Would this worry you? (teens, games, parent, girls)
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I have a daughter, 14 that does enjoy playing video games but near the start of the year one of her friends got her to start playing the game I am sure many of you have heard, world of warcraft. The thing is ever since that has been most of what she does. She has talked to me about it a bit and said she is in a "guild" and apparently is pretty good.
At first she would play it a few hours, now she is playing constantly. She does do her chores and a few other things for some money hence how she pays the monthly subscription, but not much else. Even when I ask her to go out with me to a movie or even to the mall shopping she always has a reason why she can't such as a "raid" or something group related to do.
I have noticed it has also made her more aggressive. I have walked by her room only to hear her yelling or shouting at someone to do something in her headphones.
I asked her what she likes about it and she said she likes exploring and "leveling up" her characters, she told me she has several max level ones, and apparently in the guild she is in she has a lot of responsibility.
I just wonder if you think this is something to worry about or just something she will give up eventually? I admit I am surprised she has gotten so addicted. Not being sexist but I thought it was only boys that did.
I wouldn't be worried, but I would probably be annoyed if my kid had their face in a screen all day. But, surely school is starting soon? That should break the game's grip on her. If not, it's time for you to limit her play.
You could always go to your router and block World of Warcraft, during certain hours.
It uses TCP port numbers 1119, 3724, 6112, 6113, 6114, 1119, 1120, 80 and 4000 to play. If you close 1119 and 3724, you'd block the game.
When I was 14 ... I was only allowed a certain amount of computer play time. And if my mom said we were going to the mall... We were going to the mall. End of discussion!
There's a reason our house never had a game console and never had any sort of purchased PC games.
Of course, our kids played them at elsewhere, but such comparatively small doses weren't an issue. It's not practically possible to eliminate games from a kid's modern upbringing - but one doesn't need to actively enable it.
I wouldn't be worried, but I would probably be annoyed if my kid had their face in a screen all day. But, surely school is starting soon? That should break the game's grip on her. If not, it's time for you to limit her play.
When she initially started up she did still of course go to school and still maintained decent grades but right after she was on her computer playing. I just looked at it as her socializing with her friends.
My girls can get as weird about games as my boys did. I have 14 year old twin girls & one of them is a "Pokemon Go-er".
Teens are "fickle" however & with school starting she may just move on to something else. At least she's not hanging out with a couple of 21 yr olds drinking a 40oz ... (I was a horrible child).
I do agree with the other posters as far as the fact that you ARE the parent. Sometimes you have to "pull rank" because interacting with your family is important. A big part of parenting also is "picking your battles" & weighing the issues against each other for that balance.
Is she a "good kid"? Doing her chores, maintaining good grades, being respectful towards other family members?
If so, I'd be willing to ride it out ... although it's frustrating to always see that screen 4 inches from their faces with those thumbs working away ...
I think this is a good example of why it's important to set limits on kids. As others in this thread, my brother and I also grew up with a limited allotment of time for playing video games (and that was on weekends and holidays, on school days we were not allowed to play video games at all).
At this point it's obviously too late though, and if she's generally good at completing her chores and she is paying for her own subscription, I'd just let it go. The moment she starts acting up or that you feel playing the game is preventing her from doing something she should be doing, I'd immediately impose the limit.
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