[lilylove]

Dd wants a D.S. for Christmas, but I'm just not sure how I feel about it. Dh is all for it. I'm concerned that it's just not the healthiest and that she would spend time playing with it instead of other activities like creative play, and exercise. Dh says it's our job as the parents to limit it, but then he isn't the one who will actually be in the position of doing that

So what is your thoughts and experiences? Does your child have one? Do you like it? hate it?

 

[library lady]

My oldest is 7 and we got our girls a PS2 last year for Christmas when DD was 6. I researched some of the games that were available and liked what I saw. All we could afford was the PS2. There are quite a few kids/learning games for most gaming systems these days. We haven't had any problems with it at all. There will be days that the kids want to play but they will also go for weeks without ever touching it. Of course, we have the computer and a bunch of other activities that they can do at any given time.

 

[E's Mama]

My son got a Nintendo DS last year (he was 6 at the time). He wanted it so badly, and now that he has it he forgets about it for weeks at a time. IMO, there are many more age appropriate games for the Nintendo than the other gaming systems. We bring the DS for long car trips, and it has worked out nicely.
Good luck!

 

[4evermom]

We don't have a gaming system but ds plays online games. I strongly suspect that when the game system is new, it'll get played for quite a bit but it will quickly become self limited until you get a new game for it. Then it will get played quite a bit again until the new game is mastered and then the usage will peter out again. I see this pattern all the time with ds. So if you aren't getting a new game every week, it's unlikely that the usage will be over the top. But expect it to ebb and flow as new games come into the house. It's a pretty natural way for people to learn, to immerse themselves in something new and intriguing until they feel they have it figured out.

 

[lilylove]

Thanks for your experiences everyone!!
Keep em coming

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4evermom We don't have a gaming system but ds plays online games. I strongly suspect that when the game system is new, it'll get played for quite a bit but it will quickly become self limited until you get a new game for it. Then it will get played quite a bit again until the new game is mastered and then the usage will peter out again. I see this pattern all the time with ds. So if you aren't getting a new game every week, it's unlikely that the usage will be over the top. But expect it to ebb and flow as new games come into the house. It's a pretty natural way for people to learn, to immerse themselves in something new and intriguing until they feel they have it figured out.

Really good points!! Thanks!!

 

[StephandOwen]

My ds (5 years old) got a Leapster last Christmas. He still loves it. The games can get a little boring and predictable but since ds has autism he loves things that repeat over and over and over again. He mostly uses it on long car trips (from kentucky to michigan and back) and a little here and there.

 

[williamsmommy2002]

Both of my kids got one last year(they were 3 and 5). They had been playing with daddy's before then. They play with them off and on. Ds1 isn't too into video games. Ds1 is but usually plays the bigger system in the house. It is really nice for the car and if we are out doing something that is hard for the kids to handle. I would say that they get played on a weekly basis and they would be played more if they weren't bored of the games we have.

 

[TiredX2]

DD & DS both bought their own DSs with their allowance/savings/gift money. DD was 8 and DS was 5.75 (about one month apart in real time).

We keep the DSs for long car trips. As in 40minutes and over. Occasionally they will play them inside.

I wasn't thrilled with the thought of them (they did have Leapsters before them) but they really wanted them and have used them responsibly. They are definately fairly ubiquitous in our area (lots of kids even use them on the school bus).

 

[BookishVonLiberal]

DD got the DS last christmas when she was 6. She is using it to learn French. She has games that are purely for entertainment, too, but but she has learned some cool stuff from the games. It makes traveling more pleasant as well, and waiting in doctor's offices and such.
I have to say, I think the DS is way cool. I got a huge kick out of playing her games when she first got it.

 

[Heavenly]

How about a Nintendo Wii? There are a lot of games that encourage activity. My 6 and almost 8 year old children love the Wii Sports games and all the things on Wii Fit. It is actually my husband's, but the whole family uses it.

 

[TeaghansMama]

we have a family Wii and my 2.5 and 4 year olds love it. they are both getting really good at bowling and my 4 year old loves wii fit.
it totally works for our family. i love when we have family wii nights!

 

[Alyantavid]

We have a PS2 that my 6 year old plays but we do limit it. He could spend hours playing it. I don't think game systems are all bad, in moderation.

He wants a DS for Christmas and we're debating it. Like the op, my dh is all for it.

 

[tm2840]

I have to be the voice of negativity here. DH and I discussed this last year for THREE MONTHS when my 7 yo son wanted a DS from "Santa."

We got it for him (the whole, "disappoint your kids earlier or later" is a spinoff thread, LOL) and while it has been useful for me as a parent (like on airplanes!) it is a LOT OF WORK for me also. My son very easily gets obsessed by it, particularly when he has a new game.

He gets a hefty allowance and can therefore BUY a new game each month or so if he wishes (our allowance is a dollar/year each week and they buy all their own toys, games or snazzy/fancy clothes). I try to let "their money" be "their money" and not put strings on it. He often chooses to buy a game.

That means he has plenty of new games and many many times that the 30 minutes a day limit we set is pushed, and getting him off is a hassle, and it's the first thing he thinks of when he wakes up, etc. It takes effort to get him to do other things; he doesn't do them spontaneously and I see less creativity and art coming from him. Reading and activity levels have remained the same.

Part of this may be the fact the he's very into the Pokemon games and they are (I think) written to keep "pulling the child in" to the next level, the next battle, until they finally "beat the game" and things blessedly die down in our house until he buys a new Pokemon game for his DS.

I sound wishy-washy and I am. This game has been one of the harder things for me to "parent around" in my child's life. I know as they get older that the parenting gets more complex, but dang it! I didn't want a silly handheld video game to be one of those triggers. Separation, friendship, hormones, FINE, but a video game? I was kind of blind-sided by how much this has affected our family.

It goes without saying that this is completely anecdotal!

 

[savannah smiles]

Our 7 yr old dd has had one for almost a year now. When she gets a new game, she plays a lot but, so far, she's been able to regulate herself. I love the DS; it's a lot of fun. She really likes playing the doggie games where you have to take care of them and take them on walks. She'll be getting some new games for Christmas.
Having said all that, my dh works for Microsoft and is a technology geek so our house is very gadget friendly.

 

[Periwinkle]

We are completely video game free. But from everything I've read, I wouldn't worry about it too much with a girl. They don't get totally sucked into it like boys do and it's not as destructive for them. Boys on the other hand... no way.

Some really good (and chilling) books on the subject:

Boys Adrift (Leonard Sax)
Last Child In the Woods (Richard Louv)

 

[lilylove]

Oh, 'Last Child in the Woods' has been on my to read list for forever!!!
I really need to finish the book I'm on and start that.

 

[Mom4tot]

Sandy, we gave Ellie a ds at age 11 for Christmas that year. She was so grateful (and surprised!) because we were kind of against them too. To be fair we gave Ben a used Gameboy (purchased from the Trading post here). They have largely self regulated, BUT I have seen more of an issue with Ben than Ellie when I say it's time to move on. In retrospect, I'm not sure. It's taken more energy than I wish to help regulate Ben, but he really enjoys it. Now they go months without playing their handhelds. They play other computer games however.

Clear as mud?

 

[OakBerry]

My friend's 6 year old son has a DS and he plays it somtimes. His 3 year old sister, however, screams for it the minute she opens her eyes till the minute she closes them. My friend often has to hide it and it's a constant battle with her daughter. She is obsessed with it.

I decided to wait on it. We got ds a Leapster 2 instead. It may be a bit young, but he is not "good" at playing video games anyway, when he is at other kids's houses he just watches because he feels they are too hard to play.
So I think the Leapster will be good for him for a year or two.

We'll probably cave and get some sort of game system when he's 8.

 

[DaughterOfKali]

I'd go with the Nintendo DS. You can buy used games for it at Game Stop (or sometimes Craigslist).

My son liked Leapster 2 for a couple weeks but he's already outgrown it (he'll be 6 this month).

 

[columbusmomma]

Roughly how much does the DS cost?