Limiting electronics during summer for 12yr old DS1....possible??

[Doryzurich]

I need some help please. My DS1 who turns 13 in August would spend all day every day playing 'Minecraft' given a chance. If I tell him to do something else he'll grab his PSP/laptop/wii and play something else (electronic). He's been a full boarder for the last year (we were out of the country until recently) and so when he has been home at weekends, I haven't minded him 'zoning out' with electronics, but now the summer's here what is everyone planning to do with their DS's??

We're new to the area so no local friends, he's not into sport and refuses to go to summer camp - and to top it off DS2 is only 3yrs old so they have very little in common. How much should I limit his electronic use? Any suggestions for stuff to do - happy to take them out a couple of times a week.

Or should I just chill out,, let him play a few hours a day and just make sure he does some chores to break it up every day....???

Any help, advice, suggestions would be great.....

[shrimponastick]

I hear you.

MyDS is 14 - and spends every hour when he is not at school or asleep on his laptop.

It will not be happening all day every day in the school holidays. So I will be giving him a time limit for electronics.

I try and encourage him to do other stuff, like helping to make dinner or do outdoor jobs like gardening, painting fences etc. Once he gets involved he does enjoy it but protests beforehand.

I dont' have any more advice than that - it is difficult. Hard to cope with the stroppiness too when you tell them that enough is enough.

[Doryzurich]

Out of interest - what time does yr 14yr old go to sleep? Does he stay up watching tv with you until you go to bed? My DS1 has got into this habit which has been fine when I haven't seen him for a couple of weeks, but I really like my own time inthe evenings watching 'my' rubbish tv and I'm thinking of instigating 'adult time' from, say, 9pm when he'll have to go upstairs, shower (shock/horror), then read until he's tired. But don't know if this is unfair or not........??

[Doryzurich]

Oh - and also shrimponastick - how long is yr time limit going to be??

[shrimponastick]

Ds does tend to hangn out in his own room anyway - but with the new rulings in the hols he won't be.

He has supper at 9pm and then it is bedtime. He is allowed to watch tv or read until 10/10.30pm at the latest. Weekends are the same times. I want to watch tv with DH on an evening - and some of the shows aren't suitable Nothing bad, just stuff like True Blood and Game of Thrones etc.

I think he will be allowed 2/3 hours per day. I can understand that it is a relaxing thing to do, gaming and general playing on the computers. Heck - I spend a lon gtime on the internet some days, but no-one is policing me.

And new parents think that the baby years are the hardest!! [grin)

[AdventuresWithVoles]

My holiday rule is 2 hours/day, but only 5 days/week, allocation per child, for screen time but not including phone or DSi.
However, I have 4 DC & they can trade or share time, so the reality is more than 2 hours/day playing Minecraft.

[ibbydibby]

Boys got PS3 for Christmas in 2009. I worried that they would spend hours on it over summer hols, so for both summer hols 2010 and 2011, I announced that it too was going "on holiday". Packed it away the day they broke up, and it came out when they went back to school.

May seem a bit extreme and/or draconian, but it seemed a happier option than constantly arguing over time slots.

Do you have any non-sporty summer hol activities he may consider? Think he needs to be encouraged to go "out there" if you are new to area.