Games Consoles and the use thereof. Please share your experiences with me.

[PrincessBoo]

My DH used to manage a games shop, and is obsessed with all things PS3, X-box, Wii, PSP related blah blah blah. Up until 2 weeks ago we had an agreement that the games consoles would only be played with after DS (3 at the end of the month) had gone to bed. However he now has a lego Indiana Jones game which he has started to play with our son. Yesterday they played it for about 2 and a half hours. We spent yesterday evening with various friends who also have children and they all played together as they usually do. They were playing imaginative games and I noticed that my DS seemed to be the one who suggested more aggressive solutions to the problems they faced in their pretend world. This worried me and I talked to my DH about it. He says that he thinks it's unrelated and that the game is ok because the things they are fighting are 'only made of lego'. I made that point that regardless of the fact that they don't look very real it is still about providing aggressive solutions to problems, and that maybe this game is completely inappropriate for a child of DS's age. He isn't entirely in agreement but is willing to get some more games I feel happier about.

I'm just interested in what other MNers have done / do with regard to gaming, and which games you would suggest that are easy for small children to play that are less aggressive than this one. I'd also like to know how and when you limit game time. Because he loves it so much and it's a new thing to him he is asking to do it all the time, although he thinks I don't know how to play the IJ game which stops him from hassling me about it when DH isn't here! I would be happy to play games with him that I do approve of though.

Hi, My DP works for playstation and Is obsessed to the point of me wanting to go around the house removing plugs off of every darn console in the house! So I dont want DS (3) to turn out that way,My DP has been letting him play the ps3 and psp for a while now, even though he knows I don't approve , started with the Toystory games (that seem fine)at first, but soon was playing spiderman ect, and I did notice violent play during the day (eg, playing cars was suddenly, I'll beat you up ect!) which I found quite worrying, and soon his sister was being kicked! DP claims, boys will be boys, but to me, it was for sure a reaction to these games.Also we often had tantrums when it was time to turn the games off, and those could get quite violent as well (note, I love my little boy, he's a good boy really!)and also lost the ablity to play normally with gasp TOYS
So anyway, we tried the 3+ inoccent games, but still got too obsessed in my opinion and I brought him a V tech smile console, Its more educational and no more tantrums and violence,and he has a time limit that he is fine with :) I go for half an hour when his big sistergets home from school, so I can read/spent time with her, but I give him bonus time for extra good behaviour :)
I do feel It's my DP need for them game and not DS that motivates DP, lazy parenting or bonding rm DP?! not sure ;)
hope you find what works for your family :)

Thanks for that, it's DS Birthday soon so I'm going to check out the v tech smile.

My 2 dd's (7 and 5) play on the Wii together, they like the sports games. They also have nintendo ds's which they have various games, but none involve fighting, they are limited to half an hour a time.

How do you restrict the time Elk? I am thinking of getting an egg timer with a loud ring so that when it goes off they both know the time is up.

Anyone else got anything to add? Am so wanting to know what people's thoughts are on this :)

Get a plug timer for the TV , they cost about a fiver.(they turn it on and off a few times if you want over 24 hours). This will end a session at a set time. You can over-ride them easily enough when you want to watch the telly. Do not put it on the PS3 plug as it might bugger it going off without a shutdown. Or put it on a lamp and say 'when the lamp goes off so does the PS3'.

DD has a DS. She seldom plays it so it's a total waste of money.
She had a go on a kinnect at christmas so that's on her birthday wish list. [dream on love]

DD (5) received a DS for Christmas and I thought we would have to really monitor her usage but she seems quite sensible with it. I do however give her an allotted time to play - usually about 20 mins and then a few mins more to finish her game.

my little boy is 3 and a half and adores xbox. he is only allowed to play ti with me of dh and then after he has slept all night, behaved all day and been very helpful.

after dinner he is allowed a certain amount fo time ie. 30 mins or 2 levels..

we only play harry potter lego.

he has learnt that he must put down his controller nicely when say time is up and then that shows how grown up he is, if we get tears and tantrums he isnt allowed it the next tme.

i like the playing together and also the problem solving parts are pretty good for young children but in moderation.. its a great tool for encouraging good behaviour!!!

i dont want him to get too into it but he is naturally good at cbeebies website etc and computers are the future so gentle use is fine..imo

xxx

DS is 3. OH obsessed with PS3. Sometimes if its just OH and DS, they play 'Little Big Planet' for up to 30 mins is (my) limit. Haven't noticed big changes in play though it is hard to turn it off - involves a bit of bribery usually. He does go on about sackboy in the fire and laughs a lot about it, but I'm more concerned with him mixing with older kids at nursery who have started to say 'kill' and using guns etc...but, am learning not to be so precious.
DCs don't know we have a computer - laptop always hidden. I wanted to limit use altogether for years but they have a computer at nursery and even though they are limited to 10 min 'gos' - DS seems to love it and did before OH ever showed him the PS3. I will be waiting a good couple of years before I buy any games for his age range though, or hoping that I can hold out...he saw OH with his hand held once and we used it on a long train journey. But screen is so small, but he's obsessed and still asks when daddy's going to get it mended over 4 months later - after one go on it...

it really can't be healthy or balanced for a 2 year old to be doing that daily. my hubby makes computer games and I'm so greatful he doen't carry on with them at home. there's a ton of solid research about computer games and young boys if you research google - hardly anything positive. I'd look at it this way - whats he total sum of his screen time? maybe you could limit screen time and let him choose what he wants to - as long as it's age appropriate and non violent. Mine (3 and 7) have a total of one hours screen time per day in total and thats split between mindless childrens TV or the more interactive Wii. they only get it mind you towards the end of the day and only if they have been good. it's used as a reward. I set an alarm and they come off happily as soon as it goes off. lots of other more stimulating things to get on with in life.

Thanks for your input everybody. Skyblue I'd be really interested in links to the solid research you talk about so I can show my DH. We also do fill our days with all such of stimulating things other than screen time, I didn't post this in AIBU for a reason!

We are all much happier about the situation - the Indiana Jones game has 'gone away' and he now has a WALL E game that he is playing with his Dad. Game play is restricted to half an hour and he doesn't ask to do it every day. So a result we're all happy with.

He is 3 in just under 2 weeks and we are getting him a leapster 2 console.

Games for little ones - Mario Kart? There are some positives about game playing, namely hand eye co-ordination, and problem solving (that was on Child of Our Time with Robert Winston)

I have 2 sons aged almost 8 and almost 5. The 8 year old is far more obsessed, we have a wii and they both have a DS.

The game they played really well together and kept saying "team work" to was Lego Star Wars. The lego part makes it much less violent in my eyes, I have seen the Star wars equivalent game and because they are fighting what look like "real" people I wouldn't let them play anything like that.

They are not allowed to play any computer games before school, they play for about 30 mins at night. But we also have a no technology day in the week, so no computer games or TV.

I set boundaries about the amount of time they can play on it, to be honest it's not even like they want to play daily. I find it has helped their imagination. And no I don't work for any computer company, I'm a sahm

I think part of the time it is the novelty of a new game that makes them request playtime on the wii. We actually made this Christmas specifically about toys which involve role play, so knights and castles, building stuff, charades, volcano making kits and the like.

It's all about balance.

Yes, I've found that he has stopped asking so much already. We (me and DH) keep trying to do that no technology day thing, but I can't keep off Mumsnet :o

It's good it's going so well boo now help me cure my telly problem with my DD please.

PS come for a coffee while youre at it :)

waves

Ds had a v-Tech smile from being 4 he loved it and he got a good 3 years use out of it before he became a little bored of it. All games are educational so really good starting point. Ds has now progressed on to playstation and ds games not so educational.

Hi, I know you have already made your mind up but just wanted to say how great I think the leapster 2 is. We have just bought one for our little boy, just turned 4 and whilst he LOVES it and would play with it all day, we do monitor how long he can have it for, but the games are SO educational. I think it's great!

Good to hear Sopster. Are there any games in particular you would reccommend?

DD1 (7) has got a Nintendo DS and an ipod touch (second hand one). DD2 (4) has got a DS.

We don't have any hard and fast rules, but I tend to leave their DSs / Ipod in their 'going out bags'. This is hung up in little rucksacks in a cupboard.

Because it is out of sight, I've found that once the novelty of the machines / new games have worn off, they don't tend to ask for them much. Instead, when the girls are going out, they're easy enough to pick up and entertain the girls whilst they're in the car / waiting for sibling to have a ballet lesson or whatever / waiting for their meal at a restaurant - that sort of thing).

This way, it keeps their interest in the machines but it does not become something they play all the time. As a result, we don't tend to fight over it, and I'm able to be quite relaxed and on the odd occasion they do get it out at home, I don't mind because its not usually out for long and I just quietly put it out of sight again when they get bored after about half an hour or so.

my ds became quite angry after playing consoles for a long time period.

so i cut the plugs off

What fantastic advice Custard, maybe I should hand DS the scissors when he gets cross so he gets electrocuted in the process, that'll teach him won't it?