To ask how you manage sharing of consoles/devices in your household?

[SingleCellParamecium]

DS1 (8) would love a Nintendo Switch for Christmas. He has saved up pocket and birthday money enough to pay for some of it, then we would make up the rest for his Christmas present. Fine. He currently uses DH's iPad to play games and is limited to an hour or two at weekends only. Only thing is what to do about DS2 who is 6. He'd also love the Switch, and I think games like the dancing or singing ones would be great for us all to play as a family. So do we just get it as a family present? In which case it probably wouldn't be fair to take DS1's money for it, and he'd probably be a bit disappointed that he didn't have 'control' over it. Would he be allowed to play alone on it ever? If so, does that mean DS2 would too? This then doubles the amount of time spent at weekends when the boys are staring at screens rather than getting out and doing other things, as they can't both play at the same time. But if it's DS1's only, we risk him only wanting to play one-player games, which would be a shame. DS2 could use the iPad, but in a couple of years he's going to want his own one isn't he? I don't really want to shell out for another. Not to mention DD who is only 3! What do you do about sharing these sorts of things?

Not sure about the protocol these days but when we were young DB and I got a sega master system as a joint present, we were allowed to play for an hour or so on a Friday evening if we weren't going anywhere and an hour or two on a Sunday late afternoon often while dinner was being cooked, we had to play together (multiplayer games) or take turns on other games (a level or a life was the rule I believe) and sometimes mum and dad would play with us, track and field etc. I think it's fine as a family present but I don't think you can take money from one of them if that's the case.

I would let it be his, and if his brother wants one later on he can have. I think sharing tech is a recipe for disaster.

When we got our Wii we got it as a 'family present' for that exact reason.
I think it is hard to give an individual present and then expect them to share it, or to massively restrict its use.

Share it, and then if they argue over whose go it is you can ban them from it, thus reducing screen time.

DS1 8 has an Xbox in his room but he's not allowed on it on a school night. Thankfully I don't need to restrict it any more than that as he doesn't play on it hugely tbh. Tv in his room only plays xbox, he can't watch tv.

If you let your DS 1 pay for any of it, its his. You can not make him share with his brother or make him play two player games if he wants to play 1 player games.
You will have to deal with DS2 disappointment if he's not allowed a turn,
If you get it as a family present, then you can ensure that your DS 2 has a chance and you can put it away if people are arguing over it.
You can also get your DS1 a brilliant present just for him as a personal present.

Oh sorry ds2 is 5 and no console in his room, he plays with DS1 sometimes although not overly interested yet. I considered a switch to share but it would be played more by DS1. So bought ds2 a DS XL.

I think it’s probably best to share it as a family present - although this will present its own issues. If DS1 gets it as a present DS2 will want a turn, regardless of who owns it, and if your boys are anything like mine, all hell will break loose if DS1 refuses to share it.

Does he have a TV in his room? Would you ever put a TV in his room? I have teens and the PS4 is in a family room. If your kids have TVs in their room, consoles may naturally end up there.

I bought the PS4 console and the kids sometimes buy games. Even though they can be selfish sometimes, they don't quibble about who bought which game but they have different coloured controllers which the other doesn't use.

when we were kids we shared a playstation which ended up in arguments 90% of the time over whose turn it was. i have two boys and the eldest is the only one into gaming at the moment but i think when the time comes i’ll buy the youngest his own console to prevent arguments.

I think if it's all he wants and he's willing to put a fair bit of money into it then it's a present just for him and the youngest shouldn't be allowed unless invited to join in by the eldest.

However if you are prepared to buy it yourself then it's a family present to share between the whole family.

Although I do wonder if you would have bought it had the eldest not been so determined to save in order to buy it.

Thanks for views. I'm still undecided, as I do think I'd prefer it to be a family present, but fear that will be quite disappointing for DS1, whereas getting his own Switch for Christmas would be so exciting for him and he has been saving for it. Other option is to get DS2 something a bit smaller and cheaper like a child's tablet, then re-evaluate in a couple of years. Hmm.

Sharing worked for a while but now they are older one each in their bedrooms is the only way.

DS1 saved his birthday money for an xbox and then we paid the rest as an xmas present, we didn't make him share but did get ds2 his own xbox the following year. To be fair we had an old wii so DS2 had things to use. Wii's are cheap as chips second hand and to be honest Super Mario and Mario Kart are classics so would getting a cheap second hand wii as a family console and for ds2 be an option rather than forcing a sharing disaster?