J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

This is probably my fault but my three, well certainly the older two are utterly bloody addicted to sitting on their **** sin front of some kind of screen, ok, I am but I do cycle to work, walk the dog, read, do jobs etc, they will sit there all day it being the school holidays.

I went to bed early and the missus hadnt realised they were still down there, she was doign some stuff for her new business makign handbags and didnt realise until 1am at which point they were sent upstairs, they had an argument about a quid on the landing, waking me up so they got told to shut up and get in bed, they then put their Ipods on ! f*cking 1am.

So, I want to seriously curtail their time on electronics and get them outside more, they do go out but it should be most of the time, not on the bloody xbox.

So, suggestions please, I swear I am on the verge of driving my car over the xbox.

They also have Ipod Touches with which they keep downloading stuff at my expense despite being told (need to change password)


I think I will set the parental controls on the Xbox, anyone tried this.

Get rid of Sky

Set the router so it wont allow them to use their Ipods after ten, ditto the eldests pc


I am not being mean here, this is getting ridiculous, we turn our backs and they ensconse themselves in front of it or the pc, they find a way of watching bloody Family Guy on any device they can.

Steve vRS

Wait till they discover online ****. Then you will long for the days of HALO 3 again on the X-Box.

Mine is currently into Lego Harry Potter on the Wii (he's 7) and has a major sulk when I drag him out on his bike!

Steve

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I think the consoles are great and game sin general but I can only manage an hour before I need to go and do something constructive, kids dont have that thought process that involves somethign else other than the game, everything else is secondary.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

The eldest did discover online ****, I found his I pod Touch and thought it was mine, some choice sites he had been visiting, hence mobicip being installed, basically a browser that proxies requests through a filter which decides whether its ok to proceed.

The Zohan

From my pov i/we allow our two an hour each day to play on the Wii and that's it, they play out with their friends, go swimming and cycling and the consul is just a small part of what they do and how the entertain themselves. It is not a reward and only occasionally are they banned from using it, usually when grounded and part of not having any luxuries, including bikes or dvds's. We do neither focus on it or use it as a reward or incentive as such.

Our kids enjoy playing with their friends, biking, swimming and generally have a healthy active lifestyle which i am not inclined to change, in fact actively encourage.

I would be real easy to just let them play on it to keep them out of the way and entertained but not one we want, i would rather read or let the draw and or make stuff for real, not some virtual reality which is fine to visit from time to time and that's all.

Just my take on it and not a judgment at all. Our kids are above average academically, creative, funny, demonstrate common sense (occasionally) and very fit and healthy and that's the way i would like to keep it

SJ_Skyline

Have you tried getting them involved with some sort of club? Maybe something like a cycling club that you could all enjoy together?

My Mrs is looking to get our two involved with her swimming club as soon as they are old enough - muggins here will be driving the bus. That said, I'll have them running, cycling and adventure racing with me as soon as they can

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

They do stuff at school like Hockey, Football and cricket, clubs after school, middle one does a drama club on Saturday mornings, they all have guitar lessons, they swim at the local pool and the inlaws have a pool so its not a lack of other stuff, but say like for the Guitar, £120 a month for lessons and very rarely do I hear any practice, default choice is the beige box.

ScoobyWon't

£120 a month for lessons? I'm sure a one-way flight to Portugal followed by a game of hide-and-seek costs less....

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Yes, £24 a week for the older two, half and hour each, joint lesson with a bloke who comes to the house, the youngest £7 a time with the lad over the road * 4 = 28, so actually £124.

They are not having lessons over the school hols (only term time) apart from the youngest as its a bit more informal, none of them can be bothered from what I can see, apart from the youngest and that may be a novelty, getting p1ssed off with it really as my brother learnt with no lessons and a plywood guitar, they have had six months and are still not outstounding me, not because they can, because they have other commitments, i.e. Xbox, pc, Ipod, Family Guy etc

When we kick them off they go round to a mates house, some of them do nothing else, one comes round with a six pack of energy drinks and a kilo of chocolate, and eats the lot, himself !

Hysteria1983

I find my two don't want to do anything unless I do too. Sigh!

Even though my children ate younger I get them involved in things that a) help me b) teach them a little domestication and c) gets them to do something other than stare at the tv.

My son has a plastic washing line and plays matching the socks. He hangs them on his line, which he loves doing, but it also helps me.

Then they get the chance to play after.

Just plan something you know they like doing. I'm not sure how old your kids are, so hard to give examples, but board games, darts, bike rides, kite flying, sports, model painting etc. Just a few off the top of my head.

peter zippy reid

iTrader: (25)

try having 6 kids 4xboxes 1 wii 3laptops 2-iphones all running at least 8hrs a day when i tell them to get off they go off for ten mins then say they are bored am bored paying the electricity bill

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I shall propose the sock matching game, I suspect I will be asked if its available for Xbox or PS3 ?

Kids are 11, 13 and nearly 15, all lads.

Problem is, I am at work whilst they are off and they do do other stuff but gravitate to video games/telly at every opportunity, they have all sorts of stuff but the Xbox is the only thing they are really interested in, the middle one has started doing maps for "Garys Mod" which is Half Life which is, at least creative.

Lee247

My lad is 19. Finished Uni for the summer.
I've never seen him. He is in his room, laptop, xbox etc all the time apart from nights out with his mates and Saturday football.
My internet usage has doubled since he wrapped in Uni. Roll on September

mr_D

iTrader: (12)

cut the plug of the leads, thats what my dad used to do (the *******). kids do it all the time. my brother is stuck in the house 24/7. still in college and bumming off the parents at 19. thats because his whole life he satyed in on the computer 24/7. he gets all the latest gadgets given to him and if he ever does work he spends it all straight on the ocmputer. now me i had a different lifestyle. it was hard to catch me in. i was out everyday and more evenings. i think its just the way times are changing.


joining a club is a good things. lesuire centres have loads on for kids over the holidays!

Hysteria1983

Why have you got 4?

peter zippy reid

iTrader: (25)

They all play online in a friends party so a xbox each plus £40 each a year to go online

Richy P1984

Wow those kids seem to be leading electronic lives.

I was banned from having a console or pc untill I was about 16 which is when we finally got the family pc - the usage of which was very limited.

Didnt regularly play on the PC or Xbox till uni started / finnished.

I would say I was quite active as a kid, belonging to fooball clubs, having swimming lessons, playing 5 - A Side, and doing various Scouting activities all year round. Cubs / Scouts is a great way of getting kids to experience many different outside activites which they may later take up.

The only way to get them away and to break the addiction to electronic life is arrange stuff as a family and go and do it.

Leslie

Its a very difficult situation J4CKO and I sympathise with you.

Computers etc. are a very strong magnet to young people of course, just like to the rest of us of course.

I think you have to come the "strong arm" father and start laying down the law. If they won't obey you then you have to think of some kind of punishment that will change their outlook. It will doubtless cause all kinds of hassle etc. but you know it is for their own good although they certainly won't see it like that.

Parental controls etc. may help but you will know as much as anyone it will be a difficult path for you to sort it all out.

Les

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Last night was much better, all sent upstairs at 8.30 with all gadgets off, they played outside for ages, the dog came in limping but other than that pretty good.

I got told off for going on my laptop, so I thought fair enough, I am apt to sit there with it on the arm of the chair, so off it went, watched some telly then read for an hour or two, pretty good book, Stephen King, "the Dome", should keep me busy for a while, that said, I am not sure why reading a book is that much more worthy than being on a computer, surely it depends on what you are doing, I like reading stuff on Wikipedia then get told off for being on it by the wife who is watching Big Brother.

Richy P1984

Reading stuff on Wiki - anyone can post an article without it having to be peer reviewed. Its why its banned by Colleges and Universities as a credible reference source. This doesn't mean its not a valuable tool though.

Reading a book has its advantages - stimulates the imagination, improves reading, vocabulary, and spelling. Its also a great way to help you get to sleep as it helps you relax. This is all standard stuff - a good book can be just as entertaining and more engrossing than the latest block buster.

Leslie

I agree with the benefits of reading.

Les