Allowing children to play video games

i allow them to play

1.Well first thing is limit video game time:Two hours a day or less is a reasonable limit. Or allow an hour of play on school nights and two or three hours a day on weekends. Some parents allow the video games only on weekends. If your child is doing poorly in school, temporarily eliminate video game time on school nights. Some parents allow their children to earn video game time by putting in equivalent reading time. 2.Don't allow your child to postpone bedtime because he wants to finish a video game:Remember that children who stay up late are usually too tired the next day to remember what they are taught in school. Don't allow your child to have a video game set in his bedroom, because this eliminates your control over time spent playing. When bedtime is drawing near, give your child a 10-minute warning. 3.Encourage your children to settle their own disputes over using the video game:Try to stay out of disagreements, as long as they remain verbal. Children can't go through life having a referee to resolve their differences. If the dispute becomes too loud, remove the game until your children work out a solution.

I think that a good Idea is to have T.v./video game time already set up, like they are allowed 1-2 hours a day in front of a screen, they can pick either video games or t.v. (or games online) but they are only allowed to have a combined time of 1-2 hours. Understand what I'm saying? (sorry if i'm not being coherent, i'm on pain medication right now..) Like They can play vidoe games for 1 1/2 hours and watch 1/2 an hour of t.v... But also they need to be games that are preapproved. HOpe this helps. GOod luck!

if the games are not with violence i let them

I think theirs nothing wrong with playing video games that are right for their age, i mean some games are even good for you like Nintendo's Brain Age, hepls keep the brain active and alret (much better then just watching t.v.)

Well, they can be very good for critical thinking (games like the Zelda series, etc) since most good adventure games are one puzzle after another. And now with the Wii out (wii sports), they can actually be pretty decent exercise. It also introduces them to gaming communities, in real life and online, where they can make friends who like the same games they do. It's also a much better hobby than watching TV, which involves no thought and no movement, and might keep him at home instead of roaming the streets. I don't have children but if I do, I'll definitely let them play as long as they want as long as it doesn't interere with school, homework, and life in general. I mean, as long as they still have a life and friends and it doesn't become a dangerous obsession, it's harmless. Just make sure they play games that are age appropriate and not things like Grand Theft Auto.

Well i for one allow my 7 year old nephew to play his X-Box. However i do limit his usage and the games that he plays! I think that about 2 hours a day is a good time for a child to spend at least at age 7!

there's no point in not letting children play video games. excess is bad, thirty mins daily is ideal.

You child, at age nine, is not ready for video games I guess.Perhaps, your husband is a die-hard video games fan. It is ok to play it, but I guess, it is better not to get addicted to it. In your case, I guess you must take some control over your child's video games, or he would just get addicted, like your husband perhaps is :)