Time on games console per day ? AIBU to limit it even in the holidays ?

[haoverthehill]

My DS has had 2 hours today, spilt and is moaning. He is only 5 going on 15 and got this console for his birthday. I was surprised most of his reception class had various consoles x-box/ switch / PlayStations. I have set it to time out after 2 hours at the moment. What do you allow? He also watched maybe 15-20
minutes of his younger siblings TV shows whilst getting dressed. So that will be his screen time for the day, he can choose how he spends it, but console is his obsession at the moment.

I don't think it's bad to limit it but say you all watch TV later, is he not allowed as he's had his screen time for the day?

2 hours is loads for a 5 year old! Presumably there is a load of other things he could be doing. You really don't want him getting glued to a screen quite so young.

Sounds good to me. Remember you can always ease up later on. But it's hard to set limits later of they have never been there. 2 hours sounds fine.

@thanksforyourcommentrandomman

I don't think it's bad to limit it but say you all watch TV later, is he not allowed as he's had his screen time for the day?

I wouldn't make him go in the other room unless he was on a tv/ screen ban for bad behaviour, but we generally don't have the TV on much. So maybe I'm too strict ?!

@UserStillatLarge he's been for a walk, played in the park, helped me with some chores, been to the supermarket, eaten, built some Lego, written a postcard, playing cars now with the baby ( well the baby is wrecking his game) ... the day is verrrrrry long

my boys asked permission right up until they were 16 if they could play their consoles and I never let them play after the house was settling for the night (many other parents i know let their boys play all day and night and wondered why their grades and behaviour detoriated )looking back on my expereince the less interest you incourage on games the better its not good for them

I wouldn't keep strict time limits on games, TV is fine but not games. There's nothing worse than saying stop in the middle of a quest or miles from a save point. Less arguments will be had in the future if you can get involved in the games too. That way you can say its enough after he finishes a certain quest or after a save point has been found or whatever.

I'm also navigating this issue. DS is also 5 and clearly has a real interest in gaming and apparently a talent for it but my natural reaction is to limit it. I then am not sure what balance to have with TV etc. He also being playing for 30 minutes in an evening with his dad after work when possible, which is important time for the two of them together.

My plan for school term is possibly:

Weekdays: 3 tokens for 30 minutes gaming to be used throughout the week (when his dad is available basically)

Weekends to be split over both days:
5 tokens for 30 minutes of gaming.
3 tokens for 30 minutes of YouTube
Normal TV is fine as he limits that himself

Something like that perhaps?

I'm not anti-screens really, it's what I use to relax after all. But DS finds it difficult to work out what else to do when he's not on screens so definitely needs it limiting just now.

As a gamer myself (and someone who played a lot of games as a kid) I feel it is important to set limits.

It's just too exciting and addictive and kids really do need help with controlling that and enjoying it in a healthy way.

2 hours is more than enough for a 5 year old.

@SirenSays

I wouldn't keep strict time limits on games, TV is fine but not games. There's nothing worse than saying stop in the middle of a quest or miles from a save point. Less arguments will be had in the future if you can get involved in the games too. That way you can say its enough after he finishes a certain quest or after a save point has been found or whatever.

I think games are even more important to limit than TV, because they are so addictive.

5 year olds are unlikely to be playing games that require long periods between save points. Most games autosave regularly.

When they get older they can understand they have X amount of time and will need to save and finish before the time is up.

My 6 year old gets ten mins in the morning and ten in the evening- although if he's in the middle of a battle or race or whatever when the ten mins is up, I let him finish.

I do find it very hard though. He's clearly not emotionally ready for it and gets very upset if he loses a race or something. Initially my rule was it should be fun and if you're not having fun (ie crying) then it stops. But I hadn't taken into account the social aspect in that all of his friends play and I don't want him to be the only one who doesn't so instead I keep it very controlled.

I'm not a gamer though and I've had to educate myself a lot about what is/isn't suitable over the past few months and I'm not confident I've got it right yet!

No harm in limiting I think. I still limit my 13 year old to 2 hours at a time and none after 10pm. He's not into TV so his play station games and internet games is all his screen time. He doesn't go on daily either. I try to limit it to every other day otherwise I feel like he's in his room all the time

I would limit it to the point when you can see it affecting them. My eldest can be on his switch for any amount and he still has a pleasant attitude and comes off when I ask. My youngest starts to get stroppy and difficult after a while so I know he has to have a limit.