Son says no Xbox for him, no football for me?

Question

We are trying to keep the Sabbath Day holy and I let him know that I didn't feel that xbox was good for Sunday time because of the anger it caused one week. My son said that football also causes heated emotions and so I agreed that no football on Sunday. Now, the wife says no Super bowl and the kid is ok with that. Sports fans! how do I get to watch the game yet keep my deal with the kid? Help!!!!!

Answer 1

Since you've already negotiatd with your kids, which should not be done if he is a teenager under 16, you would only undermine your own authority if you go back on your words. I would hit him where he did not expect:

I would propose to both wife and son that loosening the rules a little bit. For every hour of game and football, an hour of critical analysis is needed. If your son plays one game for an hour, he has to write an essay analyzing what the game devlopers are trying to tell him. What sequences of the game might be inappropriate and what parts of the game are benefitial to his adulthood development. Same thing goes for the sport you are trying to watch.

Alough both events are under guise of equal treatment, but it's very different reality. Writing an essay for playing a game simply sucks the fun out of it to no end. Writting an essay for football might be annoying at the beginning (you better act like it too, so none the wiser), but then criticizing what should've happened on the filed is what being a sprots fan is all about. You should be able to watch your games freely while your son gave up on playing the games within a week of the new rule enforcement.

You can even stop writing the essays basing upon that your son is not pulling his weight to write the essays and why you should be punished for it. Even if your son is crazy enough to write hours upon hours of essay, the lessons you wanted him to understand is achieved anyway. There would be no complaints (remember to act natural and sincere throughout the whlole process). If you play your cards carefully, your wife and son would've no ideas what happened. lol.


XR

Answer 2

Here's a thought instead of saying no football or no xbox just make a compromise in which he promises he doesn't spend the whole day playing xbox and you promise not too watch football on Sunday. Or here's a thought why don't you two do things together? Like how about going too a football game together, going out to lunch or dinner, actually talking to your son, etc.........

Answer 3

im 13 and my bro is 15 he plays xbox 24/7 and sais i'll get a turn when im 15 and my dad lets him play with it the whole time !!!my ps3 is way better haha

Answer 4

Maybe you should get your kid off of the video games and send him out to play and make friends and learn some social skills.

Answer 5

Tape/Tivo the games and watch them on Monday.

This will teach you not to make deals with your kid. You let your son decide what you can and can't watch? Are there any other major decisions he's making for you?

Either that, or don't get heated/emotional during the games...after all that's all they are..games... I mean, there ARE things more important than football... I think...

Ask yourself..."who's the parent here?"

Answer 6

Well, you really only have two choices.

1) Stick to your agreement, and be consistent -- i.e. no exceptions.

2) Make an exception for 1 game only, i.e. the Super Bowl. Obviously he would get the X-box for that Sunday.

You've kind of backed yourself into a corner here. As a parent, it is important to be consistent and not waver on a measure like this. You send a mixed message when you say it's a deal, except this one time where it's not.

If it were me, I would be closely monitoring the video games, and treat them very much as a priviledge. An anger and frustration issue is not just a Sunday thing, and it's being fueled every time he plays. Games are very consuming, and addictive. Pretty clever of him to bring football into this for you...

It will be up to you whether you bend the rules or stick with them.

Painful as it is, it sends a powerful message to stick to your agreement. Tivo the game and watch it together Monday night.

Answer 7

comprimise, football takes about 4 hours a game, so tell him he an play 4 hours at a particular time on sunday.

Answer 8

Special Circumstances require renegotiations. You've made this bed , now you have to sleep in it.

Answer 9

i think you are getting what you deserve. i don't have a problem w/ discipline but i think you over reacted AND you let your child negotiate. there are better ways to tell / teach your son that getting mad while playing video games is not healthy OR you just don't want to hear it, than to bring God or the Sabbath Day into it.

it might not be the video game, your son probably is going to get mad if he's playing a board games or w/ his other toys.

Good kids play video games every Sunday. Good Christians (and people from other religious denominations) watch football every Sunday AND none of them are going to hell because they do it OR get emotional while enjoying either one.

i think since you brought this on, you need to sit down with your wife 1st & then your children. talk about what the Sabbath Day means to you, your family & your church. set boundries on the video games. if they can't play w/ out getting mad / throwing a fit, then it's time to give it a rest until they can play w/ out acting that way.

DO NOT let your kids negotiate. tell them this is how it's going to be AND if you are getting mad or showing anger while watching football, your son learned it from YOU & YOU might want to take a look at yourself.

if this answer sinks in just a little but, you want more. i suggest you talk w/ your Preacher about it there are better ways to handle this.

Answer 10

Show him you can have both football and the Sabbath by praying during the game. I know I was last night.