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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have let DS (5) spend all day on the x-box (also most of the Xmas holidays)

96 replies

FatArsedSofaSloth · 09/01/2016 15:43

I get quite worried that it may affect his eyesight/brain.

He doesn't want to go out on his new bike and I can't be arsed to make him, it's wet and grey and he will whinge, pretend he can't pedal and we will give up after 5 mins anyway.

I have set up painting and he painted a rainbow which took precisely 2 minutes so now have all the paint to clear away for nothing!

I can't stand taking him to softplay paying for over priced warm mochas for me and slushies that give him brain freeze, and the other DC are 'rude' to him and hit him anyway. I did my duty last week.

He is snotty so swimming is out and I am so fat, I can't risk it for fear of being harpooned.

If he had friends over, he would only want to play on the x-box, ipad anyway, cue disapproving looks from the other parent.

We have done the library already this week after school.

He has been on there on and off since 8am Shock, DH let him on it before he went to work Angry. It's all he talks of from the time he gets up.

He is quite happy when on it although gets a bit red faced through to the stress of being eaten.

Other (teenage) DC have been on their phones/fighting with little DS for x-box/raiding the fridge all day.

Feel like a shit parent. Obviously when spring comes we will be out and about more on weekends.

Am I BU to leave him in peace (making him run on the spot occasionally) until then?

OP posts:
TheCatsMeow · 09/01/2016 20:02

Just googled it, Sooty is right it's Socrates not Plato, my mistake.

TheCatsMeow · 09/01/2016 20:03

Lurked at least that's consistent. I feel gaming gets attacked unnecessarily.

BackforGood · 09/01/2016 20:05

Of course YABU.
You've even answered yourself in your OP
Not sure why you are angry at your dh letting him go on it for an hour(?) before he went off to work, but then yyou have let him sit on it for the next 7 hours Confused
You are the parent, and of course it is down to you to control the exposure he gets to it.

Atenco · 09/01/2016 20:06

I agree with "melonribena". I'm not judging you, OP, because it is hard to keep a child entertained, the trouble is he would be a lot better at entertaining himself if he weren't addicted to xbox.

ShamefulPlaceMarker · 09/01/2016 20:19

This reply has been deleted

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ShamefulPlaceMarker · 09/01/2016 20:26

Any sedentary activity needs to be broken up with a bit of exercise, which doesn't mean going for a run, but just moving around preferably outside, or playing with toys, play fighting with siblings/parents etc

ItsANewDayToday · 09/01/2016 20:57

TheCatsMeow I get what you are saying but I don't agree with you. I was a gamer pre kids and my youngest is 19 so that's a loooong time. I bought my first Nintendo DS en they were first released 25 years ago. (It still works) My family love gaming and we still play 'en famille' Mario Party never gets old I understand our kids socialise online and that there are lots of advantages of online gaming.

However there is no way I would have allowed a 5 year old to play for hours and hours on an xbox. The reason being is that playing computer games for hours on end does something weird to DC, something that reading or watching TV doesn't. It's too mesmerising for little kids and is too addictive for them. Something that is demonstrated by the fact that little kids like the OPs will happily do nothing else for hours on end. My DCs loved reading but there was no way they would have at reading for hours and hours on end when they were five.

My DC would go into a sort of stupor if allowed unlimited access to computer games, for example, when we were flying on international flights. It's not healthy.
Parents that use computer games as babysitters regularly are LAZY. I'll happily admit to doing it on occasion but to do it regularly is bad parenting.

It does depend on what games and games system yuor kids are playing some are a LOT better than others. Playing a 'boardgame' on games system is not the same as letting your 5 year old play unlimited missions on GTA Wink

ItsANewDayToday · 09/01/2016 20:59

Meh, too many typos Blush

sunnyshowers · 09/01/2016 21:51

Mine got a Ps for Xmas and they play the junior mind craft together building world's and is great to see.
However now school is back all their technology (tablets and ps) get our into a box and on a Sunday evening they re out away and taken to dad's work till Friday. They're not in the house so there's no rows and it is the best thing I've ever done. One of mine gets v grumpy (ok he's verges on that all the time anyway) but he's mood improves and I firmly believe it s better. The school week is homework, activities and old school playing and is s decent balance I think

Choughed · 09/01/2016 22:01

He needs exercise to grow up healthy and strong. Can he join a sports club which has weekend classes?

Children need minimum 1 hour per day. Even your teens.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 09/01/2016 22:37

not Socrates or Plato (and it's quite hard to attribute a quote to Socrates rather than Plato anyway given that most of what we know about Socrates is through Plato's writings)

Youknowitmakessense · 09/01/2016 22:40

Sorry. I'm a lax parent, but honestly no. I notice real changes in my son after too much screen time.

Lego?

My son loves that ( I know not same for everyone)

Stories

Have an early bath? Splash around okay with bath toys?

Make biscuits?

Get him to help with cleaning ( I know, I know but mine loves the spray thing)

Play date?

I'm really not that brill at patenting, but honestly I think too much in the way of x box is not good for young developing brains.

BadLad · 09/01/2016 22:56

I bought my first Nintendo DS en they were first released 25 years ago.

They were released in 2004. Do you mean Gameboy?

FixItUpChappie · 09/01/2016 23:25

"I really do sympathise though - the weekends are shit"

I really can grasp this point of view TBH. What is better than weekends with a 5 yr old? There is time to cuddle in pjs, play, go out, do creative things AND to sit around watching a movie etc. Weekends are my idea of heaven.

FixItUpChappie · 09/01/2016 23:37

I mean that I can't grasp.....

ItsANewDayToday · 09/01/2016 23:42

Badlad I did mean game boy. Blush The bulky grey one. I think it cost me £65 which was a lot of money for me then. I can't really remember though.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 09/01/2016 23:43

Screen time is like heroin for kids - unfortunately !

It's so bloody addictive and they don't want to do anything else once they start

LyndaNotLinda · 09/01/2016 23:44

You're worried about going on a walk with a 5 year old in isolated areas? What on earth do you think will happen? Confused

If your older DC are old enough to be left at home, leave them, otherwise make them come too.

Go on a walk. Rain and wind isn't going to kill anyone and will make you all feel a lot better.

BadLad · 09/01/2016 23:47

Badlad I did mean game boy. The bulky grey one. I think it cost me £65 which was a lot of money for me then. I can't really remember though.

I still have mine, and it works perfectly. The Tetris game that came with it has long since been lost, unfortunately.

ItsANewDayToday · 10/01/2016 00:03

Badlad I'm sure I have my Tetris game boy game somewhere.

I was playing Tetris on the N64 with DS1 over xmas with DS1. It's such a playable game. I think we have been playing it together since it first came out. There's nothing like some retro gaming to while away a few hours but not if you are 5

Nataleejah · 10/01/2016 08:41

My DS1 and DS2 are glued to Minecraft. Despite being allowed Assasins Creed, COD, and Skyrim

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