When did your dc get a switch ( or similar)?

[booklover164]

DS is 7 and a few of his friends are getting Switches for Christmas. I am quite against video games in general but didn’t grow up playing them and can’t see the appeal. I can only see the potential damage. DS has an obsessive personality and it concerns me how he would play on it. DH had games consoles growing up but not as young at 7. He thinks it would be good for DS to have one. For context, we have 2 younger children who are 5 and 2.5. I am concerned about their exposure to it.

What age did your child get a Switch?

We got our eldest one maybe 10/11. She hardly uses it. We do have a 7 year old as well. He plays on it sometimes but not regularly. I would honestly say wait as long as possible. It does cause behavioural issues and I’d rather we didn’t have it at all (Dh bought it, not me).

He was 11. Will probably try and delay it even more for DD’s as I find it sooo depressing watching them going from playing with toys to staring at screens

DS got his when he was 5. Originally we bought it so there was something we can play together when I’m bed bound.
He loves it, but doesn’t play it obsessively, and still finds lots of time to play with his other toys.

I think my eldest was about 8 when he got his but he had previously had a tablet from about 6. It can be hard limiting their time on it but if you commit to it it can be done. You have the final say in how much time he spends on it.

6

Wow so quite a range of ages. Thank you for the input. I do want to wait as long as possible @mindutopia

Mine started getting games consoles around 6

Mine were 4/6, they're still not allowed a tablet though. I think proper video games are 100x better than just mindlessly prodding at shite on a screen.

Eight.

i had twins and no younger children. We controlled screen time quite heavily.

I just got my DS one for his birthday. he turned 8. His brother 9 does have one too. I allow them to play at the weekend. It does cause behaviour issues and I already regret buying it.

When he was four or five. He’s probably used it about a dozen times in the two or three years since.

We did 5 he loves it at nearly 9 tho (obviously too much tech) switches iPad and switch but both too much.
That said his younger sister had at 6 and two years in can take or leave it .

my view really depends on the child!

Never. Well, he is 12 now, but not getting one.

DS was ten - he had to wait until he saved enough money to buy it himself (combo of birthday money, gardening, car washing jobs etc). One of his friends did the same so they shared their 'business' ideas. We are allowed to use his switch as long as we wash our hands.