Children playing on computers

[Spoggie75]

Hi
Having a dilemma
My partner who has just moved in has a son of 8 which loves Xbox and plays minecraft for hours at a time he has no issue with this however my daughters 5 and 10 have never played on an x box nor played minecraft, although I understand it isn't a violent game, is it ok and healthy for a child to play on this for hours or is it detrimental to our child's well being feedback please ......?

[Sparklingbrook]

Minecraft is fine-my DS loves it, nothing horrible re content. Seems to be a lot of building of things. What is he playing on the X Box?

[Spoggie75]

Minecraft but the game isn't my issue its the length of time he plays it for and my daughter( 10 year old) has now started playing it and given half the chance would play for hours .... My partner and I disagree with the issue he feels its ok to play on it for hours but I'm worried it will give them eye strain or wrist stress

[Sparklingbrook]

It's not ok to play for hours. Not because of eye strain or wrist stress but because it's not healthy to be in front of a computer all day.

[N0tinmylife]

I think doing any one thing for hours on end is not really healthy for a child. Variety is the way forward. It must be tricky because its not really fair to have one rule for his child, and one rule for yours if you are all living together.

[WishIdbeenatigermum]

If they're in your house, I'd suggest saying no x box chez spoggie!
Computer and console games are inevitable, what you can do is postpone their arrival in your home.

[TreadOnTheCracks]

I agree it's not healthy to do anyone thing for hours on end.

[Spoggie75]

But for me to ban Xbox would cause a rift between my partners son and him and fundamentally me as he plays on it constantly at his mums and would end up hating coming to us which I want to avoid
But yes it's an awful situation to be in as what I accept for his child isn't necessarily what I except for my own xx

[Spoggie75]

What argument would I have for it not being healthy for hours on end he sees minecraft as a non violent game which has no impact on his son but I just don't think it's right to be sat on a computer day in day out it must make you develop slowly in other areas of life surely

[sleepyhead]

Well, if you actually do nothing else then of course it's not healthy, and it's not what I'd let my child do, but it's not all the time is it? He presumably is at school most of the week.

Minecraft is a pretty good game as these things go. I don't think it's good for children to always get their own way though. I'd be limiting the time spent on screens in your house and making everyone stick to it.

[Spoggie75]

Yes my partner is in agreeable that they won't be on it too much that's the compromise when two worlds meet I guess I just feel like I'm being paranoid and maybe over reacting that its an issue when perhaps it isn't really
I pride myself in the fact my ten year old enjoys reading and writing and academically is great at school and don't want to loose that within her by the Xbox now being in our life's x

[WishIdbeenatigermum]

I Ffs. It's your house. You don't have to justify your choices to us or your partner.

[Spoggie75]

I'm merely asking people's opinions on computer gaming that's all wishidbeenatigermum not asking to justify myself

[Sparklingbrook]

It may be worth introducing 'earning time' on the computer. Reading and homework to be done first, and any chores.

[Spoggie75]

Yes I did think of that so they see it as a reward x

[Sparklingbrook]

It does work quite well. No computer until certain things are done. Everyone knows the rules.
Occasionally we do have to just ban the computer/PS3 for naughty behaviour.