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Obsession with Gaming and Computers - 9 year old

KathS

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My worry is that is he will become withdrawn from normaility and his ability to communicate and interact with others will lessen.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

  • KathS said:

     I wonder if he meets an autistic child he might have more of a chance of striking up a friendship....?

    Probably. Such friendships tend however to be atypically intense and if he has one "special"  friend (at this age, most notably) can cause further peer rejection as well as the suggestion of a homosexual relationship between them (kids this age love to taunt each other w gay jokes). Also there is the potential for the occasional massive argument...but this doesnt tend to be relationship destroying. There is however the benefit of mutual support and a kind of trade in self-understanding.

    The above benefits can be maximised and drawbacks reduced by avoiding such bilateral friendships in favour of allowing him to socialise with a group of AS kids. Regional support groups provide the most accessable oppertunities for this.

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  • KathS said:

     I wonder if he meets an autistic child he might have more of a chance of striking up a friendship....?

    Probably. Such friendships tend however to be atypically intense and if he has one "special"  friend (at this age, most notably) can cause further peer rejection as well as the suggestion of a homosexual relationship between them (kids this age love to taunt each other w gay jokes). Also there is the potential for the occasional massive argument...but this doesnt tend to be relationship destroying. There is however the benefit of mutual support and a kind of trade in self-understanding.

    The above benefits can be maximised and drawbacks reduced by avoiding such bilateral friendships in favour of allowing him to socialise with a group of AS kids. Regional support groups provide the most accessable oppertunities for this.

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