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

Orville-Langston, 2007-07-30 10:48:38
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.

2007-08-01 17:05:32 Fidel-Newlove 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.

2007-07-30 12:47:39 Phylis-Elinor wrote: It would be ideal to know how often he plays video games when you're not there looking after him. If he's allowed to just sit there and play video games all the time, then obviously there's the root of the issue. Since he's obessesed with video games, it might be a good idea for the parents to remove the video game system for a least a week. As you know, it's really not healthy for any child of any age to only think about video games. With the removal of the video game systems, he will have to find other ways to entertain himself. If he's still complaining about not being able to play video games after a week, continue to withhold the system. If it takes 2 months for him to realize that he can have fun without video games, so be it. Also, there is no need to explain to him why the video game system is being taken away. Of course, he will throw a fit regardless, so a good idea would be to take the system away while he is not around (or in bed for the night). All you have to say when he (most likely) asks why is something to the effect of we're going to take a break from them. This should work, as long as the system is not given back prematurely - wait until he seems to have forgotten about video games. It may take a very long time, but in the end, it will be better for his mental health.

2007-07-30 12:33:07 Ricardo-Wegley 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.