Regardless of other issues that arise, you need to follow through with the consequences immediately if your child breaks the rules. You cannot apply the rules differently if your child feels ill or does not have any homework one day. You cannot allow your child to bend the rules when you are tired or distracted. Once you have established your rules, you must consistently monitor and apply them. You can and should prevent purchase and use of games with extreme violence or graphic sexual content.Ħ. Find out about his preferred games. In addition to setting rules about times for playing, you should also include rules related to the types of games allowed. Ask him directly or view web browsers if you are unsure. As a parent of a minor, you have the right - and the responsibility. Make sure you know and approve of which games your child is playing. A more reasonable option is a complete ban on gaming (or media use more generally) for several days or weeks if she does not abide by the rules.ĥ. You do not want to tell your 14-year-old child she cannot get her driver’s permit when she is 16 if she breaks the rules next week. The outcome for violating the rules must be enforceable and immediately applicable. Determine a realistic consequence for breaking the rules. Remember that it is easier to loosen restrictions than to tighten them.Ĥ. You could then loosen it after a couple of months if your child is adhering to it and no problems are evident. You may decide that the initial plan is too restrictive. Instituting a temporary change will result in greater buy-in than a permanent change. You can follow your plan for 1 or 2 months and then reevaluate it. In designing your rules, consider a reasonable time frame for reassessment. It is crucial to ensure that your child develops, maintains, and enjoys other, non-screentime activities.ģ. Regardless of what limits you think are appropriate, some days each week should involve no gaming. They provide an online planner to assist parents in deciding on screentime. The group recommends even lower limits of under 1 hour of total screentime per day for children under 6 years old, and they encourage parents to determine the appropriate amount of time for video games and other electronic media use for children over the age of 6. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non- school days. Playing video games should be a privilege that is earned. Be sure to check the quality and completeness of homework and chores prior to allowing your child to begin playing. That should include homework and household chores. Remember that gaming should occur only after your child completes his other responsibilities for the day. Be sure you are no longer part of that majority! Here are guidelines for limiting gaming for your child:ġ. However, two- thirds of US children and adolescents indicate that their parents have “no rules” related to time spent on media use. Having clear and consistent guidelines related to video games prevents excessive playing. And finding some things you can do together will help to make your relationship better, especially if there has been a lot of fighting over their gaming habit.įor children and younger adolescents, and even for older adolescents under the age of 18, you as a parent should have the bulk of the say in determining appropriate limits to gaming. It can also help to give them little rewards for doing those activities. If your child is having fun doing something besides gaming, they’ll do it more. It’s important to help your child find other activities they really like. Some days every week should be video game-free. If you want to be sure, check the web history on your child’s computer.Īnother good rule is to allow gaming only after homework and chores are done. Avoid any games with graphic violence or sex. It’s also appropriate for parents to know and approve the games their kids are playing. Kids under 6 should spend closer to 30 minutes. For kids over the age of 6, the American Academy of Pediatrics says no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days. It’s good to set video game time limits by age. Consequences for breaking the rules, like a ban on gaming for a period of days, should be immediate. And limits only work if you stick to them. They can also fix a gaming habit that’s out of control. But there are steps a parent can take to set limits on gaming. They can lose interest in other activities. For many, gaming is one of a variety of activities they enjoy. The full article is an excerpt from the book Pause and Reset, by Nancy M.
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