August
2006
The Devil’s Play Thing?
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. 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!
So how do you handle this problem at your home? And if it isn’t a problem, please let me in on your secret!!
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Written By: Gina
Posted under: On Being a Parent, Women's Voices . 
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Have you been hanging out in my house? I thought I saw someone sneaking =))
Uggg. My kids ALWAYS fight about “time limits” “is my turn”, etc..
Sooo being the oger I am, I say if there are fights and if this thing brings out the WORST in you, OFF IT GOES, and OUTSIDE YOU PLAY. So now I hear “don’t tell Mom, come on, lets work it out” =)) Ahhhh the sound of solving your own problems.
I tried to set a timer, but then it got to “Oh Mom I have to finish this one level and then I will hand it over”. So now they determine their own time, and if there are any fights OFF IT GOES!!
We also get the “Can I just finish the level” and I usually let them. My kids still aren’t very good at working it out. One is a major game hog (thus the time limit) and the other a major whiner. The third one is just stuck in the middle!
I’m going to trying to make them work it out more!
Our rule is if something, anything come between our children then they lose it. Sometimes it is just for an hour, sometmes a whole day, sometimes it makes its way to the thrift shop. They get one warning, “Love one another.” The next time one of us has to step in, they lose the priviledge. We still get whining and complaining, but that costs them a quarter of their allowance a pop so as soon as I mention that they just lost a quarter, the whining stops. (If I have to listen to whining, complaining arguing, or disobedience, then they have to pay me for it.)
So far it keeps the whining and fighting to a minimum. I guess I should mention that we do have a daily devotions toether where we are reading through the New Testament, so they know that they are supposed to love one another more than anything they own, AND that they are to die to self for the sake of the other. In fact lately I have been reminding them that when they are mean o one another they are being mean to Jesus. That makes a pretty deep impression. (And no, that doesn’t mean my kids never fight, but it does mean I am doing less yelling.)
I remember all too well being addicted to nintendo games as a teen…so I’ve shied away from getting any of the above.
I’ve noticed a lot of disastisfaction and boredom after they watch tv though…and we went without a tv for almost a year…they never got along better. More imagination, more fun.
Why’d we bring the thing out again? My writing.
Shaking my head.