Addicted to games

“Nearly one in 10 American children who play computer games are pathologically addicted, according to new research. “

This article is well worth the read and it’s good to see it out there in public because I have had friends who have been through misery with their children because they tried to break the addiction cycle. One teenage boy became quite violent for a while because he just couldn’t see how much he had changed. In my experience the parents have really had to trade on the close relationships they had built with their child as a littlie so they could use that closeness and trust to eventually win through. One boy got really hooked when his Mum was diagnosed and treated with cancer. He told me he meant to do his homework and then he just ended up on the gaming sites and then was too tired to do his homework. His grades went down. He looked ill. This is where we , as adults, can all play a part. If the problem is out there, if we are given good advice,then there is some way of helping the gaming addicts. Even if you set clear ground rules while children are young, they can become a law unto themselves in their teenage years and that is a very tricky patch to negotiate. I think we can all play a helpful part in that.

Hour per week fatherhood

I actually find it hard to believe fathers only do an hour a week’s caring for their children. Lots of couples seem to split things these days in a very sensible way. The research must have come about somehow and in a logical fashion. Around this area it has been great to watch the number of dads who are out doing the family shopping with their children or with their families. There are also dads who get the kids and dog out for a walk. The change which has come about is there appear to be more happy fathers who have really warm , fair relationships with their children. One dad just rubbed the head of his little boy who was getting a bit loud in the supermarket and just said, “We are on our best behaviour right now” and the head rub and words from his dad did the trick and he remembered to be a bit quieter. I think the researcher might be right about dads doing events stuff and the mums being the fall back position for all else. I am really interested to know whether this is a fair assessment of our situation in 2008 because my observation makes me think we are doing better than we were and we have some really happy dads and kids out here who are part of a balanced household.