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AIBU?

Sharing Nintendo Switch

35 replies

Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 08:16

Is it unreasonable to ask 7 year old to spend 15 mins on mario cart with his 4 year old brother at some point today? Stroppy and unwilling to share at all, I've told him he can't go on today unless he is willing to share?? AIBU?

(Was also unwilling to show a friend how to play recently, no problems with sharing otherwise and he's generally a good boy).

OP posts:

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IceRebel · 03/03/2019 08:29

That would depend on if the 4 year old knows how to play the game or not.

If he has no idea what he is doing, then I can imagine it would be rather frustrating for the 7 year old to have to play as his character and also help the 4 year old as well. Also if the youngest doesn't know how to play, I can already anticipate the crying and moaning about "I can't do it".

I'm sure there are other games / activities they can share together, which won't cause meltdowns or frustration for the two of them.

Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 08:34

Thanks for your reply, 4 year old doesn't know how to play, I just wanted 7 yr old to spend 15 mins showing him the basics, they are very different and I struggle to get them to play together. X

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LongWalkShortPlank · 03/03/2019 08:38

I would think the 4 year old would just get upset. Mario kart is pretty easy, but not for a child that age, he'll just run into walls. Why not buy them minecraft, which is a bit easier or have them play with lego or something instead?

bungaloid · 03/03/2019 08:41

Mario Kart has settings to auto accelerate and auto steer. Put those on and maybe the tilt controls and the 4 yr old should be fine.

llangennith · 03/03/2019 08:49

Yes YABU

SD1978 · 03/03/2019 08:51

Whose is the switch? If a joint present, maybe fair enough a if this is his, he's u der no obligation to share with anyone IMO- we all have something we would r choose to share- maybe this is his?

3boysandabump · 03/03/2019 09:06

Is he worried that he's going to mess up his game? If he is you can set up a profile for the 4 year old so he won't have any effect on the older child's game

Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 09:10

It was bought for 7 yr old at Christmas, he wasn't willing to play with a friend he had round, he just said no it's mine! I know it's his but I think he should be willing play with others on it to a certain point on occasion!

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Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 09:11

He dose play quite happy on it with my partners son though! I need to have a talk with him.

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Zebedee88 · 03/03/2019 09:14

It's 15 minutes...he should play with his brother

IceRebel · 03/03/2019 09:15

It was bought for 7 yr old at Christmas

but I think he should be willing play with others on it to a certain point on occasion!

It's up to your 7 year old to decide if he wants to share it with others, as it's his present. You can't give him a gift with conditions attached. If he doesn't want to share that's his decision. I'm sure your 4 year old has plenty of his own toys, and if the console were to be be broken by the younger child it wouldn't be fair on the eldest.

Soubriquet · 03/03/2019 09:17

Yes!

My almost 6 year old and almost 4 year old share.

They love playing mario cart together.

Even Pokemon is shared. Dd moves the person, ds catches the Pokemon

BlueSkiesLies · 03/03/2019 09:17

Is there anything they like doing together?

I’m not sure ‘forcing’ the 7 year old over this is going to do much for brotherly relationships.

Can’t you plan to do something super fun with the 4 year old that you know the 7 year old would want to join in with?

Birdsgottafly · 03/03/2019 09:21

OP, post pictures of your make-up/jewellery, so we can decide what you should share.

You should be showing your 4 year old how to play. Your DS will get the hang of it, my four year old GD got one for Christmas and now has the hang of it.

It's really unfair that elder children have to babysit/teach younger Siblings, unless they want to.

Will the four year old respect it, will you replace it if he breaks it? Its not his toy, he's going to put less value on it.

Likewise his friends. What are you going to do if a Friend breaks it?

Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 09:24

They are good out and about but at home 7 yr old is a screenaholic (I limit access or it would be all day and try and encourage other play, he will read and Lego a bit and play with figures), 4 yr old loves hot wheels, trains anything with wheels and doesn't like screens as a rule but really wants to play Mario!!!!

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Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 09:26

I'm willing to sit with the 4 yr old and help whist they play, I don't really know what to do!!!!!!!

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Whattodo13333 · 03/03/2019 09:26

Lots of different opinions!

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Soubriquet · 03/03/2019 09:27

Put it on the tv and split the controls that way.

Older ds can play alone, younger ds can play with you helping.

Vulpine · 03/03/2019 09:28

I wouldn't be happy if my 7 year old had a nintendo switch

VampirinaHauntley · 03/03/2019 09:31

Yanbu! Put the auto controls on and motion control and they can play no problem.

My 8 year old and 3 year old play it together

Spiderpants · 03/03/2019 09:31

I have a 5, 7 & 9 year olds (youngest was 3 when we got it) with a shared switch they are all expected to share and help each other or they don't get to play.
Mario kart is a great game to learn on of you put it on easiest level as you only really have to do steering.
If mine refused to share or help each other I would take the switch away!

musicposy · 03/03/2019 09:33

I personally think it's unfair to be trying to make him do this. It was his Christmas present, so his property, and Christmas wasn't very long ago. Goodness, if I'd been given a switch for Christmas I might feel the same! I'm sure you have some things you wouldnt share.

I'm NOT saying he shouldn't share things, but this is a bit of a precious possession at the moment. I think if you want him to value his stuff you have to let him have a little bit of ownership of it.

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IceRebel · 03/03/2019 09:34

with a shared switch they are all expected to share and help each other or they don't get to play.

But this isn't a shared switch, it was a present for the 7 year old at Christmas.

ZeldaPrincessOfHyrule · 03/03/2019 09:34

Yep, what bungaloid said. Motion controls and auto everything should do the trick. Works for my 3 yr old when he plays with his brother. I tend to sit the little one on my knee and 'help' if necessary but mostly I get told he can do it himself. They don't have to just race either, try some of the other games.

Bananasarenottheonlyfruit · 03/03/2019 09:36

We will only ever have one console, no way will it ever be considered as belonging to one child over the other. They are a shared resource and any child that refused to play with the other for a miserly 15 minutes would not be playing on it at all that day.

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