weeks so as long as he does good in school, shows respect to my wife and I, I really don't limit him that much on his games. Some may disagree with my philosophies on this, but as long as he behaves and does good in school, I let him play.
 
My 9 year old has a Playstation 2 and is playing NHL 2K8 as we speak. He's done well in school and has been on the honor roll each 9 weeks so as long as he does good in school, shows respect to my wife and I, I really don't limit him that much on his games. Some may disagree with my philosophies on this, but as long as he behaves and does good in school, I let him play.

Ditto that.
 
My son is 20 now and grew up playing video games. He still plays 360 online daily. I never limited his time playing, never had a reason to. He has always been a good student and did a good job of managing his time. To some extent I think it helped his hand/eye coordination and timing, don't laugh. BTW, where we live it's often 108-110 in the summer months and he spent almost all summer playing online.

Last year at 19 he was hired by Ratheon and an intern and given a full ride to school. So far he is earning a 4.0. I think in his case I made the right decision to let him play.
Great kid, doesn't even smoke cigars.
 
My boys are 3 years old and 5 months old, so most of you have more experience than I do. Like Brian said, it's basically a philosophy thing. I would limit them on the video games just as I would limit them on television; and when video game time is up it does not mean television time begins. They're one in the same to me, mental masturbation. I really don't buy the hand/eye coordination bit. How could playing a baseball video game possibly compare to actually playing baseball? The other thing I don't like about vids and television is that they have become an easy way for parents to avoid parenting. We all need a break from time to time (my kid is watching Star Wars O.G. as I type), but he's not going to watch the whole f'n thing. That's my only point. Soon as I hit send, I'm back to hanging out. I think some watercolors are on the agenda.

Wanted to add: We all hope our kids do well in school, but I question how much grade point averages really matter. Yeah, you need decent grades for higher education, but grades are (IMO) not an indication of intelligence, common sense, or practical survival skills. My previous boss (a Presidentially appointed position) graduated Summa Cum Laude from Yale Law, and she would let you know about it. She happened to be one of the stupidest people I've ever met in my 34 years on this planet. And brothers, I am not trying to discredit any of your bright kids. Good for them and good for all of you. It's just a point I'm a touch passionate about.
 
If there's something else for him to do (clean room, homework, etc.) then make sure that's done first. If he's like my 8 year old, though, you have to get on him several times about it, but they eventually figure it out. If there's nothing else to do and you're not going to play outside with him, then let 'em play. :)
 
Homework is king! Everything is for the most part after the work is done. It's worked for us.
 
If the homework is done when my stepson gets home, he can play his Wii. He loves being outside and get bored rather quickly, so we don't have to worry about him playing for hours. We play as a family also, so that makes it easier to regulate.

As long as this priorities are right, I don't see a problem w/ an hour or so of game playing.
 
I have a 7yr old girl and a 5yr old boy. Two of the most creative kids I've ever seen (wife's genes obviously). My girl loves to do the Webkinz thing online and the boy likes games on NickJr and Disney. If they've done their reading and flashcards for the night or on a slow weekend, we let them on for an hour or so. Like it's been said already, in moderation it's no big deal.
 
I use video game times as a reward for after homework & chores.
 
My seven year old would never leave the screen if he didn't have to during the winter months. In order to teach responsiblility as well as time management I allow him 2 hours a week to be played when he chooses. When his time is up it is up. Now he plans his week to include his game time and saves it when he knows friends are coming over on the weekend. I also allow him extra 15min increments he can earn by going over and beyond his chores and for A's on tests. I do the same with television and it works out great. Fortunately, he would rather be reading than doing either of the other things and he can do that as often as he would like. BTW, if you have boys this age, pick up the Captian Underpants, Ricky Ricotta, and Super Diaper Baby series by Dav Pilkey. Jake laughs himself to tears while reading and the subject matter is perfect humor for little guys.
 
Man, you guys are easy on your kids. I have one of my eight year olds selling rock to the neighborhood and the other 8 year old is learning how to use a bent coat hanger to beat my bitches, one of which is the 16 year old. Get 'em off the videos and teach 'em real life, is my philosphy.
 
Man, you guys are easy on your kids. I have one of my eight year olds selling rock to the neighborhood and the other 8 year old is learning how to use a bent coat hanger to beat my bitches, one of which is the 16 year old. Get 'em off the videos and teach 'em real life, is my philosphy.

So who sells the butt plugs?
 
Man, you guys are easy on your kids. I have one of my eight year olds selling rock to the neighborhood and the other 8 year old is learning how to use a bent coat hanger to beat my bitches, one of which is the 16 year old. Get 'em off the videos and teach 'em real life, is my philosphy.

So who sells the butt plugs?

I thought I'd been paying you to do that for the last six months.
 
My son is also an athlete and loves football and wrestling. He also lovea the outdoors. However we do have video games. We have not yet had to set limits. My son is pretty good about getting out to play. Plus he has wresting practice 4 days a week and mathces on the weekends.

Now, the one we are having to set limits with is our 13 yr old daughter. she is addicted to her cell phone. When I took it from her on Monday for an hour, after expressing my concern for how much she is on it and not doing much else on the weekends, she cried in her room for that hour.
 
Our now 16 year old daughter pretty much lost interest as soon as she gained it so there were not many problems there................... But our 10 year old daughter is another story.
She has a hand held DS that she likes to sneak with her to bed at night. Her Play Station time is limited to 1 hour a day and I have purchased some other games for her DS like Flash Focus and a few other things that make her think while she plays it for no more than 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day after homework, dinner, chores and bath time are complete.
Both the DS and the Play Station are also taken away as a matched set when things don't go so well.
 
If I ever see one of those damn things in my house I'll smash it into a million pieces. Oh, gotta go to my anger management class. John
 
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