DS2 obsessed with age inappropriate games

[BaconAndAvocado]

DS2 is 7 and we allow him to play age appropriate games on the Wii and xbox, Lego Batman, Wii Party etc.

He has an older brother who plays much older games because he is much older!

DS2 is (it seems) hell bent on trying to wear us down to let him play age 12 games, which we never will until he's 12!

It really winds DH up and it's starting to grate on me too.

Why does he bother to ask if the answer's always no?

Because he sees his older brother playing them....?

No, he never sees his brother playing them as older brother only ever plays them after DS2 has gone to bed.

Obviously he is aware of them being around.

They keep asking. You keep saying no. They try to wear you down - it's the way of the 7/8/9 year old child. Actually its the way of the child of any age ime. Just keep saying no

Well, he isn't going to let up in making demands. Because you might say yes one day, because he's a little bit older, or he's not asked about this specific game, or because a friend has just been allowed it, or any other reason which he thinks might be a persuasive point.

You're just going to have to steel yourself for 5 long years.

Attach a consequence to him asking.

'Each time you ask you lose ten minutes of game time' (or whatever privileges he has).

He'll soon stop.

Exactly - he knows they exist. His peers certainly will.

That's what kids do - push the boundaries. You tell him he can wait until he's old enough

He imagines you will relent and say yes. it's a common enough tactic.

At 7 he is old enough to temper his behaviour so I would say to him that each time he asks to play an unapproved game then he will lose a day (or whatever) of screen time.

I had to confiscate a NintendoDS many moons ago, and had constant "when can I have it back?" ....It took month for him to get it back when it had only originally been banned for a weekend.

Like the consequence idea noble !

Glad to hear its normal behaviour.

Thanks all

Blimey catsmamma I applaud your resistance!

The problem with waiting it out until he's 12 would be that by then his DB will be playing 15+ games...

I think taking time off for nagging is a really good tactic.