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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have said a firm NO to Minecraft for a 6 year old?

75 replies

Crouchendmumoftwo · 17/03/2014 23:43

My son is constantly begging me to get Minecraft saying all his friends play it, he played it because some friends we met yesterday let their kids play on it and he was obsessively playing in their iPad throughout the day, much to my annoyance. My husband is saying we can limit his use and get him to do tasks to earn time on it. I'd rather not and I dont want him constantly nagging to go on it. I feel his time should be spent elsewhere and not glued to Minecraft. Am I being unreasonable, my son and husband think I am...?

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 17/03/2014 23:45

Do you let him watch TV? If so, why not swap some of his TV time for Minecraft.

As computer games go, it's pretty harmless. A bit like Lego.

BiscuitMillionaire · 17/03/2014 23:46

I can see both sides. It can be quite creative, educational even. Maybe better than passively watching TV. But it is addictive so you would have to limit it strictly.

MrsCakesPremonition · 17/03/2014 23:49

I'm not clear why you are more opposed to Minecraft than any other game - I assume you already have games for your DS on a tablet or similar?

I am not sure why you are unwilling to compromise, or why you get to impose the rules in spite of your DH disagreeing.

IMO YABU not to at least discuss it and look for ways of making it work.

Original poster
Crouchendmumoftwo · 17/03/2014 23:49

Yes I do let him watch TV, but he gets up and kicks a ball or fiddles with something and I feel he is not obesssing. With Minecraft he is glued to it with his head down and it feels wrong. I dont want to have to constantly say no and come off it now. My husband thinks it's a bit of fun and Im being too strict.

OP posts:
Mrskeylime · 17/03/2014 23:49

It is educational and you could limit his time and sit with him. It's a sandbox game so children can play on it at whatever their level of ability is. If all his friends are on it (they probably will be) he may feel excluded also.

HicDraconis · 17/03/2014 23:50

I think YABU. My sons (6&7) both play Minecraft on a local server. They use mainly creative mode and they've worked together to produce some really amazing things.

They also read voraciously, spend time running around with the dogs on the beach, do 3-4h karate classes a week, plus soccer/hockey. They sleep well :)

Everything in moderation. Screen time can be good for them too.

ClownsLeftJokersRight · 17/03/2014 23:51

It seems a good game from what I've seen of it. My dc love it. As long as they do other stuff too, it seems harmless.

Original poster
Crouchendmumoftwo · 17/03/2014 23:53

Yes he plays Fifa but he turns it off after a while. He plays other games too but they dont feel as nearly as addictive as this. We have lots of rows and and discussions about his iPad use as well which I think can be too much.

Thanks for your posts, I am thinking about it and whether we can control it, however fearful that it will take over and cause constant rows... : /

OP posts:
DioneTheDiabolist · 17/03/2014 23:55

My DS(7) loves it. He plays it. Writes stories about it. Is reading a book about it. And has made himself a sword, pickaxe and Steve mask from cardboard. At half term I took him and his friend to the museum where they spent a ridiculous amount of time in the geology section.

I don't find it difficult to get him to stop playing it on his tablet, I just say stop.

HicDraconis · 18/03/2014 00:03

At 6 he's old enough to understand there is Minecraft time (when you allow it) and time-for-other-stuff.

The deal I've always had with my boys is if they nag for screen time, the answer will be no. They can ask once - if I have other plans and have to say no, then I will work out an hour later in the day when the answer will be yes, but it's at a time of my choosing. Nagging means none for 24h. Sulking if/ when I say "time's up" means none for 24h. I find it helps to give them 10 - 5 - 2 min warnings of time up, then I normally allow an extra couple of minutes to get to a safe place / save progress depending on what they're playing.

After one tantrum when it was turned off resulting in a 24h ban, they've been fine about stopping when I ask.

The difficulty always comes when they ask, you say no. They want to know when they will be allowed, so they keep asking to try and find out. This irritates immensely - so now, I either tell them in the morning that today there will be time for computer games after lunch / breakfast / karate / dog walk etc, they don't bother asking because they know when it will be. I also say if there won't be time at all for computer games that day and they know not to bother asking. Final rule I have is games only at the weekend (Fri night / Sat or Sun day) and Wednesday night midweek, max of 1h per session, 1 session per day. All other screen time is Studyladder only.

Occasionally I've been asked if they can add their Friday hour to Saturday and Sunday and spend 3h building something specific. If I can, I normally say yes to that.

neolara · 18/03/2014 00:05

You big meanie.....

My 2 older dcs have been obsessed by minecraft for the past couple of months, but in the last week have moved onto scratch, which is computer programming for tinies. I'm sure part of their interest has been piqued by the hours they have spent playing on Minecraft. My 7 year old designed and programmed a genuinely good / hard computer game yesterday.

Original poster
Crouchendmumoftwo · 18/03/2014 00:10

Hic Draconis,

Thanks for sharing that with me. Did make me smile about the nagging getting them noowhere. Im going to think about the planned times approach for screentime. Seems like a good idea, if we adhere to it. Maybe we need a time table up on wall now! Food for thought...hmm.

I do feel like a big meanie Neolara...Im softening up a bit!

OP posts:
NurseyWursey · 18/03/2014 00:15

YABU

As long as he's doing homework, things around the house, engaging with you, having rest breaks etc what's the harm? He's entitled to have fun time too.

This aversion to games baffles me. I don't think you'd be bothered if he spent a few hours playing Kerplunk or something. People seem terrified of modern gaming.

NurseyWursey · 18/03/2014 00:17

And it's really fun and educational, much more than FIFA. Can I suggest that you have a go?

HadABadDay2014 · 18/03/2014 00:29

Yabu.

With my DC as long as homework is done, tea has eaten and bedrooms tidy their free time is there's.

Minecraft is awesome.

HadABadDay2014 · 18/03/2014 00:30

Plus me and DS play it together, learning the game together.

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 18/03/2014 01:36

My 3 all play it and are experts at it. My youngest (5) is obsessed with stampylonghead.

SamandCat · 18/03/2014 06:55

'Yes I do let him watch TV, but he gets up and kicks a ball or fiddles with something and I feel he is not obesssing. With Minecraft he is glued to it with his head down and it feels wrong'

It sounds as though you are happier when he isn't focussed than when he is? Most people see concentration as a positive not a negative

ThreeBeeOneGee · 18/03/2014 07:01

Minecraft would be more constructive (literally!) than FIFA. I'm very strict regarding computer time & computer games, but I do allow Minecraft. Single player only for under 11s, though.

MrsWombat · 18/03/2014 07:06

There is nothing wrong with minecraft, however my five year old watches the you tube videos of stampy more than he plays. It replaces some of his tv time.

The problem with the other family was how they manage their screen time. If we have guests the ipad/tv goes off. (Or something neutral goes on the TV all the kids can watch together) We don't take the ipad out of the house, unless it's somewhere like an appointment that might involve a lot of waiting. Ipad goes off when mum/dad says so. Any ipad related whining means no ipad at all.

I also play minecraft with DS, so we build stuff together. If you loads PE on to another ipad or android you can play together over the wireless internet.

BetsyBell · 18/03/2014 07:08

Mine craft is brilliant. I have watched my DSs create an intriguing and exciting world co-operatively and they argue a lot less about it than other video games or choosing tv shows. It is also calm and pleasant to listen to in the background.

Yes, they get hooked on it, but there's no 'save point' to look for, no 'I just need to finish this level' so they can just stop when asked or when their designated time is up. Plus if they do get hooked then it is an easy thing to use as a bribe/reward for good work/behaviour and an excellent sanction for bad behaviour.

I think it's awesome.

piratecat · 18/03/2014 07:09

i would let him it's a great game. though dd downloaded survival craft to her phone. it was cheaperSmile

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 18/03/2014 07:14

Invest in a timer, when the timer goes off then so does mine craft!

Levantine · 18/03/2014 07:16

A timer and a five minute warning before its time to stop. Minecraft is great I think. My ds is 7 and he made me a minehouse treehouse the other day. I was chuffed

wonderingsoul · 18/03/2014 07:19

as games goes.. i really do think its one of the best for kids. no real violeance, they learn m,aths/science.. construction.. they use thier imagination.. etc

it can be addicting.. but this is where you as a grown up step in and place time alloments.

i say go for it. Smile

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