Gaming Time

[boon]

Advice please. How do you limit gaming time in your house? Is it limited to weekends? Or a set amount per day on school nights? What works best? My son is 14 and spends way too much time on the PC. He has no other hobbies.

If he's down what he needs to do otherwise it's unlimited. We entice him off it to go out for activities or to watch a film, but there isn't any thing else indoors really that he wants to do

Sorry, done what he needs to do

Gaming is pretty much restricted at that age by bedtime with homework being done before any gaming. We also insist on an activity and a sport so they're out at least twice a week anyway.

Would he be up for joining Army/Air Force Cadets or Explorers? How about learning a Martial Art?

My Ss is 14 and the same his only interest is gaming, we've tried but he gets very bored with anything else. He'll watch a movie with us once in a while but mainly he games the entire weekend with us and at his mums.

He will do his Chores when reminded and if we go out somewhere he'll come maybe half the time depending ( walk - yes shopping - no!)

The "no other hobbies" is probably the problem.

By the time DS has gone to school, completed homework, done household chores, been to extracurricular activities and spent time socialising, the gaming time is naturally limited. I think imposing a gaming limitation in isolation is a tricky thing to do - it needs to be replaced with something else - and what is the "something else"?

I agree, the no other hobbies is the issue. My DS loves gaming but plays one sport pretty seriously, another a bit and does scouts. With all this (and some time for homework) he doesn't have as much time for gaming. He does sometimes play for some long stints but as he does lots of other things I don't mind too much. He plays a bit on some week days after school but because of the other activities it's naturally regulated. I'd try and get him to do some other things.

Extra curricular has been massively limited by Covid. My ds had two after school clubs and went to the gym. All that stopped.

I don’t limit DS (15) but he has to turn it off at a reasonable time at night, or be silent! He has no other hobbies and gaming is his socialising. He would rather cut off his own head than do any type of organises activity and he’s too old to force so I let him get in with it. He is good about getting up, getting himself organised every day, will stop playing to watch a film with us or do a family activity.