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time limit for kids

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  • 11-04-2012 2:58pm
    #1
    jaspertheghost
    Registered Users Posts: 231 ✭✭


    hi...just wondering if anyone has an opinion on how long you should let your kids play computer games...i reckon 2 hours a day when off school and an hour and a half on school days...our 13year old would spend all day and night on the bloody things if he could.i can see an addiction begining but shur no body listens to me...any opinions???


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    #2
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    I think it should be the same as working at a pc. An hour of play with a short break for the eyes. But never longer than four hours. RSI n'all that.

    If you have an xbox look in to the parental controls.

    Also you should really use it as a 'reward' scheme. That is only let him play when the homework is done or when the room is clean. I know it sounds harsh but it will instil the right way of doing things instead of letting him play the games whenever and leaving things to pile up.

    http://support.xbox.com/en-US/billing-and-subscriptions/parental-controls/xbox-live-parental-control
    Family Timer: This setting allows you to limit the time that your console can be used on a daily or weekly basis.


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    #3
    DarkJager
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,960 ✭✭✭DarkJager


    jaspertheghost wrote: »
    hi...just wondering if anyone has an opinion on how long you should let your kids play computer games...i reckon 2 hours a day when off school and an hour and a half on school days...our 13year old would spend all day and night on the bloody things if he could.i can see an addiction begining but shur no body listens to me...any opinions???

    It's a hobby like watching movies or reading books, not an addiction. 2 hours a day is nothing to be honest but I do agree it shouldn't interfere with other things like school. I work odd shifts and could normally spend 3-4 hours a day if a game is good enough as it's a hobby I enjoy. Everything in moderation as they say but there's no harm giving him extended time on it every so often.


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    #4
    VinLieger
    Registered Users Posts: 18,128 ✭✭✭✭VinLieger


    DarkJager wrote: »
    It's a hobby like watching movies or reading books, not an addiction. 2 hours a day is nothing to be honest but I do agree it shouldn't interfere with other things like school. I work odd shifts and could normally spend 3-4 hours a day if a game is good enough as it's a hobby I enjoy. Everything in moderation as they say but there's no harm giving him extended time on it every so often.

    Yes but certain games are designed specifically to be addictive, like wow for instance, a hobby yes but for children under the age of 16 a hobby that has to be controlled by the parents so it doesnt affect school.
    It really is about striking the right balance and everyone is different, a reward system maybe be what is called for with a base time limit that can be adjusted for good marks in school etc. However dont set it for finishing homework early, most likely the work will just be half assed, at least thats how i used to do it :)


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    #5
    PlainP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 714 ✭✭✭PlainP


    My children aren't allowed to play during the week, only at weekends. I do this because they would do nothing else if they were allowed to play all the time.
    Saying this they do sometimes play for more than two hours at a sitting. Depends on the game they are playing at the time.
    They are 7 and 8.


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    #6
    Morag
    Registered Users Posts: 8,427 ✭✭✭Morag


    We are a house of avid gamers.
    Currently on school days they get to play for 2/3 hours depending on what else is on and homework and chores have to be done.
    Currently they are on holidays and I don't have a set time limit, on their pc or consoles.
    They don't get to sit all day just playing but they tend to do 3 two hour bursts.
    They are 12 and 14 currently and are learning to self regulate and still stop after a certain ammount of time or when they get frustrated. They spend a lot of time creating levels and tweaking the game play which is invovles a lot of thinking and planning.

    When they were younger I had stricter times set for them would use a timer but it was dependant on how they are playing and how it effected them.


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    #7
    Dcully
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 14,711 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dcully


    Best game ever for kids is Minecraft,my 9 year old loves it, some of the stuff hes made on creative mode are nothing short of epic.
    Id rather he played 3 hours of that than 3 mins of some of the crap out there.


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    #8
    JohnMarston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,881 ✭✭✭JohnMarston


    ok i agree with most posters so far. Self-regulation is important for this hobby.
    A reward system benefits them. They feel they have earned their game time.
    My folks also rewarded me for good work in school and after school activities, usually with a new game at the end of the term.
    Adhering strictly to the time is important on school nights definitely, as you want them to get their 8 hours and ensure their homework is done.

    Weekends my folks were quite lenient with game time, especially in winter when the weather was bad. In spring/summer during holidays and weekend they would kick my ass out of the house. Tbh it was just as well


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    #9
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 14,074 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Put a time limit on games like CoD, Gears of War, or any other generic shooter. Have no time limit on the likes of Little Big Planet or Minecraft, or anything that actually involves creating rather than killing.

    Games are not evil, they are another form of entertainment. Nobody would give out to a child reading books all day...


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    #10
    Helix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,661 ✭✭✭✭Helix


    PlainP wrote: »
    My children aren't allowed to play during the week


    do you let them watch tv during that time?


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    #11
    Kirby
    Registered Users Posts: 13,084 ✭✭✭✭Kirby


    Ofcourse.

    Don't you know that television is a parental substitute but that video games are evil and are the cause of every school massacre of the last 30 years?


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    #12
    METS 1B
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31 ✭METS 1B


    I don't even want a tv in my house when I have kids.


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    #13
    jaspertheghost
    Registered Users Posts: 231 ✭✭jaspertheghost


    its mostly the shoot um ups that are the problem...wouldnt mind if it was something creative or even the wii where they are moving....they got a wii for xmas 2years ago and its been sitting in the corner gathering dust for most of that time...


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    #14
    Kiith
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 23,186 Mod ✭✭✭✭Kiith


    I don't think there's any difference in letting them play games or watch tv. As long as you follow the certifications that are with the games, either is as bad/good as the other. If you're stopping them from playing for more then an hour or two, don't just make them go watch tv instead.

    Gaming, as with pretty much anything, is perfectly fine in moderation.


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    #15
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 51,446 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    Playing games nearly every waking hour didn't do me any wrong. Let them play as much as they like however I would be vigilant about online games, especially MMO's but it works just as well for shooters like Call of Duty. Those games are designed to be addictive.

    As long as you have the kids active with sports and clubs and they still see friends I see nothing wrong with it. I know I played lots of games but it replaced time in the TV which I didn't find as rewarding.

    However absolutely no games before the homework gets done. They won't bother if they get involved in a game and it makes a good incentive.
    Untitled Image




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    #16
    PlainP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 714 ✭✭✭PlainP


    Helix wrote: »
    do you let them watch tv during that time?

    Yes they are allowed to watch tv.
    When they are finished their homework if its not raining I send them outside, then after their dinner, probably an hour or so before bed they get to watch tv.
    I download shows that they like to watch as we have no terrestrial tv or sky, stuff like Phinias (spelling??) and Pherb or Cow and Chicken or Superhero Squad or we watch a movie together.
    My partner downloaded the Back to the Future Trilogy recently for them to watch and they loved them.


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    #17
    Helix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,661 ✭✭✭✭Helix


    PlainP wrote: »
    Yes they are allowed to watch tv.
    When they are finished their homework if its not raining I send them outside, then after their dinner, probably an hour or so before bed they get to watch tv.
    I download shows that they like to watch as we have no terrestrial tv or sky, stuff like Phinias (spelling??) and Pherb or Cow and Chicken or Superhero Squad or we watch a movie together.
    My partner downloaded the Back to the Future Trilogy recently for them to watch and they loved them.

    why are they allowed to watch tv (passive) and not play games (active) during this time?


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    #18
    PlainP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 714 ✭✭✭PlainP


    Helix wrote: »
    why are they allowed to watch tv (passive) and not play games (active) during this time?


    They aren't allowed to play "games (active)" just for this very reason, it is active time and I find that if they don't have some downtime before they go to bed they are wired to the moon and it takes them ages to get to sleep.


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    #19
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 14,074 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    PlainP wrote: »
    They aren't allowed to play "games (active)" just for this very reason, it is active time and I find that if they don't have some downtime before they go to bed they are wired to the moon and it takes them ages to get to sleep.

    But tv can do the same, especially cartoons...


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    #20
    PlainP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 714 ✭✭✭PlainP


    Potential-Monke wrote: »
    But tv can do the same, especially cartoons...

    Not as much as games imo, my youngest tends to bounce on the floor while playing games so much so that he's sweats buckets.

    They know that when the tv is put on before bed that this is downtime and as such just passively watch until its time for bed.


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    #21
    Helix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,661 ✭✭✭✭Helix


    PlainP wrote: »
    They aren't allowed to play "games (active)" just for this very reason, it is active time and I find that if they don't have some downtime before they go to bed they are wired to the moon and it takes them ages to get to sleep.

    point accepted, however games are far better for them than tv. if anything, cut out the tv viewing from what they're allowed to do. if they're not gaming, do something else like play a board game with them, or have them read something they're interested in

    tv is a plague on kids, particularly given the garbage on it nowadays


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    #22
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 14,074 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Helix wrote: »
    tv is a plague on everyone, particularly given the garbage on it nowadays

    FYP*







    *I'm excluding Dexter & Spartacus in this!


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    #23
    RedXIV
    Registered Users Posts: 8,438 ✭✭✭RedXIV


    Its an interesting point, I remember reading how cartoons like Spongebob were actually destroying children's concentration abilities because they are fast paced with minimal plot.

    I've a 7yr old who I've no problem playing games with unless its a nice day. Its the system my parents implemented with me and my siblings, if its a nice day, go outside, if its a crappy day, come inside. Similarly to Retr0, we watched very little TV, instead preferring to play games, particularly multiplayer ones.

    But as someone else mentioned, games or playing or TV, all comes AFTER homework and house work is complete.


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    #24
    Genghiz Cohen
    Registered Users Posts: 7,182 ✭✭✭Genghiz Cohen


    Potential-Monke wrote: »
    FYP*







    *I'm excluding Dexter & Spartacus in this!

    And Game Of Thrones. TYVM.:mad:

    Also, Cow & Chicken, yes :D


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    #25
    PlainP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 714 ✭✭✭PlainP


    Helix wrote: »
    point accepted, however games are far better for them than tv. if anything, cut out the tv viewing from what they're allowed to do. if they're not gaming, do something else like play a board game with them, or have them read something they're interested in

    tv is a plague on kids, particularly given the garbage on it nowadays


    We do this sometimes, it depends on they're mood really, sometimes they are just shattered and want to chill out.

    In an ideal world I would love nothing better than to have their heads in books all the time but I just let them read when they want to read. I don't want to force them to try and enjoy reading. The same with all things really if you force it on the child they will just resent you and the activity you are trying to force on them.

    Case in point my eldest hated Taekwon-do when he was in it so I had to make the decision to pull him out of it as he just didn't enjoy it. Onto the next thing I suppose.


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