At what age did you allow an Xbox?

[staycalmer]

DS turning 10 this week and me and DH not agreeing on this.

I want to delay the gaming stage as it's a guaranteed slipppy slope into him being locked in his bedroom being obsessed with yet another device. DH thinks it's ok with time limitation etc

However DS desperate, all this mates have one, all he wants...

Rosa - I have set time limits on the Xbox now and ds is already self monitoring how long he plans to spend on it this morning etc 👍 thank you!
I was expecting he would be able to see the timer on the screen to help him with his time management, but there isn't anything I can see - or should there be?

Never. I am a bit iffy about TV even (we have agreed to sell ours when we move). But at least TV has had some use. We've watched nice documentaries or films based on books when DC were struggling to get into those books. Gaming consoles on the other hand are pretty useless and only detract from the good things in life.

Ours were 12 and 10, older now, and they share it fine.

They set the kitchen timer or a watch and they finish when the alarm goes off. Sometimes DS1 wants to finish a round on Fortnite but he will ask politely and doesn't take advantage.

They share it, they finish after the allocated time and if they didn't, they know the XBox would go.

Am amazed there is a self timer. How come nobody talks about this?? It's fantastic! My kids are too small for xbox but friends with older kids never talk about it. But perhaps they don't bother regulating.

@Phamous I’m not sure about a timer there constantly but I’m sure it gives a warning when time is low. Hope it makes things easier for you. It really makes them think about what to use the time for doesn’t it. Good luck 😬

ElspethFlashman it’s fab for kids, it’s amazing how easy it is to allow them to play for hours and hours without noticing.
I tried to add one to my OH’s account but unfortunately it can’t be done 😂

My son has had one since he was about 7 but to be honest he hardly uses it. He prefers his amazon fire which he takes in the car. When at home he usually is outdoors in the garden.

DS was allowed limited access to the PS4 at 4 - if DH was playing one of his car racing games, DS would often want to join in/they’re both car daft. At 5 we got him a Lego Batman game of his own which we helped him with. We’re happy for him to have limited, supervised access to pre-approved games. There aren’t any plans for him to have a console of his own - we won’t put a TV in his bedroom, and I don’t think kids should have unlimited access to screens so young. He’s been playing my old Gameboy Color recently, which has been fun, and I think he’ll probably get a DS of his own when he’s 7 if he asks for one.

Never and both DCs have survived.

8 but I am still not convinced. He's allowed 2 hours on Sat and Sun and a little in holidays. If we go out and he misses slot, it's tough. He plays in living room, with sounds off and radio 6 on.cos I can't bear the noises.If he complains at shut down time, he loses 15 mins next time. I hate the way it has a hold over him though, and that it's the main thing he thinks about.

However, as he isn't a footballer, he does need some kind of hook to other kids.

Ours is on the main tv in the house- they can only play if no one else wants the tv. No online games are allowed either

It's going to be never here. I've had enough problems with their tablets.

Thanks Rosa.
Timers are set for each day and I've set 1hr timer on ds' phone, so he knows how much he has.

Our Xbox is on our family tv, so it can be a pain when he wants to play, but I think the timer is going to help a lot with when it's time to come off!

It does feel as though his friends are playing all day long and he thinks we're very unfair 🙄

My OH has consoles. DC started playing at 7yo. But they're in the living room so we know exactly what's being played (always she appropriate, puzzle/adventure games instead of shooting etc games), we set strict limits for the time spent on them and if there are any tantrums etc then they're no allowed back on them for at least a couple of weeks.

DS was given DH old Xbox360 for his 6th birthday (DH upgraded).

We only have the one TV, it's in the living room so we have total control on when and what he plays. Both kids have their own tablets, but I count TV, tablet and Xbox as screen time and try to limit their use. And they are not allowed their tablets in their rooms either.

We got one when oldest was 10. As with others it's in our living room, connected to our TV, so I have little compunction in booting them off regularly.

DS is now 12 and would play it all the time if allowed, so we do limit him. DD (10) plays a bit of Minecraft but can go days without playing and it's great at finding other ways to occupy her time - Lego, drawing, Playmobil etc.

DS uses it to keep in touch with best mate, they play online together with headsets. They're not at same school now.

DH has the security settings nailed down, and DS only plays with other kids he knows in RL.

My DC are aged 8, 10 and 12 and we don't have one yet. I think we are going to get one soon though.

Like with my older children - there is one family console and they are/were allowed on it from about 4 I guess. The fact that it's not been built into this forbidden tempting thing means they can take it or leave it, and am following it now with my youngest.

I had a Commodore 16 when I was around 8. This was not allowed in my bedroom though.
Personally I would not allow TVs or consoles in bedrooms (I refuse to have a TV in the bedroom even now).

Second hand old xbox aged 8yrs (£60). Used it so much and loved it, got a new one aged 10yrs.
We do have netflix but no TV licence so "screen time" is netflix or xbox and tbh I prefer him using xbox! Gaming is not all bad.

This too
DH has the security settings nailed down, and DS only plays with other kids he knows in RL.

Mine was gaming on my Xbox at 2. He doesn't need his own as DH and I both have them and a Ps4. He had a DS and Wii at 3, Wii U at about 7 and had a Nintendo Switch for his 10th birthday. He also has access to most of the old Nintendo and Sega consoles if he chooses.

I'm following with interest as DS9 has asked begun asking about one from Father Christmas.

DH and I are split. Both our boys have an iPad each but we're quite strict with screen time. It's rare that they have any screen time during the week and get an hour or two on weekend mornings. They usually put iPads down and turn the TV off before we tell them too. They'd rather be swimming or playing something else.

However, DH and I both worked in tech and about once a month DH will go into his study when they boys are in bed and drink whiskey and play PC games. People can be snobbish about games but they're fun. They're more involving than watching a film which doesn't have the same stigma attached.

I don't want computers to become the forbidden fruit with our boys but do think 10's a little young for a dedicated gaming console. A little yonger than that for a tablet with more uses is fine.

Hold out for as long as you possibly can!!

DS (11), has a PC - he's not really into consoles. And it's in the living room. His room is a console/PC-free zone.

Why hold out? Games are great.