Roblox and YouTube are rotting his brain

2d ago1 min read

My 9 year old comes home and goes straight to his room to play Roblox with his friends. Says all his friends are on there and if he doesn't play he'll miss out. I've been limiting him to an hour after homework but he's constantly asking for more time. Part of me thinks he's just being a normal kid and wants to hang with his crew, but another part worries he's developing an actual addiction. Is Roblox something you guys let your kids play? Should I be concerned about the actual content or am I just being paranoid?

7 comments191 views

Comments(7)

RRyanRegular12h ago

The friend group thing is tough because that's where a lot of kid social life happens now. But yeah, coming home and disappearing every day isn't healthy. Have you tried getting him involved in something he actually does in person?

BBradRegular1d ago

Roblox itself isn't the enemy but the balance is. We limited screen time and honestly once he realized we weren't budging, he started doing other stuff. Sometimes kids just need structure.

TTobias K.Regular10h ago

It's not rotting his brain but straight from school to his room is a problem. We had to set up specific times for screens and non-negotiable family time first. Our 9 year old now actually hangs out with us more.

TTony M.New Dad4h ago

The all his friends do it argument is a classic. Mine tried the same thing. I basically said if you want to talk to your friends, you can call them on the phone or they can come over.

EEdNew Dad2d ago

I get it, but at 9 most kids are gonna feel left out if all their friends are playing. Maybe instead of cutting it cold, set up a schedule where he plays after homework and has a time limit. That way he's not totally isolated.

JJames H.Regular2d ago

My daughter does the same thing with her friends online. It sucks but the social connection is actually important to them now. Finding a middle ground beats the constant battles over shutting it off completely.

CCarl W.Regular2d ago

The FOMO is real with these games. I'd try setting boundaries together instead of against him, like 'Roblox time is 4 to 5pm on school nights.' He'll understand that better than just saying no.