What do you guys think about parents who limit their kids computer and console time?

[razor767]

It is totally reasonable to limit your kids' time on the PC and/or consoles. I personally would go for an accomplishment-based system though, meaning that as long as you do well in school you can have more computer time, but if your grades are bad you have to focus more on studying. That seems like the "right" thing to me because gaming can actually be an exhausting activity and if it drags down your performance in school it should be limited.

 

This basically.

[WinNut]

Welcome to the Asian world.

Mon-Thu: NO recreational PC use, homework only (I extend my homework by reading LTT)

Fri: 1/2 hour of computer only

Sat & Sun: 1hr/day

[Trik'Stari]

Control freaks is what I think. By 16 if my parents had said "you can only play games for 4 hours a day on the weekends" I'd have told them to fuck off.

 

Then again, I don't ever plan to be a parent, and as far as I'm concerned most parents are assholes to begin with. My dad cock-blocked me through high school on the rare times I managed to actually get a girl to come over to my house, how I didn't kick him in the balls and slam the door shut, I will never know.

[rambi36]

When I'm at my dad's house he doesn't really care but I don't have much times to use the computer at my moms because my mom makes me do things with her that I would rather not do

[IdeaStormer]

Ha! Just find out what they do a lot of and do that till they get the point.

[BirdyTheMighty]

i think its good cause they dont turn up to be shit bags(not shit bags until they are like 18) and go outside and do something instead of sitting on their ass doing nothing, "BUT i'm a E-sport-er" fark that, game is not a sport

[rentaspoon]

It is totally reasonable to limit your kids' time on the PC and/or consoles. I personally would go for an accomplishment-based system though, meaning that as long as you do well in school you can have more computer time, but if your grades are bad you have to focus more on studying. That seems like the "right" thing to me because gaming can actually be an exhausting activity and if it drags down your performance in school it should be limited.

Yep I used to go home and do the gran turismo endurance races and then sleep, I had pretty much given up on school as half my lessons the teachers never turned up among other things.

My parents gave me the best upbringing they could and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

I just wish I'd spent more time with them as I don't get the time to see them now

My son is 4yrs old and has started getting homework, I want to make sure he does it all and then he gets to play on the computer. We play Kerbal Space program because it's "educational".

[Tech_Dreamer]

good & bad depends on the kids response, but mostly they should let them choose.. nobody likes a control freak!

[frostin1990]

It's a good thing if you ask me.When i was got bad results in 7th grade my dad decided to no Cable connection for 4years and i could live with no internet no TV for years,this sounds impossible for most of you but this is how strict it is in most asian countries espically the education system.

[Toggle]

I think that it is good if there is a valid reason behind limiting whatever they are doing. If a child is playing too many video games and their grades begin to suffer then it would be best to place a limit. If not, and some arbitrary reason is given then it isn't good in my eyes, and is simply limiting a child's creativity in a way.

[rutwik]

I anger my parents sometimes and here everyone thinks gaming is bad to health and should play outside or read when u have free time.

So basically everyone has their own ways of parenting.

[Biased Opinion]

For me it was no games during the week but on weekends i could just do whatever i wanted.

[Recon97]

Whenever I finish my college work I get on my pc. I hardly get 2 hours to play cuz of college.

[Guest]

Yep I used to go home and do the gran turismo endurance races and then sleep, I had pretty much given up on school as half my lessons the teachers never turned up among other things.

My parents gave me the best upbringing they could and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

I just wish I'd spent more time with them as I don't get the time to see them now

My son is 4yrs old and has started getting homework, I want to make sure he does it all and then he gets to play on the computer. We play Kerbal Space program because it's "educational".

 

That's pretty awesome, playing games together with your kids is incredibly important IMO. And it doesn't even have to be an "educational" game, just making sure that you are involved in your kids' hobby and that you point them in the right direction from time to time seems vital to me. Too many parents just drop their kids off in front of the TV or in front of the PC/console.

[WolfDeville]

I absolutely think parents should limit their kids to the amount of time they spend on the computer. Even a couple of hours is quite a bit.

Now, if they were researching stuff, or something productive, then it should be allowed. But from a strict gaming standpoint, two hours is plenty.

There are more social and proactive things you can do with your time and it's important to learn that as a youth.

Kids generally can't think that way, it's the adults responsibility to teach them.

 

Every day I deal with people that just don't seem adapted to every day life, and a huge part of it is easily that.

 

 

It's not so much discipline as it is learning about the world around you.

There's a lot more to life than a computer screen, mouse and keyboard.

 

Exactly this.

Not only family time, but social interaction in general.

 

There's always something else to do.

The simple fact that you can't think of anything else shows that it's a problem.

What do you think people did before there were games? Yeah. Exactly.

 Besides school/work/homework? I guess during the day they would go outside and either do some sort of activity or NOTHING. Nightfall: come inside, eat dinner, watch TV or do NOTHING. just a repeating cycle.

 

Where is the entertainment in that? That's a pretty miserable fucking life...

[WolfDeville]

I'm limited by my own imagination, i don't work hard and give up easily on most of my tasks such as in gaming, editing, animation and many other skillful tasks. Being born in a country where you can't find a job without passing college or atleast school 10+. when you drop out school very early. I go outside home extremely rarely, only the times when i am teased up or forced brutally that too for a stupid psychiatrist who makes fun of me and every time i say something to him he blows his mouth out or either fill it with air inside. Damn my life, i look scary as hell and nobody gives a fuck about how badly im suffering.

 woah, that's rough. Punch that psychiatrist cunt right in the face.

[ofr057]

if your living at home they make the rules so yeah

[rentaspoon]

That's pretty awesome, playing games together with your kids is incredibly important IMO. And it doesn't even have to be an "educational" game, just making sure that you are involved in your kids' hobby and that you point them in the right direction from time to time seems vital to me. Too many parents just drop their kids off in front of the TV or in front of the PC/console.

Thanks mate, he loves skyrim so we play that a lot of people moan because "it's to old" but with the blood and gore stripped its no worse than shows he watches on TV.

He's built a PC and we have been skateboarding for a long time, his mum is really good with the reading writing side of things so we play to our strengths.

As you said kids shouldn't be dumped in front of a tv and they appreciate you spend the time with them anyway

[Calavera]

My parents limited the time I played at age 8 or so, it got quite annoying that I was playing on the thing all day.

From age 12 I bought my own stuff and thus I was free to do whatever.

At first I was addicted a bit, now I am on the PC a lot too, but I do different things.

I rarely game anymore, I work on school and watch my entertainment, I don't watch TV so this is my TV.

[Pugs501]

Because I work with 3D Modeling/Mapping/Texturing on the same PC I use for school which is PC based, I can spend almost all day working on my computer.

(Now if you want me to do something for you I will happily listen to your request, but I have school right now so it's not the best time, but shoot me a PM and I'll talk to you)

 

What OP needs to read:

Now for the question for how long you should limit, I would say no electronics until the weekend.  I bet someone will say you should be able to play once you finish your homework but that is a bad idea, that will encourage you to rush thou the work or just lie about it.  Just hold on till the weekend.

[dizmo]

 Besides school/work/homework? I guess during the day they would go outside and either do some sort of activity or NOTHING. Nightfall: come inside, eat dinner, watch TV or do NOTHING. just a repeating cycle.

 

Where is the entertainment in that? That's a pretty miserable fucking life...

That's exactly it. You have absolutely no imagination. You can play outside at night. There are activities to do outside at night. There are activities you can do inside at night.

None of which require a computer.

It's pathetic that you can't see that.

[Heisenbleurgh]

I think it's ok to limit it for younger kids. I honestly believe the most gaming happens around your mid/late 20s, when you can actually afford to buy whatever tech/game you want for yourself and you'll most likely have a day job and your life kinda starting to settle. At a young age I feel there's too much to learn and juggle with to spend a large amount of time playing video games.

[-ism]

I think limits are alright, my parents limited my computer time when I was younger. I think my parents did it completely wrong, I think instead of doing a simple two hours and that's that sort of deal they should have done something along the lines of "when its appropriate, use it" like, maybe only two hours during the day, but at night use it as much as you want? If we were (my siblings and I) ever kicked off the computer we would just go downstairs and watch TV or play GameCube so its not like the limits were helpful. How I would do it with my kids if I had kids is allow them to use it when obviously nothing is going on. If nobodies home or its raining or its a lazy day I would have no problem with my kids spending the majority of the day online. I would make em get off when its time for meals or family time or whatever.

Gaming would not be shunned, and in many cases probably encouraged, but it would definitely have its place.

Again it also depends on the kid, my parents obviously see that I spend the majority of my time on cultivating relationships with real life friends and I'm not a recluse hermit so if one day I feel like playing battlefield or whatnot for 10 hours they probably wouldn't mind. If the kid was clearly showing lack of social skills I would probably make him stop playing and go outside.

[WolfDeville]

That's exactly it. You have absolutely no imagination. You can play outside at night. There are activities to do outside at night. There are activities you can do inside at night.

None of which require a computer.

It's pathetic that you can't see that.

 Suggest one thing to do at night INSIDE. ONE THING.

[Misanthrope]

My kid is still too young for computers and such (3.5 years old) however he does like TV but he is not that interested: he leaves his shows on but continues to play with his other toys anyway so I wouldn't worry too much.