Aaargh! Awake at 4 a.m.

[TerryJ2]

I thought I saw a light on, and heard a noise about 1/2 hr ago. Turns out difficult child had taken my husband's laptop and was playing a video game. Then he didn't want to give it back to me, because if I unplugged it, the battery wouldn't be charged for husband. I told him that husband could charge it in the a.m. and it would be ready for him in the afternoon. difficult child finally gave up. I have no idea if he's asleep now but at least his light is out.
He is SO obsessed with-video games! husband thought this particular game would be good because it is slow and intricate and you have to build villages and create a defense, etc. but frankly, anything on a computer is addictive to difficult child. That's the part that husband doesn't get. Yes, difficult child doesn't get angry with-this game, but he does get addicted. He didn't even eat dinner tonight ... just sat and stared at his food and stole glances at the laptop 10 ft away.
So I'm checking my email, and icing my neck.
I have a feeling Sunday is going to be a long day ...

 

[Ropefree]

I am so hating video games. Limiting the time and removing the obsessive focus is
just the must. Let the video game time henge on completion of chores and school work and reading time over a span of days. That is my best suggestion. And not a reward unless the grades are up and steady. Then slightly more flexibility. And not if there is whining. no whining. WE will be a nation of pleaders. Beg,beg,beg and that is the upper economic group. Is my in put. Lock it up like a gun.

 

[house of cards]

Major is the same way. I should reduce the time he is allowed to play more...but it is the only time he isn't acting up and the house needs the break too. I also would run into your problem with him staying up at night to sneak it. If I had an extra room, I would set it up with all the gaming stuff and keep it under lock and key.

 

[ML]

WOW junkie here. I do limit his time in terms of "x, y or z" has to be done before you can play. It's about the only tool that works for behavior modification.

I hope you both got *some* sleep Terry.

ML

 

[TerryJ2]

Thank you.
I have to talk to husband today. Sigh.

 

[trinityroyal]

Terry,
Again the similarities between your difficult child and mine are so striking.
We found that difficult child's behaviour deteriorated so badly with video games. Even the ones that didn't wind him up and make him aggressive, tended to make him totally zone out. It was like he was high or something, after playing even for an hour.

We found he got the same way from watching TV. He would disappear inside his head, and then the rebound behaviour when he came back was truly AWFUL. Bouncing off the walls, rage, paranoia...again, like someone coming down from a bad drug trip.

We tried time limits, restrictions, playing only under strict supervision...nothing helped.
Eventually, we banned difficult child from watching TV, playing video games or using the computer at all. We reintroduced TV in small amounts, but we kept his Xbox locked up at his uncle's house (2 towns away) for over a year.

At the Residential Treatment Center (RTC), we started reintroducing video games as an experiment. With the additional control difficult child seems to have over his behaviour, we thought it was worth a try. In the last daily report, difficult child has been raging and defiant every time he finishes playing. So...I think the Xbox is going back into lockup.

Sorry you had a rough night. Hope today is better.

Trinity

 

[TerryJ2]

Thank you. It's got to be some synapse in his brain that gets connected to the TV and disconnected from the rest of his brain. Sigh.