My husband bought our two year old son a Video Game System PLEASE HELP!?

Question

My husband went out yesterday while we were in town and bought our two year old a GAME CUBE! MY son is super intelligent(Not to brag) but I am very concern that even though my husband bought him educational games like Curious George and Finding Nemo, that this will hinder my son's desire to learn. The first thing my son wanted to do this morning is play on the GAme Cube. I have no clue what to do! I am freaking out. My husband is severely addicted to video games to point where he sometimes does not come to bed until 5 in the morning and I am left alone in the bed sleeping by myself. He works extremely long hours and we rarely get to see him. I don't want my kids focus to be on video games! PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

my son started playing the playstation 2 when he was 18 months old. He is like you say super intelligent too. I just don't buy him games like fighting and things like that. He's 6 now and still plays on them. I just give him a set time on when he can play it. Make some rules for him to play and spend time with him outside so that he won't want to play the game system. That's what I did.

Answer 2

It sounds like to me, that you need to get your husband some help for his addiction to video games. I wouldn't take the video game away from your son, but would definitely limit his time playing it and also limit him to nothing but educational games. The video games will help improve his hand/eye coordination. Also, the way things are going, it will come in handy. A lot of schools will be going to lap tops and computerized curriculum in the future. There is a school in the district that I was working for that will have laptops for all grades including kindergarten. Contrary to what you might think about it keeping him from wanting to learn, it won't. It could make him want to learn more. Be sure he has regular games to play with that are educational. Also, read to him a lot and use flash cards with him.

Answer 3

in my opinion the two year old shouldn't even be engaging into those activities you or your husband should be preparing him for pre-school soon so don't mess up your babies mind he is still young so work with him wisely while him and his mind are very young

Answer 4

unplug and hide the game cube. Your son is young and hopefully after a week or so will forget about it.

Too young to start with that stuff!!

If you do keep it. limit it to 30 min a day.

I would be so annoyed if my husband played video games all of the time.

Answer 5

well don't let him play it when you are home with him....make him play outside or something else....My husband is into video games as well....not to the extent your husband is but we bought our son a V-Smile and have asked him if he wanted to play games with his dad (my husband has every stystem out there.....no kidding) and he has no interest...he would rather play with his action figures or board games...

Answer 6

I would just say that he can ONLY have educational games (be sure to tell your husband this so he doesn't buy him any other games) and limit the amount of time he can play it daily.  I would tell him he can play it either for 45 minutes, or for 30 minutes twice a day, just suggestions.  Just be sure to STICK TO IT and tell your husband you need to work together on this.  Educational games can be a good thing, as long as they're not played too much.  Hope this helps :)

Answer 7

Hide the game, children have been known to have seziures from playing those things. Your husband needs a serious kick up the ****. Put your foot down here, your family dynamic sounds like it's completely off at the moment and it's time to make your husband see the damage he is doing to your family. I think this goes way beyond the games console purchase for your little boy I get the feeling this is one more thing on a long list of things that you are unhappy with.

So take it away, sit his dad down and tell him why and start to address the issues affecting you all.

Good luck.

Answer 8

I doubt it would really hinder his development in any way, but he's only TWO.  I'd focus on language skills and art first (it does help with handwriting later on, I've heard, and it's a great creative outlet regardless.)  The GameCube does have MANY kid-friendly games, but he doesn't need any at the moment.  Just hide it away somewhere until he's older.  Help build that love of learning first, and make him eager to learn how to read and write and draw before he starts gaming.  Then he'll appreciate the art, dialogue, and better points of the games he plays.  Button-mashing is not the skill anyone wants to teach their child.

I wouldn't give my kids any type of electronic games until they were at least 4-5, and I'm an avid gamer myself.  On one hand, it does become the center of attention (much like television did in generations past) and distracts from a "family" atmosphere, and on the other, younger kids really don't appreciate the games as an entertainment system.

Answer 9

I don't think the problem is the son playing games.  Clearly you are the mom and you can make limits on your son's playing time.  A little playing a day is good for the coordination and problem solving skills.  However, it can easily get out of hand.  So you decide how much and when.  And I agree with others that extra time came be added for good behavior and time taken away for breaking the household rules.

The real problem is your husband and the conflict that you are having with the gaming.   I have 34 year old husband that is a video game programmer.  I completely understand the problem that you are having.  Most men by the time they are out of their twenties will decrease their game playing.  I don't think gamers will ever completely stop, but it does get better.  But really the two of you need to sit down and talk, maybe in the presence of a therapist and discuss this problem.  I think a compromise can be reached.

Answer 10

There are positive things that come with playing video games.  Surgeons often play video games to improve their hand-eye coordination.  If he is interested in video games, then let him play educational games, but limit his playing time to a half-hour per day.  Just don't let him zone out in front of it all day and you should be fine.

Answer 11

That was quite uncool of your husband.

Just take it away, and hide it from both of them.  There is NO reason for a 2 year old to have video games, or TV for that matter...

Answer 12

make playing the game cube a reward option. tell him if he's good all day he'll get to play it. but if he gets put in time out or what not that he will not be able to play it that day. then later on not right before he goes to bed. maybe an hour before he goes to bed. let him play for about 20 mins. no longer. or only have certain days he can play it on. like wednesday, saturday, and monday. as for your husband you should through out all his games.

and have a looonggg talk with him. you need to tell him he is not a teenage boy. he is a grown adult with a wife and child. and he needs to help around the house. not play video games

Answer 13

Play dumb and say you don't know how to use it. He can only use it when dad is there to help him out. Works for me!!

Answer 14

A Game Cube for a 2 year old? That's ridiculous. There are so many other things that your child can learn from at this age. I would honestly put it up somewhere until he's MUCH older(12+). I'm sure your husband was just trying to do something nice but  I don't think he realizes how harmful this could actually be.

Answer 15

sigh.......boys will be boys... they never completly grow up lol.

maybe try getting him other learning toys that are just as fun so he wont always want to play the game cube, and try explaining this to your husband lol not that they always listen usually it goes in one ear and out the other! but try other things with him although, if it is a learnig game it cant be so bad, he might eventually get bored with it, and just dont get any more games to go to it and then there will be nothing to play. unless he wouldnt mind playing it over and over even if he has played it a million times .sorry i dont know what else to tell you im still trying to figure out how to get a 33 year old man to grow up!!!

Answer 16

keep the video games to a minimum; he can play for 45 minutes a day, keep track of how long he's been playing the games. if your husband complains to you, just let him know how you feel about your child playing the game and let him know that you are trying to compromise.

this is also a good tool to use for good behavior. if the child is 'good' all day, you can add 15 minutes onto his playing time, if not you can threaten to cut down his video games, 15 minutes at a time.

eventually, the child will get bored of the games and want to play outside. it is actually to your advantage to keep the game interesting to him for as long as possible, to keep your bargaining tool up.