Just introduced my kid to Minecraft and regret everything

Dec 271 min read

He's been asking for weeks and I thought, "it's educational, it's creative, what could go wrong?" EVERYTHING, apparently. He's been playing for 3 hours straight and has that thousand-yard stare. He asks about Minecraft when he wakes up and when he goes to bed. We're in Denver btw so it's not like the weather is bad and he needs an indoor activity - the kid is choosing this over literally anything. How do I actually enjoy something with him without enabling this? Should I play WITH him? Is that helicopter parenting or legitimate engagement?

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Comments(5)

LLou P.RegularDec 28

THOUSAND YARD STARE. That's the phrase. He's hyperfocused to the point where the real world doesn't exist. I learned this is actually normal for Minecraft but yeah, 3 hours straight on day one is aggressive. Set a timer next time

DDominic E.RegularDec 27

Educational is true but also the serotonin hit from constant dopamine feedback loops is real. That thousand-yard stare is his brain getting absolutely flooded. Not a judgment thing but yeah, time limits are non-negotiable

TTyler K.RegularDec 28

Minecraft is a trap because it IS creative but it's also designed to keep playing and there's no natural stopping point. Unlike finishing a level in a game, you're just... building forever. Set expectations BEFORE the next session

FFritz N.RegularDec 29

The creative argument kind of falls apart when they're just building walls in a straight line hyperfocused on nothing. At least with a limit you can say "you've got 45 minutes, make it count" and preserve some agency

FFinn M.RegularDec 30

lmao welcome to Minecraft. It's genuinely creative but it's also a machine designed to make kids (and adults) not want to stop. My rule is 1 hour max on school nights. Your call how strict you want to be but that stare is the warning sign