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Original poster

How many 4/5 yr olds have playstations?

76 replies

northstar · 11/12/2006 10:33

ds came home from a visit with his father (he sees him every other wkend) and told me that he is getting him a playstation for Christmas. I think he is too young. His interaction with other kids, communication and speech all need working on as it is. Maybe I'm over-reacting, but I don't want him to have one for a few years yet. Answers here will help me decide what to do, TIA.

OP posts:
FLAMEinEckItsYuleAgain · 11/12/2006 20:07

I'm baffled by all this "no social skills" type talk - do people seriously let them sit in and play on the thing all day? In the same way that DD doesn't do painting all day, she doesn't play on the cbeebies site all day, she doesn't play in the back garden all day (mainly due to her need to be with me at all times, and I don't like standing in the garden whilst she plays with sand in the middle of winter ) - these things are done in moderation.

handlemecarefully · 11/12/2006 20:20

Hulababy you are so sensible [awed reverential tones without a trace of irony or sarcasm] - my reflex reaction would be to say 'No' to Play Station but you are right, they are just another tool and shouldn't be demonised. Why should they be a problem if used under supervision / in moderation.

donnie · 11/12/2006 20:21

they are loathesome.

stay away!

iota · 11/12/2006 20:48

hula the voice of reason - said everything I couldn't be ar$ed to

NotAnOtter · 11/12/2006 20:53

playstation under supervision
ant parent of boys over the age of 10 will either love or loathe these things
I fall into the late camp
Keep boys away from screens as long as possible

iota · 11/12/2006 20:56

TBH, we don't even have to supervise/restrict the use - they haven't been near it tonight for example - their choice - the Knex has been out

handlemecarefully · 11/12/2006 21:03

Oh don't at me. I am pissed and suffused with love tonight. Don't spoil it!

iota · 11/12/2006 21:05

and it's my birthday, so nobody be horrible to me

handlemecarefully · 11/12/2006 21:07

Is it really your birthday (I'm gullible so likely to believe most things that are posted here)

iota · 11/12/2006 21:08

fraid so

bad planning by my mum

handlemecarefully · 11/12/2006 21:14

Wow - *HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!

(gin and orange induced over enthusiasm)

wrappingpaperBOwZZAndribbons · 11/12/2006 21:14

I think hula is right. And LOL when I read about her DD playing golf on the xbox with DH because DS plays golf on the PS2 with DH. But probably once a month at most. Ds is 5 btw. He can talk the hind leg of a donkey and tonight I was a pushy mother and tested him on the KS1 words and there were only half a dozen he couldn't do so I am happy with that side of his development. We were thinking of getting him a game of his own either for Christmas or his birthday that is more oriented towards children. I think that it is maybe a good idea for the games console to be a family owned item.

Also recognised by children in issymum's post. DS and DD sit in the desk chair and do Cbeebies together. Maybe 2/3 times a month.

iota · 11/12/2006 21:15

thankyou

Original poster
northstar · 11/12/2006 21:21

Happy Birthday iota, mine's later in the week, so your mum is better at planning than mine

OP posts:
NotAnOtter · 11/12/2006 21:42

tbh its not the five year olds i have issue with really
Its the drip drip drip effect. Playstation game boy computer tv.....by the time they are 7 they want to do little else. by the time they are 12 they do little else...
I am sure your kids are bright - sparky and lovely. Sadly I believe that playstations in particular sap that spark

Loshad · 11/12/2006 21:44

We have one here, got it when the oldest was 9, they have splurges on it, but i don't think it's been switched on in the past week so find they generally self limit (and that's 4 boys) - wouldn't personally buy one for an oldest child of 5, if only becuase if they have such big presents at that age what is there to come. however in OP's case i don't think you've any chance of exP not buying it i'm afraid.

BudaBauble · 11/12/2006 22:07

Well said Hulababy!

Notanotter - why do you think "playstations in particular sap that spark "?? (just interested!)

hulababy · 11/12/2006 22:17

LOL @ sensible voice of reason. I do believe what i wrote (I think if I went and re-read it anyway) but can't you tell who was a bit bored earlier and had nothing but present wrapping to do instead!

NotAnOtter · 12/12/2006 00:00

budababe...i just believe from many years of experience that boys become pre-occupied with them. If i go to any friends houses with 10-16 year old boys THAT is what they want to do above all else.
Girls just done do this - they may be boring in other ways but they socialise, have a variation of different interests.
Boys invariably are drawn to the buzz of the playstation. Even the lovliest boys. I think its sad

andaSOAPBOXinapeartree · 12/12/2006 00:08

No particular view on playstations - but I have found myself laughing at all us mumnset addicted mums bemoaning the perils of the computer (and gaming) screen

BudaBauble · 12/12/2006 05:35

But we are interacting Soapy!

I do know what you mean Notanotter but I know that my DS can take it or leave it. His friends that don't have one at home are more keen to play it when they come over.

We will just have to agree to disagree and meet back here in about 12 years time to see if you have been proved right and my DS is addicted!!!

KTreePee · 12/12/2006 07:21

I agree with BB. My children don't have any play consoles but dh does - so they are there for them to play with if they want to. Mine tend to play for short bursts now and again (not every day) whereas we have friends who are dead against them and when their ds's visit they are totally obsessed and you can't get a sensible word out of them all day

WeWishUAMerryXmasNANappyNewYr · 12/12/2006 17:49

my cousins are 4 and have a game boy and ps2. there older brother (7) is getting an xbox for xmas. i think 4 is ok, a lot of 4 year olds have them BUT i would worry it leaves nothing left to buy them as they get older.

Glitterygookwithchocsonthetree · 12/12/2006 17:53

Mine (5.5 and 4) have a PS1 in their playroom but only because it used to be dh's and they rarely play on it.

I certainly wouldn't buy them one at this age.

tortoiseBells · 12/12/2006 18:03

Mine don't and we have made a decision NEVER to get them a games console. Having said that, ds1 does have 15-20 mins on my PC each evening, and it is scary how proficient he is, not only at navigating the web, but also changing settings - a few months back I watched him right clicking, going into properties, display, changing all the colours - this at just turned 5...

I do feel that computers are more educational - not just about game playing, and I knew a boy who spent 3 hours playing on his playstation, and spent the next 8 hours in intensive care, having an 8 hour fit. Nobody knows if they were linked, but it's possible - the doctors said it was quite likely.

Ds1 does get to play nintendo once a week at after-school club which is fine - I just don't want a machine in our house!

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