What if the child is hooked on video games

I'm online group of children 7-10 years of programming and videoblogingu. At this age, a lot of the guys sticky in games since the beginning of school life parental control is weakened, and the influence of peers, on the contrary, increases. If your child is younger than seven years, the article will help prepare for this period. If older - to look back and evaluate what kind of advice is not too late to apply.

I weaned about 1 000 children, and about half of the students who come - it is already hooked on the game guys. All of the recommendations in this article are checked both on personal experience educating and communicating with these children and their parents.

To begin to find out whether the child has such a relationship:

1. He sits up late for games, not getting enough sleep, knocks normal day.
2. The time allotted to the game is limited, but the child is constantly asking "supplements".
3. Because of the game suffers study. Schoolboy does lessons in a hurry to quickly start the game, and this affects the estimates, for example, there are unexpected honors three.
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4. Reduced interest in other areas. The child throws all former hobbies, no longer walk.

So, we have a child who is ready to play until you take away the mouse. What can a parent do?

1. Do not scold. Not prohibit. Do not make trouble

Playing child probably will annoy you. Even if you let him play, you will make a point to wash away in the style of "Why are you only at this time! Kill "This is a losing strategy: it is of interest to the game will not be lowered, and the relationship between adult and child spoil.

In the lesson on programming in Scratch I was a student Leo, crazy about Shadow Fight game. He was so immersed in it that even in class trying to get the phone and play. The first few lessons I fought: please turn off and even leave the room for 5 minutes. But to no avail: the game boy swallowed.

So I decided to go the other way and offered to make the entire group play-fighting on Scratch. Several lessons children drew their characters, do voiceovers, looking for pictures on the internet - a process captured the boys completely. A month later, a homemade Shadow Fight was ready. And, to my surprise, Leo easily switched to other games creation. So, we have overcome it "hangs" on the topic.

This is my teacher's supervision, but the same technique you can adopt as a parent. Sunset through the pressure and the ban will not work. This will create a wall between you and your child, and what he is older, the faster will increase the wall.

If a child is already playing, the last thing you need to do - is to drip into his homilies brains, select the computer and change the passwords.

2. Make a clear agreement about the time for games

Well, you can not swear and argue. And then what to do? Your job as a parent - to establish rules for the child when and how to play. The easiest way to agree on the duration of the game: for example, 1 hour a day for the home computer.

To avoid any situations in the style of "I did not know that the hour has already passed, so I continued to play," teach a child to put the alarm clock on the phone or online start-timer. I was a child used a kitchen timer that rang throughout the apartment, letting, it's time to free your PC. My children use the site OnlineTimer. They do not play, but any work on the computer in our family limited 8-year-old child is supposed to 25 minutes, the 11-year-old - 40 minutes. When the timer rang, you need to take a break.

Treaties, the Council supplemented the condition:

• "... if you make a lesson for tomorrow";
• "... if mom or dad allowed";
• "... if the room order";
• "... if the washed dishes" and the like.

However, do not store all the chores in your contract, otherwise it will be like a fairy tale about Cinderella, which was allowed to go to the ball after the impossible work volume. What is more important for you? Lessons for tomorrow in conjunction with your permission may be suitable for children who go to school. Clean house - those who learn at home.

And be sure to agree to "magic phrase" with other adults - spouse, Grandmother. The rules must be understood by all the same, that there was no such good when Dad comes home from work tired and all the permit, as long as the children left behind.

Sometimes everything goes according to plan:

• For the child came to visit, and they sat down together to play at 3:00.
• A child playing with friends, and then comes home and plays its the allowed hour.
• He plays on the smartphone in the school.
• I forgot to start the timer and play without getting up 2:00.

In this case, the first thing to keep in mind - this is the advice number one: do not scold, do not forbid, not skandalte. Understand, this is a one-time glitch or your contract with your child made unsuccessful? Review the rules and approve again - it is a normal practice.

3. Offer useful computer hobbies

Often children who "hangs" in the games are distinct technical mind. Encourage your child to modern computer hobby.

Programming the computer games

In my experience, this option is best firmly "hovering." Scratsh - a good choice for beginners. This visual environment, where children learn to program by dragging the blocks. The first game in the Scratch, you can create in 20 minutes. Something a little more complicated - to gather after 2-3 weeks of classes. For a couple of months it is possible to master a good set of tools to make any game to your taste.

For children older than 10 years with experience in creating games Scratch suitable Wednesday PyGame to produce games in Python. The next step could be the creation of three-dimensional games in an environment Unity.

As you can see, this is a long-term passion: starting with simple, you can gradually include more sophisticated tools.

Videobloging

Running your own video blog on YouTube - is a useful computer hobby for older children. In nine years, the child is quite able to master the basic techniques of video editing (eg with a simple interface program Movavi).

Release of the video - a difficult task, which pumps the technical (shooting, editing), creative (ideas for a video frame production) and organizational skills. Even if the child will not keep a video blog on a regular basis, at least it will be grafted from the "hang-up" in games and on YouTube.

According to YouTube's policies, make your channel can only be 13 years old. Younger children can publish video you control. However, regardless of whether the child turned 13 years old or not, tell him about the basic safety regulations online: do not tell anyone your address, phone number and information about the parents. If there are doubts as to respond to a comment if you can shoot your room and what to show in the frame, even if the child is first to discuss this with you.

Processing photo

This activity may be interested in the child so that the social networks it will spread not monotonous selfie and beautiful retouched photos. Good chance to stand out from the mass of similar pages, and start collecting subscribers outside the circle of friends.

Just buy the book "Fundamentals of installation" and to give the child - not an option. Most likely, he will throw it right away. Therefore, try to trim an interesting learning format.

By experience I would say that children are important things:

• Fashionable topic. Programming in Scratch better than Pascal. Videobloging interesting foundations directing.
• A teacher who can inspire and throws a boring theory.
• Group of guys - the more, the better. In the offline circle will be 5-10 people, perhaps 40-50 students in an online group.
• Regular lessons. 2:00 classes per week - the best option to maintain interest and see your progress.

4. Take care of yourself

Critically evaluate their behavior: how you treat with gadgets? It happens that we require kids to get rid of habits that they themselves and show. An alarmIf you find yourself in one of the situations:

• Do not come off the phone for a meal.
• Do not go to sleep without four series favorite series or a pair of successful raids in the online game.
• You play on your phone or in the queue at lunch in the office.

In this case, you need to first deal with his craving for gadgets.

5. Change the environment of the child

If all classmates do not release from the hands of smart phones, surprisingly, depending on the games there. Now imagine that your child to communicate with children who are not sticky in video games, and, for example, that some masters. Or collect puzzle on speed. Or shoot movie. In such an environment the child is unlikely to be the play: the influence of the environment is too large to be allocated.

Look for the company of children, who gather at least once a week, communicate and do something together. This can be:

• Club under the supervision of an adult. Not a circle, where a rigid training schedule, namely the club where children can come for 2-3 hours to catch up with friends and work on joint projects. For example, aeromodelling is closer in spirit to the club than the circle programming.
• The company of children on the "non-computer interests": board games, puzzles, sports.
• Sport section. In contrast to the first two options, the child will be able here to participate in tournaments and competitions. Team Sports like hockey or football are ideal.

A big plus right company - that it will adjust the child itself. You do not have to persuade and to monitor attendance - he himself would go to the club or the section with pleasure.

6. Come up with a family hobby

Optionally, send a child away from home, so that he forgot all about computer games. You can choose a hobby, Which will also be actively involved.

The first option - home hobbies. Something to do with needlework or simulation: knit, play the wool, weave beads or gum, folded origami models gluing, soldering circuit - interesting activities very much.

The second option - joint visits and visits to museums, amusement parks, tours. Instruct your child to search the internet interesting places and take over the organization of family events. New experiences are provided.

7. Learn to cope with boredom without the help of games

Sometimes, children sit at a video game to kill time. It became dull - I turned on the computer and razvloksya. It would be good to teach your child to find something to do without gadgets. He himself is difficult to do it, so help at first: "Find an interesting book on this shelf, and read together", "Choose a board game, and we play it."

This will help to make the first step in overcoming boredom. Perhaps the next time a bored child begins to read, without waiting for you.

That every time he did not suffer with the choice of a class, write down the possible leisure ideas. Choose a time and make a list of kid things to do when bored. For example:

• see the old photo album;
• do exercises for agility with the ball;
• go for a walk;
• choose where to go on the weekend;
• think of what to give your mom, dad or grandfather for the next birthday;
• write a letter or call grandma.

You can arrange the list in the form of mind maps:

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It was the advice to parents of children hooked on the game. In short, the plan is as follows: no conflict, enter the time limits for games and help with the choice of alternatives. Good luck to you and understanding in the family.