Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Video Games zapping my sons brain

I am worried Nintendo DS is zappong my DS6's brain.
He is addicted and seems to not want to do anything else.
We only allow it not on the weekends but that is all he wants to do even when we give him a time limit it is all he talks about. The other kids have them at school so now what do we do. Do we ban it when all the other kids have it too. From what I hear the other kids are not as obssessed as my DS is. He wants to complete every game! That will take forever. Like his workbooks he does not want to stop until he is done , and these games have hundreds of levels. I dk what to do here, anyone else having similar issues?

We have started setting the kitchen timer for DS6's Nintendo DS time. It has really helped for him to hear the beep--beep--beep when his time is up. I usually let him have 30 minutes on school nights and frequent 30 minute play times on the weekend. I think he should take a break after staring at the small screen for 30 minutes straight.

My DS6 is also obsessed with completing every game he owns. IMO, I didn't want to ban it because it would only make him want it more. I do, however, use the Nintedo DS as his first line of punishment and it does seem to be the first thing that he truly cares enough about to actually remorse about his behavior.

Great advice! A 2 week withdrawal period. It really is an addiction. So many days I was tempted to throw it out the window!

The kitchen timer is a great idea. Now what do you do when you go out? Do you allow him to use it say in the car? I have done this but am thinking this is bad since whereever we go he knows it is in the car and then mopes around wanting to only play Nintendo.

Note to self: Do not get DS5 a DS for his bday/Christmas, even though he is begging for it with everything he has... even though the Wii is "portable", it's not "car-friendly".

I like the idea of the timer! DS5 is the SAME way with his Wii. He's always complaining he has NO other toys and NOTHING else to do. I told DH this past weekend that I was going to remove all of the other toys, so he realizes he does have other options. However, I'm thinking as long as the Wii is around, he would care less (other than his monster trucks).

The WII was another nightmare for us.
We actually sold it on ebay!
We will not buy any other game systems.
I regret buying nintendo ds.
Soem of the kids have a ton of video game systems, but it is bad for those of us w/kids w/an addictive personality.

My son has had a Gameboy since he was five and the Nintendo DS for several years, and I have never felt the need to limit his time on them except when he gets a brand new game that his friends are also getting and then he is competing with them to get to a higher level. He wants to make sure he is at a higher level than they are. He loves it when they call and ask him for advice.

My 10 year old son and his 59 year old dad, whose fun loving playful attitude keeps him young, enjoy playing history related role playing games and strategy games. I have to let them know about 30 minutes in advance when dinner will be ready so they can finish whatever level they are on. As long as they are able to get to a stopping point or save point there is no problem. It is when I try to tell my son that he has to get off a game immediately and he doesn't want to lose all his progress for that level that he might get a little unhappy about it.

I really like the leveling up thing, especially when my son applies it to his SAT prep game, math games, vocabulary games, and puzzle games.

But I would definitely limit his time on the Nintendo DS if I felt it was becoming a problem.

If he cannot walk away from it for two weeks, or you want to toss it, then its a problem!!!

Boys are very susceptible to videogames and as Telepresence begins to become possible in the next few years, games will become even more addictive.


I think this is great. DW and I have a game night once a week.

I was so determined to keep video games out after seeing how addicted my nephews are. But then I agreed to get an old nintendo off ebay (just super mario bros) in an effort to improve processing speed or something, I can't remember what brain thing it was LOL. That's been ok, they're not addicted. But we recently got a vacation home and my nephews donated their old X-box for my kids to play with while there - I hate the 3d stuff. And a friend just gave us WII Sport but we haven't played it yet.

I have made them earn computer/video game time though occasionally we fall off the wagon (I have a little chart on the wall in the kitchen). They get points for doing various random things (5 points for unloading the dishwasher, etc.). Points = minutes of video or computer game time. 5 or 10 points for practicing piano without prodding, same for reading a book that's of significant length for them, same for cleaning up toys without complaining (ok they still complain lol).

And we usually limit playing time to weekends only.

If it's any consolation, a friend of ours recently admitted to having played thousands of hours of video games in his youth, and he's very, very successful and sociable (he's easily HG).

Oh I know for sure it DS can't walk away from it for 2 weeks he will have a fit. He is def addicted he told me he even dreams of video games. I know it is a problem. I am afraid to scar him to get rid of it completely. Although I would love to do so. What do you think? Will I scar him?