Before You Buy that Game System for Christmas Read This: Video Game Addiciton

Reposted from July 2006

PS 2, Nintendo, X-Box. Whatever you want to call it, I’m convinced it was sent here straight from the pit to torture moms. Is it just my family, or do your kids turn into little monsters, fighting and jockeying for their game time?

My youngest has just started playing with her brothers. That makes four kids arguing over the Nintendo or PS2. I’ve tried everything. I’ve limited their time playing by using a kitchen timer, but that sometimes sets me up for more trouble.

“Mom, he went over his time again!”
“Hey, give me that it’s my turn.”
“Moooom!”
Crash! Bang! Whine!

Then we moved the games into my oldest son’s room.

“Mom, they’re in my room again!”
“Yes, I know. I said they could play Nintendo.”
“But there destroying the place…”
Slam! Bang! Whine!
“Mom, he locked me out of the room again.”

Recently my son got the tv and games taken out for not letting his brothers into his room. This has been an ongoing problem we haven’t figured out how to solve yet. How can he have his privacy and keep the little ones from tearing up his room when the family game unit is in his room? Just take it out! Problem solved, somehow I don’t think so. Well see.

How about the “mom, he’s not letting me win!” whine. Or the “mom, he turned off the game” scuffle. Did I meniton I think these games are sent from the evil one?

During the school year our kids were not allowed to play the games during the week and only 30 minutes each day on the weekend. My kids thought I was sent from the evil one, especially when their friends played hours after school.

“Mom, so and so gets to play as long as he wants.”
“I’ve talked to so and so’s mom and that’s not true.”
“A different so and so says he feels sorry for me and that you’re the meanest mom in the world.”

Well, then I talked to some moms about this problem and learned that one mom made her children earn game time. As much as they practiced piano, they could play PS2. Guess what we’re doing this summer?

One son is playing a lot of piano, the other is doing a lot of complaining.
“Mom, why do we always have to earn fun?”
“Do you have to earn time at the water park, the movies, sleepovers?”
“No.” Head hung low in defeat.
Subtle grin of satisfaction on my face.

But I’m not a complete ogre. I often surprise them with free game time, espcially when friends are over. Still, I’m thinking of putting the game systems away for a while. I did this once when the fighting and never ending question “when can we play PS2?” was driving me up a wall. I had a very peaceful few months without the kids asking to play.

I’m at that point again, ready to pack up the games. Just moments ago I heard arguing from up stairs, now all is quiet. It’s one of those free game times, and I figure as long as they’re quiet and happy I’m be able to type away. So, are these game systems sent from the evil one or a blessing from God? I guess it all depends when you ask me!

But one thing is for certain, they can become an addiction. I read an article on video game addiction recently and was amazed to learn parents of gamers go through similiar issues

Read more about video game addiction and the five common mistakes parent make.