DS4 and computer games??

[rattie77]

Until Xmas my DS just 4 hadn't gone near an ipad/phone/pc etc but older DS bought an ipad and played a game on it which made DS4 curious etc. The older DS let younger one see what he was doing etc and he let him have a little go - and now we have a big problem as it is all the little one wants to do. DH let him have a go of his phone - downloaded a few games and now he is hooked - he has stopped playing with his toys and just asks constantly to play on the games. His xmas present was an innotab which he has hardly played with and I thought I was doing him harm buying him this!!!. Tonight was the final straw - DH let him have another go on the phone whilst we tidied up after tea but when we said time for bath - he had an awful meltdown to stay on the phone - like he was possessed. What can I do - do I make him go cold turkey and ban them all together or allow in moderation?. He can get quite obsessive over things he likes but this is ridiculous.

Cold turkey. And then if he is allowed to play with a game then you should restrict how much time he is spending on it.

I have an older girl/younger boy. Because dd is not that interested in computer games, ds has very little exposure. When his cousin (same age) visits and spends nearly all his waking hours on mothers phone/wii, ds thinks that's what he wants too. I let him have a go on Diego games on my laptop and his behaviour was so bad during and after that I now don't let him have any time at all. My nephews behaviour is just as bad when doing same. My way of dealing with it is not to let ds near any screens (apart from the odd Curious George or Peppa) at all. It works for now (4 yrs old)

It takes about 7 days for a child to break a habit....so cold turkey for a week and you should have cracked it. You need to make sure that iPads, phones etc aren't in his domain and he'll start going back to his toys pretty quickly.

Thanks for your replies. I agree think cold turkey is the only way - we talked to him about this today and he does obviously ask for DHs phone/game but we are sticking to our guns bout this at the moment. I know it will get worse when he goes to school etc and outside influences and it is difficult with my older boys but after witnessing the effect on him I am pretty determined.