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AIBU?

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Original poster

Nothing educational about roblox, Minecraft etc?

111 replies

Pastasau · 07/01/2021 07:10

My dc is 8 & since last year all her friends have been meeting online (zoom) to play Roblox, Minecraft etc. They spend hours on these games & I understand sometimes beg their parents to buy extras within the games... Also they were huge tic toc followers also.
My dc has no device, she reads loads & loves art & crafts.
We are getting her a tablet for homeschool, I hate having finally succumbed but another device is necessary.
I know sometimes dd feels lost when they talk about the latest tic toc or what's happening on roblox😢 but I don't want her on a screen when she's such an avid reader & crafter.
She hasn't seen her friends from school since before Xmas but on the class whatsapp group last night most of the parents were so thankful for Minecraft so they could work in peace...
Aibu to think that these games are not educational & children would be far better reading, playing lego etc...?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 07/01/2021 07:16

It doesn’t need to be an either or.

As things are at the moment I think things like that can be great simply for the social aspect.

Not everything in life needs to be educational.

I am an avid reader. Ds is an avid reader. He still enjoys logging on and plying roblox and working with his friends to win.

FourEyesGood · 07/01/2021 07:16

Minecraft is very creative. I don’t know Roblox.

vickibee · 07/01/2021 07:20

Minecraft is educational, it teaches a lot about minerals, science of smelting and designing electronic systems. It is all beyond me

MythicalBiologicalFennel · 07/01/2021 07:21

I hate Minecraft and Roblox as they are so addictive. Looking back I wish we had never let DC1 play them. The educational value is small IMO. You are however BU in passing judgement without having experience of the games.

sashh · 07/01/2021 07:23

I've been known to get VI formers to build logic gates in Minecraft, it is possible to then build a simple adder and if you are a real geek a working computer.

You can also access premade lessons

education.minecraft.net/lessons/minecraft-hour-of-code

I think the best learning is done when you think you are playing a game

Theunamedcat · 07/01/2021 07:23

There are minecraft games that help speech and language my sons school has just got a minecraft based programme that helps him learn more its fantastic

squeezeapplesmakejuice · 07/01/2021 07:26

Yanbu my ds is 7, he does not have mine craft etc. He uses an iPad for online school work, I do think it's ridiculous that small dc are allowed to play these junk games. Not very safe either.
He is fine reading, drawing etc

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 07/01/2021 07:28

My dc has no device, she reads loads & loves art & crafts

My dc has a device. She reads loads and loves arts and crafts.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 07/01/2021 07:29

Oh, and I don't view Minecraft/Roblox as educational. They are just one of the many ways my dc passes the time (along with toys, games, crafts, reading, walks).

howmanypreciousppl · 07/01/2021 07:30

Oh please times have changed and children do use technology more and earlier these days. Within moderation and monitored what is the problem? The only socialising children can do during lockdown is to play online games with their friends.

Backbee · 07/01/2021 07:30

Not all children would sit and craft though, just like us adults they are all different. I think a balance is fine, but the risk with video games is that they become all consuming, but again, that won't be the case for all. If your DD is happy enough doing Lego etc then that's great, but imo nothing wrong with having a balance and some gaming, Minecraft does take quite a lot of thinking.

Fucket · 07/01/2021 07:31

These things are ok if you are prepared to be strict and police usage properly. It gets quite addictive to some kids and that’s the issue.

My kids have fire tablets, but they’re not allowed on tiktok and although one has Roblox I’ve not got time to police messages so she can’t do messaging. So therefore she doesn’t use it.

I think kids don’t miss what they don’t know. Once you introduce it, then they may start playing up if you want to restrict usage. The games much like fort nite are designed to be addictive.

I’m not a dinosaur I spent far, far too many hours playing games and on internet chat rooms as a kid. Being exposed to ridiculous amounts of inappropriate chat and invitations for sex when I was only 13. My parents had no idea.

If my kids want to video call a friend I organise it with their mother and we do it that way.

Original poster
Pastasau · 07/01/2021 07:32

@squeezeapplesmakejuice

Yanbu my ds is 7, he does not have mine craft etc. He uses an iPad for online school work, I do think it's ridiculous that small dc are allowed to play these junk games. Not very safe either. He is fine reading, drawing etc
Our neighbours kids are 4 & 6. They are constantly on their tablets. They don't seem to play. Whenever we've popped in for a cuppa my dc are 8, 6 & 5 they show them where the toys are & the neighbours kids just sit on their tablets ignoring mine....
OP posts:
ouchmyfeet · 07/01/2021 07:34

There's a middle ground between no device and unlimited access to devices OP!

My sons are 8 and 10, they have limited screen time, which works for our family. When they have too much they get ratty and badly behaved so we limit them to an hour a day (not every day). It works well. Agree with PP that Minecraft is a good and educational game. Roblox not so much

Janonomouse · 07/01/2021 07:41

Aibu to think that these games are not educational & children would be far better reading, playing lego etc...?
Minecraft is basically an extremely complex version of Lego.

sparticuscaticus · 07/01/2021 07:41

Minecraft is creative, they literally build the most amazing & detailed worlds; can multiplayer and chat at same time with friends jointly building those worlds- have you looked? . Roblox has many games some are great, some less so.

They key is to limit screen game time and mix it in with school work and a variety of activities - few people want to bake and make crafts 10 hours a day. This isn't a typical year.
During lockdowns and social distancing restrictions DCs haven't been able to play out with their friends . They've found other ways to keep connected. And it's great if it helped some parents be able to get on with work from home ...

SoNotRainbowRhythms · 07/01/2021 07:45

Minecraft Education Edition was given to all learners in Wales for free even pre covid. I don't know about tictoc and there's plenty of stuff on Roblox that isn't educational it depends how it's used but Minecraft encourages a lot of useful skills and encourages creativity. Coding is a very important skill.

StringyPotatoes · 07/01/2021 07:50

Is everything you do educational OP?

Children are allowed down-time too - time to just be and spend time with their friends. If that can't be in person then we should allow it to be online.

And as for the educational content of Minecraft (never played Roblox) the creativity is incredible- it's like online Lego! And there are huge opportunities to problem solving, perseverance, team work, and patience. A lot of it is based on geology and the scientific elements. There's a whole educational platform available now!

Go and read up on it properly before you brush it off as a nothingness. I think you'd be surprised!

HappyNewYear2021 · 07/01/2021 07:59

Minecraft is actually a great game because it enhances creativity, problem-solving, self-direction, collaboration, and other life skills. In the classroom, Minecraft complements reading, writing, math, and even history learnings!

All children don't wish to craft. Each to their own.

tinkerbell2021 · 07/01/2021 08:01

There's so much to learn in these online games. Minecraft is much more complex than Lego. Even Roblox teaches skills, such as team work, budgeting, creativity, bargaining, negotiating and there are games such as teaching fire escapes and learning how to script. There's also the social aspect of chatting online to their school friends at the same time.

I think some parents see the words video games and automatically think they're a waste of time when it's actually the complete opposite. Obviously you don't want them on there every second but they do actually learn from them.

NerrSnerr · 07/01/2021 08:02

Yanbu my ds is 7, he does not have mine craft etc. He uses an iPad for online school work, I do think it's ridiculous that small dc are allowed to play these junk games. Not very safe either.

My 6 year old plays minecraft but with her dad. She doesn't play in alone, they play ok their tablets in the same world. This limits the time and of course is safe.

I think it is educational but not everything has to be an educational resource. Some things can just be fun. My children love watching The Floor is Lava. It's fun, it makes them laugh. My 6 year old also does all the things that people who say they don't do screen time do (including me freezing my bum off for hours in this weather while she scooters and skateboards off hills!)

ThatBitch · 07/01/2021 08:02

My dd is 8. She loves reading, crafting, Lego and sylvanians. She also enjoy playing minecraft with her friends. It's creative and they tell stories and act out roles. It's also a nice way for her to have interaction. She's learning typing and is actually a pretty decent touch typer now. It's not an either:or situation. Everything in balance.

I wouldn't let her on tick tok though, it's far too mature for her.

Everyone is doing their best, there's no need for the judgement.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 07/01/2021 08:05

Roblox is variable depending on which games they want to play. My eldest has it and some of his friends do too and they now use it as a way to play together.
Minecraft is not a "junk" game. There's a lot of creativity involved and (shock horror) maths if you play in survival mode. My ten year old is learning to use command blocks and basic programming.
Then of course there's redstone circuits and logic.....
You could just accept lots of people like these games and just put time limits in for their use. We have remote access to turn off my children's tablets and windows accounts. He he he!

SD1978 · 07/01/2021 08:07

Unfortunately your post comes across as a humble brag. Your child is happy with reading and craft- great. My kid despises craft, and I'm not going to force it on her. She prefers being outdoors to indoors, and likes playing games/ talking to her friends when playing roblox. It doesn't have to be an either or scenario. She reads, spends time outdoors and spends time 'playing' with her friends and still having contact with them through the game. There is nothing inherently wrong with video games, like anything, limits and parental responsibility is more important than a blanket ban and a parental head tilt with I don't possibly understand why parents would let their children play these........

DietrichandDiMaggio · 07/01/2021 08:10

YABU for thinking every activity should be educational. I wouldn't be expected to only do educational things, so why should children?