Obsession with Gaming and Computers - 9 year old

Hello all

We have a 9 year old boy, funny and bright, however hes becoming more and more reluctant to do anything other than go on his computer / intenet / play station etc. We have tried to limit its use, however, he simply isnt interested in anything else for longer than say half hour and he's an only child so has no siblings to play with.

My worry is that is he will become withdrawn from normaility and his ability to communicate and interact with others will lessen.

He's up at 7am and on a weekend would quite happily sit in front of a screen till bed at 7pm.

I know that this also is not good for his eyes and as he wears headphones, is bad for his ears. My partner (who is his bilogical dad, I am not his birth mum), is frustrated too, and says 'what am I meant to do with him?' when I state that we have to get him off the computer. I dont know what the answer is as he doesnt want to join school clubs (eg football or rugby or cubs), he just wants to play on his computer.

Obviously there is a lot of fuss and tantrums when he do make him come away.

This is just one 'challenge' , he's not doing so well at his mainstream school, his learning falling behind and his teachers telling us they dont know what to do with him, although he has SEN funding. But thats another problem for another post.

Any ideas please?

Thanks

Kathryn

Parents
  • Can you attempt to engage him socially within the framework of his interest...pick up a pad and ask to play? If you get him games with strong coop multiplayer then he can practice his communication skills whilst enjoying the gaming interest.

    Further, he will become old enough for MMO gaming, which quite often is very appealing to AS persons despite being intensly social...but get this: the AS individual is not (so) socially disadvntaged on an MMO there being no non-verbal communication to allow NTs greater access to a persons meaning.

Reply
  • Can you attempt to engage him socially within the framework of his interest...pick up a pad and ask to play? If you get him games with strong coop multiplayer then he can practice his communication skills whilst enjoying the gaming interest.

    Further, he will become old enough for MMO gaming, which quite often is very appealing to AS persons despite being intensly social...but get this: the AS individual is not (so) socially disadvntaged on an MMO there being no non-verbal communication to allow NTs greater access to a persons meaning.

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