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AIBU?

Xbox for 7 year old

92 replies

Blondie1993 · 27/10/2018 11:53

My DS (6, 7 in December) has asked for an XBOX for Christmas. He has been asking for a little while but I thought he would have changed his mind by now.

AIBU to think he is slightly too young?

He doesn’t use much tech at the moment. He uses my tablet to play minecraft or Sumdog. He generally plays minecraft for half an hour at the weekend and 20 minutes or so in the evening when it’s school holidays. He plays minecraft for half an hour once a week as part of his homework. There’s never an argument when time is up or anything and he doesn’t pester for it.

I’ve just always thought an XBOX was quite a grown up thing, I didn’t expect to him to ask for one quite yet!

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IceRebel · 28/10/2018 20:48

Well I’d prefer it if ds was reading Harry Potter instead of playing it on the Xbox

That's great thing about gaming. All those wordy text boxes to read in order to understand the story, and the instructions to work out the controls. Plenty of opportunities to read whilst playing, or at least that's what I used to tell my parents.

whoareyou123 · 29/10/2018 06:46

That's great thing about gaming. All those wordy text boxes to read in order to understand the story, and the instructions to work out the controls. Plenty of opportunities to read whilst playing, or at least that's what I used to tell my parents.

And outside of the game - Minecraft for example has loads of guides, magazines and even novels based on the game. Also there are education games as well.

DS has had an Xbox since he was 5 (now 8), but fortunately needs no encouragement to read anyway.

Boatsnack3 · 29/10/2018 06:57

Dd has an Xbox, she's also reading Harry Potter they aren't mutually exclusive.

If you buy the Xbox set it up and check it works before Christmas. Bitter voice of experience emoji

StuntNun · 29/10/2018 07:02

My almost 6-year-old loves the Lego games on the XBox One. It's well worth setting up the parental controls - my kids get an hour a day and then it just switches off after a five minute warning. Otherwise they keep pushing to "find a save point"'or "finish the level". You can also add some credit to their account (making sure you've set that they can only spend from their credit and not from your payment card!) so they can buy skins for Minecraft or other add-ons

anniehm · 29/10/2018 07:37

Nintendo would be more age appropriate imho. We've always had a PlayStation but only because it is dh's, we bought kids a wii when they were your dc's age

guzzlepuzzle · 29/10/2018 07:38

My 5 year old wanted a ps4 but now he's changed his mind to get a Nintendo switch!! That's all he wants so he probably will get one!

IceRebel · 29/10/2018 07:45

We've always had a PlayStation but only because it is dh's

My very first console was a PS1, I hear they're bringing out a mini PS1 this year pre-loaded with 20 games. The hours I spent playing crash bandicoot and Spyro, probably far too long but good memories.

ProfessorMoody · 29/10/2018 08:43

Why is Nintendo more age appropriate?

Ice - can't wait for the mini PS1. We've kept our old PS1, but have got rid of a fair amount of games, so looking forward to playing the ones we don't have again 😁

OutPinked · 29/10/2018 08:44

My DS has had one since he was seven. He’s now 8.5, time is limited on it and he only plays age appropriate games.

gamerchick · 29/10/2018 08:57

Why is Nintendo more age appropriate? confused

Christ knows, one of the most terrifying games I've ever played was on Nintendo.

astoundedgoat · 29/10/2018 09:02

DD1 wanted an Xbox at 7 too, and because I kind of wanted one too, we got it. It's been great actually. All the games she plays on it are creative - no fighting at all. She plays Minecraft, Stardew Valley and Slime Rancher.

She probably still prefers hand held devices though. I would say that given the choice between the iPad and the Xbox, she would pick the iPad. She loves games like Monument Valley, and Minecraft/Stardew Valley/Terraria are all on the iPad too anyway.

But I love the Xbox too, so it's all good.

ProfessorMoody · 29/10/2018 09:11

@gamerchick Eternal Darkness??

FishCanFly · 29/10/2018 09:21

Surely as child get older you want to encourage them to game less rather than more? It also seems like an extremely expensive gift for a child that age.
not unless you buy the very newest one. Also its something that the whole family would enjoy

ItchyKondera · 29/10/2018 09:35

I got an Xbox on Saturday to play Red Dead Redemption 2 (I'm a 40 year old woman!!) and we got a couple kid friendly games for my 5 yr old DS - he really wants to play games but I find for some the controls are difficult and he gets frustrated. Rocket League - play football with cars.
My husband has a PS4 and they play FIFA together on that

So no, I wouldn't say too young, but get games that have simple controls to start with or they may get frustrated

gamerchick · 29/10/2018 09:38

@gamerchick Eternal Darkness?

ZombieU. I felt actual fear

The best thing about it is when you die you have a new body and have to find the now zombie you walking about to get your stuff back. No waking up with your inventory intact in this one.

BadPoet · 29/10/2018 16:03

Surely as child get older you want to encourage them to game less rather than more?

I'm really struggling with how this would work.

Anyway, OP, I'd have reservations but only because Microsoft like locking you into expensive monthly memberships to get certain benefits. It would depend on what he wants to play though, and how happy you would be for him to interact with others (approved actual RL friends only!) while doing so. Have to say, we use the xbox as an excellent Blu ray player and iplayer streaming device too.

Some of my fondest memories are of gaming, ancient Spectrum games etc. I love that my children are building those memories too. They already talk fondly about the dearly departed Club Penguin.

Happygoldfinch · 29/10/2018 16:59

I won't have an X Box in the house - largely because I know I'll lack the strength of will to not use it as a babysitter to have some 'quiet time' for myself! My sons (10 and 13) both like to play on their phones and iPads and I'm already noticing a sullenness when they are told to come off, then a bit of a shared inability to find anything 'real world' to do. They are both extremely active with sports so I've no worries about them not getting out into the real world...but I want them to not want gaming more, I suppose. I see my friends' kids on them all the time, and I've seen the tantrums when they are stopped.

Woffulu · 29/10/2018 17:05

My dd is 12 now and got an xbox last Christmas. He plays on it as much as he's allowed and we have to monitor it constantly.

Before that he used and adored our family WiiU.

For a young child, I would definitely go for the family friendly Mario type games on the wii over Xbox games.

If your ds is getting a switch for his birthday, I definitely wouldn't get an Xbox - that would be overload!

ProfessorMoody · 29/10/2018 17:22

There are only tantrums if they aren't parented well.

An overload of what Woff? If a child has say, an hours screen time daily, then it's exactly the same no matter how many consoles they have.

gokusgirl · 29/10/2018 17:24

Have to disagree about switch more age appropriate! The games have the rating. Plus the new Zelda on the switch is way to involved for an 8 year old.

We have all the consoles and they sit in the front room. Easiest way to keep a check on it all.

IceRebel · 29/10/2018 18:25

Plus the new Zelda on the switch is way to involved for an 8 year old.

I'm confused by what you mean here? The Zelda game is difficult but I wouldn't say its inappropriate for an 8 year old.

Woffulu · 29/10/2018 18:28

On overload of consoles...and games!

My ds is 12 - we had a family wiiU since the kids were little and he loved it the most.... we got an Xbox last Christmas (kept in the living room) and the wiiU hasn't been touched since.
I can't see the point in getting two consoles at a similar time - it's likely one will get played with and one won't.
The child is only 7, so for now I'd get one console and maybe change / upgrade in a few years time.

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gokusgirl · 29/10/2018 18:48

I don’t mean inappropriate, just tricky. People are insinuating that it’s easy because it’s for kids on the switch. I was disagreeing with that.

ProfessorMoody · 29/10/2018 18:58

We have over 30 consoles and thousands of games. It's not an overload. You can only play one at once

OHolyNightOwl · 29/10/2018 19:11

We have all the consoles; Xbox, PS4, Switch, DS, Wii, WiiU and VR headset and every game under the sun.
I have zero interest, it's the husband who loves them and by default our 8 year old too. Playing is something they do together, but does not stop reading, drawing, Lego building, homework or sports as they don't ONLY, or even excessively, play games.

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