The great Xbox Switch off..

[Dolphin78]

I’m a single parent so nobody here to bounce off… my ds is 13 and generally pretty good natured, active usual 13 year old stuff but he has become a little twerp recently and has a new game on the Xbox that he plays with mates. He no longer watches tv with me in the evenings and goes straight to his room after school and after dinner to play the sodding game. Last night announced no longer wanted to go to Tae Kwondo do for a multiple of reasons. I said that’s a shame but can’t make him go. He’s playing hockey matches today and tomorrow and goes to explorers Thursdays so thought ok.

Said Dinners at 7pm. He wouldn’t come down so I turned of the Xbox. There were tears and he is still sulking in his room.
This morning I said tidy your room do your homework and help with breakfast and you can have it back this evening.
I’m not turning it back on til his attitude changes.
AIBU?

I’m having almost the exact same issue with almost 11yr old DD. She has an iPad (heavily parentally controlled though and no social media as she cannot download any apps without my approval). She’s upstairs anytime she’s not eating and her attitude is foul. I’ve just had to switch the WiFi off on my broadband app due to her attitude and she’s gone mental.
I’m not sure I would allow online gaming at 13 but that’s your decision of course. There’s just a lot of predators who scour Xbox online platforms looking for young boys & girls to groom etc.

Either way, if their behaviour is being caused by these platforms they’re using then ultimately we need to restrict them further!
X number of hours per night and X number of hours per day on weekends or holidays. Not a minute more.

Of course you’re not being unreasonable. Stick to your guns.

Oh and absolutely NO Roblox! Thankfully I banned that over a year ago after her behaviour plummeted dramatically since she began playing it. It’s a very dangerous platform for children of any age so she’ll never play it again under my roof!
As I said, I can see everything she does on her iPad and she physically cannot download Roblox or any other app without my approval thank god. I can also see everything video she watches on YouTube.

You're not being unreasonable, it is an addictive thing and it's classic textbook behaviour to act out when the source of the dopamine hit is cut off. Because kids cam log in and "socialise" on games these days it seems more accepted that its healthy time as they're playing with friends but it isn't, there needs to be some part of the day when they're either having family time or are at peace with their own company too.

I remember being obsessed with msn chat of all things and when my mum turned off the Internet to use the landlines (showing my age here) I had the most ridiculous furious tantrum as a young teen, I cringe looking back as it wasn't even in my nature to act like that, it's so easy to fall down the rabbit hole. You're doing the right thing.

Absolutely not unreasonable to have rules and limit his gaming until other tasks are completed. Ignore the tears and sulks. You're his parent, you make the rules - he doesn't have to like them but he does have to abide by them!

Good for you :)