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Secondary education

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Original poster

Incessant gaming before GCSEs - time to ban computer?

22 replies

splodge2001 · 22/04/2018 19:28

I'm at my wits end - DS has just been gaming all the time during the Easter Holidays. He did do some revision but it was heavily crowded out by staring at his phone or computer. Shall I ban his phone and computer till the exams are over?

OP posts:
KittyVonCatsington · 22/04/2018 19:39

Why wouldn’t you? (with regards to gaming) But would he need a computer for revision? Could you have this in a public place in your home to monitor?

Original poster
splodge2001 · 22/04/2018 19:50

Our whole home is public! It's a 2 bed flat. He revises in our bedroom. I guess I'm trying to gauge what other people do. We're not on first name terms with his friends parents as the school is in central London with a very wide catchment area.

OP posts:
extinctspecies · 22/04/2018 19:53

Has he been playing Fortnite?

It's become incredibly popular and seems to be quite addictive.

We didn't ban DS (he says he needs his phone for revision), but he's only allowed to play games when he's 'on a break'.

Original poster
splodge2001 · 22/04/2018 20:09

I've no idea what he's been playing but he has History Paper 1 a week on Wednesday and he's nowhere near ready.

OP posts:
TheFrendo · 22/04/2018 20:37

What does he want to do after GCSEs?

AgentHannahWells · 22/04/2018 20:40

My teen is younger but this weekend I took away his PS4 controller and after a bit of 'I hate you' he has been lovely. I say take it away. If they can't manage their time you are doing them a favour but stepping in, even for a 16 year old.

megletthesecond · 22/04/2018 20:42

My 11yr old has lost his tablet until after his SATS Blush. He's a lot nicer for it. I wouldn't hesitate to take a console away from a pre GCSE teen. (Disclaimer; not had an actual teen yet).

Whitecookies0609 · 22/04/2018 20:58

Ban it, I take away my kids consoles/phone/iPod if they have been cheeky and would do the same if they were meant to be revising for important exams.

sazzy5 · 23/04/2018 11:29

I've taken the controllers away and the behaviour of my DS's has improved. I now allow time on the PS4 at the weekends but not for hugely long periods. Mine are addicted to Fortnite which seems to be the issue for a lot of my friends DS too. I will ban everything when they are doing GCSE's!

SluttyButty · 23/04/2018 11:49

If it's fortnite then yes I'd remove and I'm normally the parent who doesn't ban these things easily. But that game is a major issue with a lot of parents due to the way it's played, it's so competitive and you can't pause it. I'd quite happily have the game banned tbh. And I say banned because no matter how well you parent, the stupid game is addictive.

Graziass · 23/04/2018 12:01

At 16 he should be starting to have enough insight to recognise that he needs to cut down. If he doesn't then I agree you should step in and enforce it.
I have two DSs, both played various computer/console games from early teens. DS1 would cut down before GCSEs and by the time he took A levels the gaming took a back seat.
DS2 was much more addicted or had less willpower, hard to say which.
He did however recognise it and deleted all his games in the run up to GCSEs. I was on the point of doing it for him. Since then he's continued to play games intensively, he loves it and it's his hobby, but always gives it up completely around exam time (now at uni). Cutting down doesn't work it has to be all or nothing.

Original poster
splodge2001 · 23/04/2018 18:24

After GCSEs it's A-Levels unless he fails from gaming too much!

OP posts:
LARLARLAND · 23/04/2018 18:29

Ban him from playing. There is a time to knuckle down and revise and that time is now!

sanam2010 · 23/04/2018 21:55

Of course you should take them away. They are addictive, most kids can't manage their time or understand the long-term implications of not studying for the exams. Just make gaming contingent study, i.e. two hours allowed if he studies very hard every day monday - saturday. And some gaming the day after the exam.

Digestivescusturds · 23/04/2018 22:01

Either ban him from gaming full time until he’s finished his GCSEs or only let him when he’s done a certain amount of revision each day. If it’s his phone causing distraction too maybe just take it away till a certain time. Then he’ll have nothing to do and might decide to revise

leccybill · 23/04/2018 22:05

I'm worried about Fortnite too. As a teacher I've noticed a big change in my Y7-9 boys over the last month. Tired, spaced out, not listening and zero concentration or effort. I feel like they're gaming in their heads. It's a worry.

TheFrendo · 23/04/2018 22:30

Ok, so he wants to do A levels.

What did he get in his mocks for the subjects that he wants to continue?

Rudi44 · 24/04/2018 07:18

I wouldn't take anything away from a child about to take SATs, it was very much business as usual in our house but definitely for GCSEs. Maybe x amount of revision = an hour of gaming

zzzzz · 24/04/2018 07:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

extinctspecies · 24/04/2018 07:31

with our eldest DS, he played a lot of FIFA with 2 of his friends - we got together with the other parents and agreed they would only be allowed to play between Friday evening and Sunday.

That started at the beginning of the exam year, and worked well.

DS2 is less of a gamer, but does get distracted by his phone.

I think if you take it all away all the time you are going to cause a lot of stress, better to restrict it to certain times.

MsJolly · 24/04/2018 07:37

My boys are younger but Fortnite is the bane of my life. We only allow gaming at the weekend, but they both get so engrossedas does DH that I have to take controllers away-otherwise is never see them!

montenotte · 25/04/2018 12:16

take it away
he'll thank you for it really (i did)
sometimes you need saving from yourself.

the way i see it is a few "get your head down" weeks followed by more than a couple of months of chilling out. that's not a bad trade..

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