to think dh is regressing by playing computer games!!!

[kate7]

my dh is a fantastic dad who is really hands on with our two dds, he's a really fun, funny guy, totally supportive (through all sorts of crap from bereavements to suspected brain damage in our second dd, thankfully not the case in the end), he does loads round the house, all the ironing and his fair share of everything else, and without being prompted most of the time(!!). Dh has a stressful job involving personal risk, as well as working shifts, and whenever he is on his own at home he spends quite a long time playing free online games on the computer. For some reason I have a real problem with this as I see it as very "teenage", and I am probably just being a bitch but wondered what anyone else thought???

What's the problem? My dh plays chess on-line and he plays on the X-box.

He can do what he likes with his free time for me - as long as it's tasteful and legal of course!

Ah me old mucker GDG, saves me yet another post.

It sounds like he just needs some downtime from all the other stuff. Let him be. At least it leaves him no leg to stand on when it comes to your mumsnet use.

Leave him be.

I have a very stressful life and job. To me, my wind down time is doing totally non brain straining stuff on the PC. Let him do it. He obviously is under some stress and if this helps him to wind down, so be it. Sounds like you have a good DH there. If it is not affecting the children, your finances or your way of life, let him continue.

Maybe you think of it as 'teenage' as it is usually the 'yoof' who pick up on new technology and therefore gaming was quite a teenage phenomenon when it started to really take off? Bit like texting, and MSN, and MySpace and iPods etc etc. Over time older people get into it too...plus the teenagers grow up and still enjoy it!

as soon as I typed the first message in I thought, what about my hours spent on mumsnet and friends reunited!! What a hypocrite I am..

my dp is the same.i had huge issues with it at first(that was before i discovered MN though!)but now im glad he's not in the pub or the bookies like other men might be.

i do still have some issues with the 'chat' element of it (have posted on here loads about it)but i am trying to get over it.

what does he play,out of interest?

You see, Kate? really, this could work to your advantage!

just the free online stuff, sites such as gamegarage and sticksports, and I am hoping it stays that way!!! I think even he would draw the line at anything he had to pay for, and it certainly isnt interactive stuff. He does also make a point of never doing it if any of us are home, so none of us are directly affected by it. Tigana made a very valid point I think about it all, about these things starting off as teen stuff but not staying that way... maybe I am showing my age as dh is seven years younger than me ( although well past even his twenties!!)

my dp sounds exactly like your dh he is currently out of work but is actively looking he does loads around the house and with the children so i dont mind him spending a couple of hours a day on his ps2 or on the computer (when he can get me off here that is lol)

welshmum-my dp has his own pc so i can MN while he plays his game

good job really,or i'd never see him

oh but i love going on ds's xbox and doing ssxtricky

ssx is mint 2 shoes!

DH loves his PS2 and online games ... it's just time out like reading a book or watching TV .. or MN!

i love it. have you playes ssx on tour?

My mother discovered computer games in her 60s, and is renowned for sitting up well into the night trying to solve some complicated puzzle or killing monsters!

ooo I must have regressed a long time ago - I spent most of my 'free' time playing games online, or playing the PS2 with DH

Yes!! My DH plays online - it's legal, fun and he enjoys it.

the average age of the ps2 user is 33. Nothing wrong iith it imo, at least he's at home and not down the pub every night.

great stress reliever and can be relaxing. DH isn't bothered about 'games' as such, but I have a DS lite and numerous games, as well as an old hand held tetris thing (bought for me about 6 years ago by DS). and I do find them a great way to wind down. COuld be worse, he could send his time with his mates at the pub!!!

those of you who's dh/p play online games,what do they play?have you ever had an issue with the 'chat' on them?

My dh and i fight for the wii controllers all the time... but we're big fat overgrown teenagers (at heart, big fat middle aged in reality!)

We love pc and console games in this house! Also my 64 year old mum plays Gameboy and DS games, but also likes Grand Theft Auto and Doom and other stuff that involves shooting!

DH works for a very well known games company so we get loads of free games.

divastrop, what do you mean by the chat? Like male/female? DH and I met on an online game ten years ago and know full well how you can get involved with people online. I would not be happy if I found out he was chatting to women on there... but then my DH is quite uncomfortable around women anyway (such a stereotypical gaming geek!) so if he was chatting to some woman like that it would definitely be cause for concern! But I've known a lot of people who've got involved with people online and not all of those people were single to start with.