It's a topic on which I go back and forth. How much time it too much? Why is 'too much time' thought of as 'too much time'? Will it burn their retinas or cause cerebral impairment? Will is make it difficult to sleep?
Why do I want them on the computer less?
Brian (my husband) likes to play games on the computer before bed or while taking a break after working outside or in the garage on the weekends. He will play games with our 3 boys (over the modem). I love that they spend time playing together but am not always happy that after 4 hours (and its 10:30PM) they are still on and I have to remind them they need to go to bed. They only play all together late like that on the weekends and only a couple times a month.
And the last time they did this they had been outside playing for about 6 hours that day. While doing research on why 'they' say to limit computer time, the only real reasons I could find was to make sure they are not on the computer all day instead of getting outside to play and be with friends. They seem to spend enough time playing, for the most part, so as long as they are getting their schooling & chores done , then I guess computer time isn't really that important. They don't watch much TV.
On school days computer time is:
between 7-8 IF they have their morning work done. I don’t wake them (I sleep till 7:30ish). So they have to get up on their own and get things done. Ki often doesn't play on the computer in the morning- and he is fine with that. He likes his sleep. Gavin is pretty good about getting up early and getting all his morning work done so he can play. Connor is 50-50.
After school (which includes playing outside), if they have done a good job at picking up after themselves they get about 45 minutes. If they haven’t done a great job picking up after themselves, I don’t take away all computer. I find it better to take away half. ‘No computer’ really is better than 20 minutes. Yet they take the 20 minutes and then get upset they can’t finish their game- so it is more effective then taking all computer time away for them)Tues/Thursdays they don't get 'after school' computer because we are gone.
But some nights after dinner Brian will play computer games with them. Though sometimes they get into Axis & Allies (board game) or on a RPG kick.
So, I guess their computer time as is, is fine.
Connor has ‘regular school’ pplus LARP crafts- making arrows that are Amttgard legal, and sewing covers.
Gavin will be adding ‘planting radishes’ to his normal list.
Ki is helping Connor.
3 comments:
I find media time to be harder to limit as they get older. My 8-year-old, I can totally justify limiting his time. He really needs to be playing with toys and playing outside. But my 16-year-old? He does all his schoolwork on the computer,plus does his rounds of Facebooking, etc. He plays a few games on the Wii now and then and watched a few movies now and then. He walks every day. I can't really see limiting him anymore. And my 12-year-old monitors herself!!
I find my 4-year old focusing better and gaining language skills after using the computer and watching tv. Go figure!
@juliebavi
Hi SmallWorld,
time limiting is possible probably up to 12-13 years...so your 16-year boy is not an exception..after all he is a man already :)
The important moment with time limiting is when the kids are really young and it is good if you set the limits in the computer. This avoid constant talks and makes the time limit a feature of the computer. :)
Check here for a list of different softwares that can help you: List with Time limit softwares
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