what can a mom do if your 16 year old son only likes to play playstation, talk on computer?

Question

very concerned mom......i love my son very much but iam very concerned about his usage of...........playstation,comptuer...he never wants to talk and when you go to his room he dont even stop playing either he just nods and he keeps on typing a way//// what to do??? please help

Answer 1

I had this problem with my 14 year old stepson. This is how his dad and I handled it:

1. We established new rules in the house. He was only allowed to play videogames for 1 hour a day (schooldays) and from 7 am -noon on weekends.

2. We told him he could earn extra videogame time by getting a hobby or developing outside interests. This was difficult at first, but after a couple of months he expressed some interest in a local amateur theatre group. He is now starring in a play (going to be performing in March) and is busy 3 days a week with play practice. As a reward, we are giving him extra videogame time (as long as his homework is done).

3. During the summertime, he can earn gaming time on a point system. For example, doing simple chores like folding laundry or doing the dishes earns 1 point. Mowing the lawn earns 5 points. Reading a book for an hour earns 5 points. Riding his bike for half an hour earns 5 points. Each 5 points gives him an extra hour of game time.

4. Once a week we have family movie night, where we pick out a fun movie that we think he would enjoy and we make popcorn, eat ice-cream etc. Last week we watched "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" and this week we watched "Monster House", both films he really had a lot of fun watching.

It's been a long hard road for us to help control his computer addiction but it IS succeeding. He's more social now, and seems a lot happier. He gets a decent amount of game time and he's also learning that there are other fun and worthwhile things to do in life.

Answer 2

My son is the same way, he is constantly on something but for the most part it's because there is nothing else to do and he enjoy's it. However he is also involved in hockey (plays and loves watching), he has a part time job and he always willing to talk about anything of interest. If he spends hours on the computer it's no big deal, he's actually the one we go to for computer problems and is quite helpful.
As for your son, find something of interest to talk about on a daily basis. Make him do daily chores and help with meals. Get him involved in sports or request he get a part time job (it will help him feel worthy and he will meet friends). Take him out on outings (he wants), play games anything that is of interest to him. Make him feel that there is more to life than just games, it's okay to play but there should be other things. Above all, keep the communication lines open.

Answer 3

Put more structure into your home. Have sit down dinners at the table with the family. Have set times of computer and PlayStation usage and enforce it. If the rules are broken have consequences by taking away those privileges. And what ever you do, make sure you follow through. Make one night a week game night for the family. I am not saying it will cure your problem over night. But give it time and consistency. Good luck.

Answer 4

Put a limit on his time for both the PS and the computer. When time is up, turn the device off. If he turns it back on, unplug it. If he plugs it back in, take it away. Explain to him that if he can't follow the rules, you'll take the device away. Period. No arguments. You MUST follow through, you can't just threaten. If he sneaks something into his room, take the door off of the hinges and tell him he can have it back when he follows the rules. You don't need to yell at him, just follow through after explaining the rules, and what the penalties will be if he won't follow them.

He'll probably be mad at you for a while, but don't forget - you are a PARENT, and you're not here to be his friend. You're here to make sure he grows up the right way. He'll get over it.

Answer 5

well research groups say that you should not let you should spend more than 2 hours a day between video games and computer. They say that a chid needs more physical contact with people. Try to get him interested in a sport or maybe a Hobie of some sort where he can get out an be around other people. but don't worry it is very common for all teenagers to do that

Answer 6

Oh, no! I have next door neighbors my age (14) and we used to go places and do things. THEN they discovered the *computer* and thought it was god. Well, I can tell you that you need to get that out of his room. Take the PS and cut off the computer's internet supply. If I was in his position, I wish someone would do the same for me. He doesn't even realize how hopelessly lost he is. Take him outside before he ends up punching numbers into a computer screen at McDonald's!!! This will ruin his life forever. Take him out.

Answer 7

Get him out of the house-take him somewhere that he has never been before, or get him interested in some kind of hobby or sport.He is 16 I am sure that he will be interested more in girl soon than the video games and the computer.

Answer 8

He's a teenager. It's how teens are today. Let him be a kid because one day soon he won't be able to play video games or be on the comp when he's an adult because he'll have to work. Or ask him if he has an intrest in being a video game designer or video game tester. Maybe offer to pay for half of his schooling.

Answer 9

i'd not hassle about it too a lot immediately - i understand it should be aggravating, listening to all this gossip, regardless of the reality that bear in ideas that boys his age are better into faffing about than 30 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous females. Plus, if he considers her a cousin, he must have adequate experience to do not forget that that style of element isn't proper. To me, it would not extremely sound too undesirable - maximum individuals ought to react a similar way in the journey that your son's lengthy previous by skill of a short change - it should be purely that you're paranoid as you're unexpectedly better conscious of ways pleasing she is and that your son is spending better time with her. once you worry, attempt talking to the female, & attempt to talk the count number. she will be ready to positively have her personal existence to run, now to not be jumbled in with 16yo boy subject matters. attempt to reduce how a lot time they spend jointly - in case you understand the female properly adequate, she ought to understand your concerns. regardless of the indisputable fact that, your son is allowed to sleep with whoever he needs, now that he's 16. regardless of the reality that, that is a touch creepy if that man or woman's very nearly two times your age - thinking in hardship-free words a three hundred and sixty 5 days in the past, it should be considered paedophilia. do not hassle about it, yet verify with her to educate your concerns. She ought to understand, see you later as you supply it a gentle contact, extremely than storming in & confronting her. desire this helped.

Answer 10

Establish rules, boundaries and incentives. If he's not willing to 'give' some, then you should be willing to 'take away'. He'll live without the computer and playstation.

Why do parents forget THEY'RE in charge?