Am I the only parent who won't allow an xbox, DS or playstation in the house?

[MINIBondGirl]

Am I being unrealistic in this issue as I only know a very few parents who feel the same? Having seen other children playing on them (sometimes looking like zombies and getting headaches) I am really put off. I know some parents restrict usage and don't allow unsuitable games but a lot don't.

As my boys are 4 & 7 I would rather they played outside, used their imaginations and concentrated on school for now.

Realistic or not?

Well, they are not really adults at 14, are they.

hob I meant grow up to teenagers.

Thank you franca

It is worth a jot while they are growing up. It isn't worth a jot once they are grown up, they have long since stopped saying ' I think ....... because my mother says' BUT if you have allowed than space to have self discipline they will be fine.

Oh and I'm still curious about what's so inherently evil about technology and screen time that you wouldn't even let your child see you use the internet??

And I'm sure I will have, just not around gaming exotic fruits

have to say i am more worried about kids watching eastenders

I assumed this thread was about younger dcs, I certainly wouldn't ban teens from x box et al.

Just do yourself a sealed envelope poppyboo and see how it pans out.

And you are right dontcallme, this thread was about young children and access to electronic games.
The op has been warned that it won't last once the children get older.

It is my experience that on mn expressing doubts about playing with videogames is frowned upon. Or considered smug.

I have lots of reservations re videogames, but have given in for sheer laziness, I must admit it.

Yanbu ! I won't allow an xbox or a dratted DS. We have an old ps2 that we play family quizzes on.
Our DC are 7 and 4.
DS are awful IMO they contribute to poor social skills in children.

The thread was about young children, the advice is entirely different to the advice for older children. Those with younger DCs are just making huge assumptions when they haven't a clue and don't know in which ways, if any, their DC's personalities will have changed. How I handled DS1was quite different from how I handled DS2- life would be simple if there 'were answers'.

OP you are right , I would my DC use their imaginations for play and get some exercise playing outside.
I also don't do DVD players in the car.
TVs in bedrooms .
Once they are teenagers it is a different matter.

Could you explain to me (with evidence) how DS's give children poor social skills?

poppyboo Sun 06-May-12 21:29:52
"cory just come back to this and wanted to say did you not read what you cut and pasted from me? The DC's are in bed and they were out with my DH today? They don't see me on Mumsnet, we don't have screen time when the children are around!"

I read it but I didn't realise that meant they never saw you using a computer. That's interesting. Don't you talk to them about things you have learnt and where you have learnt it from either? If they ask you a question and you have to go and look it up, do you pretend you've got it from a book? May I ask why?

I think I interacted very well with my children when they were little, but that involved them seeing me do my own work, read a book, look things up online- all the ordinary things that adults do.

poor social skills are more due to bbc type programmes, eastenders where everyone shouts at each other

and tv reality shows

It is a lone activity.
There is no human interaction involved.
It can lead to poor concentration and poor attention.
Particularly in young children who then become irritable as they ARE addictive , and the children then want to spend more time on them.
Am not really bothered if I get flamed - I'm a qualified psych professional with experience in working with childrens mental health so I do tend to have good knowledge about whats good for them .
And what isn't .

cory is it that unusual to look information up in books these days?

Aaah competitive parenting at its best.

Do they not use computers, games, the internet, the IWB or technology at school poppy?

Of course they do fallen but that doesn't meant they have to at home at ages 4 & 7

but surely as a qualified pysch you are intereted in research to contest this? there must be quite a bit out there

There's a big difference between ITC and gaming IMO.

Hobnob there is plenty of research and evidence - I'm not about to start cutting and pasting to appease you.
Either you agree or u don't - It doesn't interest me either way.
As I said I am speaking from knowledge and experience in a professional capacity.

At school they will be expected to use both poppyboo. You can't hold back technology, not when top schools like Wellington College are getting rid of the school library, (I say this as a book lover).