Not introducing my 6 year old to gaming ?

[immigrant002]

My ds just started y2 he says all the boys are talking about minecraft or roblox and he doesn't know what it is . I did not intentionally keep him from it but he was never really interested so it didnt occur to me he would be the odd one out !
I have no idea about gaming or what it involves . AIBU to introduce it to him, so he does not feel left out ? Dh is saying no let him be a child but i do think it keeps him from connecting with other boys in his class .

Just avoid online games. There's lots of adults and teens on Roblox that create inappropriate games on it. Minecraft offline will be fine for your boy.

There’s more to life than playing computer games. Get out the house, take up sports, do whatever they like outdoors but don’t start them on the route to sitting in front of screens all day.

Minecraft is a brilliant game for children. It's kind of like virtual lego and really has so many possibilities. I find it quite dull because I prefer games with set objectives, but that's because I'm not a child. It's really perfect for that open ended creative play that children are so good at and many adults, myself included, have just lost the ability to fully engage in.

My children are allowed to play Nintendo or watch TV between 5.30 and dinner time, so realistically about an hour per day, and this started when they were younger than 6. It doesn't cause any issues for them in my opinion and they get a lot out of certain games. Many games really encourage reading as well and expand vocabulary. My DH practically learned English from computer games.

When I was growing up adults were always catastrophising about video games, saying they'd make us violent and stupid, and we found it hilarious. I had an N64 and then a PS2 and have many happy memories of the games I grew up with, just like I have happy memories of 90s kids' TV. I do still roll my eyes a bit at the hand wringing, though I'm sure there are some children who cannot handle it.

6 year olds don’t need to be gaming.

We are a gaming family so we enjoy playing games together and I prefer it to TV usually. We don't impose limits but DD1 self-regulates anyway. She might play Minecraft with her dad for an hour a day three days in a row and then not do it for three weeks. It's never off limits, but for her personality type at least, stuff always being around means that she's never that obsessive about it. Same with the tablet - one day she might find something she really likes and spend a while playing it, and then she won't pick it up again for days or weeks. I think it can depend a lot on your DC's personality though. Some kids just can't self-regulate or handle it well.

Minecraft is great - it’s basically unlimited Lego on a screen. Offline creative mode, obviously, is age appropriate and a lot of fun.

If we had to fund real life Lego to the tune of the zillions of Minecraft builds, we’d be in the poorhouse.

Other than that I agree with leaving it a while.

During lockdown we were playing Among Us between all the cousins online because we couldn’t meet up, and the youngest was about 9. That was a terrific fun - lots of bluff and double bluff (and siblings always accusing each other). However, I’d definitely leave it until age 9 or 10. Basically old enough to laugh it off if they kill off your little dude rather than get upset by it.

It’s a bit like Mafia/Werewolf/Traitors.

My dd going into year 2 has been playing Roblox for years, but she has older siblings, all her friends play who have older siblings too.

My DH is a gamer so we don’t see it as bad as other parents do.

Behaviour can change when children start using devices but understanding it is key. When children start watching their devices or playing games the get a hit of endorphins, when this is suddenly taken away they crash and this is what causes tantrums or “bad” behaviour as they can’t control what’s happening inside them. Think drug addict getting a hit then being forced into withdrawls. It sounds bad but it’s no different to getting a hit from sports or shopping.

My DD just turned 7 can easily walk away from her game, no tantrums but that’s because she’s been following the rules for the last few years. My older DDs (10&12) are the same. They still play Roblox, hardly any Minecraft but do play Fortnite and other games. They can take or leave the games these days and although they sound like they are loosing control at times when playing, it’s just part of the game. By loosing control I mean screaming at each other or their friends, but again, no different to when we play board games. At first I use to tell them off but now I realise it’s just them getting excited and shouting instructions at each other.

I think you need to decide if you want your DS to be excluded or not. Each class is different, if he’s in a class full of gamers he will miss out. If your going to do it set the rules upfront, X amount of time and when you say come off you mean it. Keep reminding him, 10 mins left, 5 mins left. Be flexible, if he’s in a round but going overtime say ok but no more rounds after this, you can have the extra 2 mins etc.. If you turn it into a fight it will just make things harder than they need to be.

Make sure he understands he’s not allowed to add people to his friends list without your permission. Keep an eye on who he’s talking to. Talk to other parents, they will go though stuff with you.

My DDs regularly meet friends on holiday or at clubs and instead of phone numbers they exchange Roblox user names. My 10yo still plays Roblox with a girl we met on holiday 2 years ago.

Because my DH has been gaming over 40 years, he dose all the checks and he also plays games with our DDs so he’s part of it and can keep an eye on them.

We still enjoy plenty of activities and the outdoors.

No. Don't. Dd didn't get a switch til aged 8 and it's not used much once the novelty wore off. She knows people play that roblox shite as has seen it at friends' houses but hasn't affected her by not playing it.

There's also Minecraft: Education Edition which I have only just allowed DS8 to play...his teacher listed it in the resources from his school.

There will be pressure, but you don't need to be guilt tripped as a parent. I do not allow Roblox. None of mine play it yet still have loads at school to talk about.

Minecraft is an excellent and fairly educational primary school game (when played offline or just with others in the same household).

Neither Roblox nor Fortnite have a place being played in primary school at all as their age ratings are too high - although there will be a handful of pupils playing both right from YrR due to older siblings/lack of boundaries, and by Yr3-4 they do seem to both be universal.

The age rating for Roblox is 7, but yeah, Minecraft is better for a multitude of reasons.

It stopped being rated as a PEGI 7 in 2022 in recognition of how much content it contains that isn't suitable for kids that young. Roblox Ratings Shake-Up Puts Parents In Control With New Age-Appropriate Settings (forbes.com)

Because it contains loads of games they are banded inside the platform as All Ages, 9+, 13+ and 17+ - which means it is definitely not all primary school stuff!

ESRB say it is 10+, or Teen.
Apparently Common Sense Media rate it as 13+ overall but they are not an official certification body. :-)

I didn't know about the change but given the fact that is contains "all ages" content and 9+ content, and that the 13+ content can be blocked, I still think it's wrong to say it has no place among primary school ages children.

Don't see an issue with Minecraft. As long as he's not joining any servers. It's very educational and it's used to help kids learn to code.

Roblox.... Yes maybe steer clear of that.

I would never allow a child near Roblox as its user created content and age ratings mean nothing with what could appear innocent.