Computer/Video Game Time Limit

[kamalani]

How much time do you think is acceptable for a 12 year old boy to spend on computer games or video games on a school day? How about during a vacation or on the weekend? Just curious.

[applejuice]

I always tried, but was never successful, to deny videogame use on school days. The mental pattern and efforts used to play videogames are incompatible with studying on a school day.

On weekends, I tried, but was never successful, to limit use to one hour time periods for video games, balances with reading a book or yard work. I set the timer on the stove to remind me.

alittle :OT but
People always talk about homeschoolers not having enough social interaction. Video games completely shut down social interaction. Children stare at a screen and interact with finger motions, i.e., hand/eye coordination, a good skill to acquire, but not at the exclusivity of social interaction or reading.

Anyway, thank you for letting me say that.

Videogames are addictive. The time they take from other activities is awesome, and the parent needs to be aware of the time it takes from other valuable activities.

Thank you for this post.:wave

[calgal007]

I think the time limit depends on the individual. Our rule is that ds must set the timer on the stovetop for thirty minutes. Then he may play a computer game. After that, he's finished. He can only do a game after homework and his thirty-minute reading requirement has been met.

It sucks to have to police him like this, but I'm sure not going to turn loose on society an adult who's spent his childhood staring at a screen, shooting things.

[Dar]

My almost 11-yr old has spent quite a bit of time lately shooting things on her gameboy screen. She also plays her Sim families and plays Roller Coaster Tycoon, where she kills people more indirectly, like by starving them to death or dropping them into big lakes and letting them drown.

If she IMs a friend and describes how she killed her latest Sim family, then it's social interaction, no?

Really, she's a lovely child...

Dar

[kamalani]

:argue:

My ds and I argue about the value of video games. He's a kind and non-violent boy, but it troubles me to see him drive cars like a maniac and shoot at will. He says that he knows it's just a game and can get his aggressions out vicariously. I'm afraid he's going to become a cruel, cold and hardened person who thinks a gun is the solution to all problems.

I guess they don't make video games where you go plant daisies, and if they did, no one would buy them because those who like that type of thing would just go out and do it.

[vwmama]

My dh makes video games, I hate video games. So far he's only worked on sports titles and some others, not really violent games. BUT..... He owns at least 5 different game systems and almost every game out there. He makes it his hobby to trade, borrow, and play so many games and it makes me sick! My ds is now 6 years old and he has played far more games than what he should have. I have a picture of him at 2 or 3 playing a racing game and now I have another ds who I am afraid is headed down the same path. WAY TOO many games to play. Very addictive, it's all my ds wants to do, it causes a lot of problems in our house. I'm wondering about repetitive motion injury with these vibrating controllers. My dd didn't play many video games until dh brought home a new one a couple of months ago about creating your own town and now she too is addicted. They have to play everyday, holidays included because something new and exciting will be happening in "town."

I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. I allow 2 "tickets" which is supposed to mean they get 2 chances to play for 30 minutes a "ticket". I am finding out that it's difficult to stick to during the weekends and on vacations when they are playing more, like when friends come over and want to play. Plus lately they've been playing in the morning before we get up, factor in watching regular tv and they are "hooked" up all day to the dang tv. My kids will have used their "tickets" plus their morning play and dh will come home and then he wants to play so they sit around watching each other play so total time spent is far too long in my book!

On a side note, I don't think all parents know how violent some of these games really are. I feel teens are at risk for being unmonitored by their parents. They can get free games off the internet or trade with friends. There are x-rated games (super violent and rapes occur) which I couldn't believe when I accidentally saw it. Another milder example is teenage mutant ninja turtles, it is rated E for everybody and all I hear when that is on is very loud, aggressive fighting sounds such as you'd expect in an adult game where people are trying to kill each other, meanwhile the turtles are fighting away onscreen. I have banned the sound to be up on that one. I am very concerned about the mental health of our children today with all this crap they are immersing themselves in daily. That goes for tv too!!

OK off :soapbox

[AmandasMom]

It depends on the game I think. MMRPG's such as Everquest, SWG, DAoC, you can't do anything in 30 mins worthwhile, 2 hours would be ok for those types of games. As for all others, that also depends on the game. Puzzle games, educational games probably a few hours. "Action" games, 30 mins. My husband and I met playing Quake II 5 years ago, so we are both very open when it comes to games.

I am trying to get us into board games though. I love board games, and it involves the whole family, and is much fun:)

[ekblad9]

My kids get a half hour per day of EITHER Nintendo or computer time. They absolutely cannot play before 3 pm on school days (we homeschool). Sometimes I'll let it slide on the weekend and give them 45 minutes. I'm very anti TV and video games. I don't allow Teen games or up and no shooting or violance. I'm a fun mom, huh?:LOL

[leighli]

My boys are 12 1/2 and 15 1/2. We have a pc, but no tv video games. They also have gameboys but I think they are lost or broken or something. We used to allow 30 min a day, but it got on my nerves so badly that now they only get 30 min on Sat/Sun. Also oldest ds grades were not so hot last quarter so he is off totally until he raises them.

Call me the mean mom, but I hate computer games. I think so many kids are spoiled in so many ways by them.

[sohj]

Zero.

0

Nada. Zilch.

Read The Plug-In Drug by Marie Winn, pub. by Penguin (I think) http://www.socialsciencesweb.com/The_PlugIn_Drug_Television_Computers_and_Family_Li fe_0142001082.html

[3boysmom]

We allow 45 minutes a day on school days and 1 hour a day on weekends. We call this their "screen time" allowance and it includes playstation, gameboy and computer. My kids are nearly 13, 9 and 6.