Need advice on gaming limits for 12 year old | DadHQ

Need advice on gaming limits for 12 year old

20h ago1 min read

My son has been asking for more gaming time and honestly the battles are exhausting. He says all his friends get more time than he does. Right now we're at 1.5 hours on school days, 3 hours on weekends. He's doing fine in school and his grades are good so I'm wondering if I'm being too strict. What does everyone else do? I don't want him to feel like the weird kid but I also don't want him glued to a screen.

8 comments18 views

Comments(8)

JJoshNew Dadjust now

The battles are the worst part for me too. We ended up setting a timer and making it a negotiation instead of a rule. He gets his time but he knows it's limited. Less fighting that way.

CChristopherNew Dadjust now

The gaming battles are real. My approach has been setting specific hours rather than a total daily limit. So like 7-8pm on school nights, all day Saturday with breaks. Takes some of the negotiation out of it.

JJoshNew Dadjust now

This is where I'm starting to struggle with my oldest. The key thing I found is being clear about the 'why' behind your limits, not just the rules. Kids respect that more than you'd think.

KKevin M.New Dad10h ago

Twelve is tricky because yeah, a lot of his friends probably are playing more. But the exhausting battles part tells you something is off with the current setup. What's his argument for needing more time?

KKevinNew Dad5h ago

I haven't hit the gaming phase yet but I'm dreading it. How does he react when you shut it down?

TTravis N.Regular2h ago

12 is tough because they feel like they should have more freedom. We do an earn system - homework and chores done well means extra gaming on weekends. Gives him some control.

BBrianNew Dadjust now

Just wait until the 'all my friends are playing' argument starts. That one gets me every time. Try to find games you can play together sometimes - even if you're terrible at it, they love that.

MMarcusNew Dadjust now

How much time is he asking for? My son's the same age and we landed on 90 minutes on school nights, more on weekends. He still complains but it's a number we can both live with.