What are your families "Wii Rules"?

[rafiki]

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[Remudamom]

We don't have a Wii (that the kids know about anyway) but we have other things. Anyone complaining about fairness immediately doesn't get to play. No play until evening when all schoolwork is completed. If there is a family "thing" going on there is no game playing. Any fussing AT ALL and everyone must stop playing.

 

Basically if anyone complains you say "Right, it's way too much trouble. We're getting rid of it."

[luna]

We don't have a Wii either, but my sister gave us her old game cube when they got one. It is only allowed on weekends when chores are done and there are no other things going on. And then, it is limited to a half hour, maybe an hour if the weather is bad. We are considering getting a Wii for Christmas...are we crazy?

[Deeke]

NO Wii remote through the television screen :001_unsure:

[TraceyS/FL]

We really only "Wii" on the weekends. They'd be on it all day if they could - but they can't stop (even with a timer). Depending on how their week goes - they are supposed to get about an hour at a time each to play. I"d give them more time and relax a bit if they managed to get their chores and other stuff done without a battle.... but they can't figure that out - so they don't get more time.

 

So basically - we have limited screen time during the week of any sort - unless DH is in charge... :glare:

[TammyinTN]

Generally only on the weekends and no complaining.

[ma23peas]

1. No Wii before school (except Wii Fit which we use for PE sometimes)

 

2. If they're playing a duo game and get testy or say unkind words, they have to stop. I encourage fun competitiveness but sometimes it gets to a battle of, YOU PROMISED I COULD DO THE NEXT ONE! And they always admit that they didn't allow it because they were having so much fun THEY wanted to do it one more time..well, that's putting a game above your command to love one another and put others above yourself...so off it goes. They don't raise a fuss, they actually are repentant that they let it get that far.

 

3. They each get 30 minutes a day for a tivo'd show (we don't do commercials at all) or Wii time during school days...we actually are soo busy that we don't have much time during the week to even fit that in!

 

4. Weekends are no limit...now if I see them playing over an hour (which is RARELY) I'll make them get off and go outside and play...most the time the Wii is used when they have friends spend the night and we do racing games or battle our cousins in other states...but, again, we are sooo busy during the weekend that it's not an issue.

 

5. I also encourage the heck out of them (praising them really) when I do see one of them do something in kind like help one win when they really could...and they are quick to notice how kind that was and how it made them feel...when they have friends over they WANT to let the friend win when they actually could..now I have had to pull my son aside a few times because he can be very competitive and NEVER let a younger child win....but once we had a talk about it and asked if it was really 'fun' to win all the time and see your friend become dejected..it took care of itself..I think it's a great game and anything can be abused, but we as parents need to be diligent in making sure it's used to bring out the best in our children, not the worst.

 

Tara

[Ferdie]

We do weekends only, too. Also my dh bought 3 remotes when he bought the Wii so the kids can play altogether.

 

When my kids were younger I used to set a timer for the playstation so everyone got a 20 minute turn.

 

We just bought a Wii fit so they play that after school when the weather is yucky outside.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Well, our kids are allowed to do as much wii fit and wii sports as they wish after their responsibilities are taken care of.

 

However, we didn't have a game system when my kids were your kids ages....and I wouldn't. If I fell on my head and it happened somehow, I would have it limited to evenings (family play) and/or weekends. And it would count as screen time so kids are giving up other screens to play it. If they want to watch Cyber Chase, then they have a choice to make.

 

BTW, the second there was an attitude or fuss that I could hear, it'd be put up. My kids learned to problem solve discreetly and quickly because I don't play. I cannot stand to hear carrying on, especially about things such as screens.

[MIch elle]

Well, our kids are allowed to do as much wii fit and wii sports as they wish after their responsibilities are taken care of.

 

However, we didn't have a game system when my kids were your kids ages....and I wouldn't. If I fell on my head and it happened somehow, I would have it limited to evenings (family play) and/or weekends. And it would count as screen time so kids are giving up other screens to play it. If they want to watch Cyber Chase, then they have a choice to make.

 

BTW, the second there was an attitude or fuss that I could hear, it'd be put up. My kids learned to problem solve discreetly and quickly because I don't play. I cannot stand to hear carrying on, especially about things such as screens.

 

 

:iagree: My oldest ds was 12yo and younger ds was 9yo before we got Gamecube then Wii a year later. They did have a Nintendo DS before that.

 

My older ds has no time for electronic games except for weekends, and younger ds plays after duties are done for the day.

 

The computer games are the ones they fight over because my dh has a large screen computer w/ great graphics and they both like to play on it. If don't share, it's put away for the weekend; they learned quickly to quietly work out their differences.

 

I use the Wii MUCH more than my dc. Wii Fit - aerobics, yoga and strength training is what I do several times/week.

[Tracey in TX]

Dh wants me to come up with a list of rules and give the boys one more chance before we sell our Wii. So how do you regulate screen time without going batty trying to keep track of it?

 

Our boys are 8, 6, and 4. My middle ds really got sucked in, became hyper and that's all he was thinking about. With three close in age, we hear a lot about "fairness". The games we have are family friendly, so it's not the content. My middle is extremely visual, not sure if that is part of the reason he responds this way.

 

Anyway, both my older two like to watch Little House on the Prairie. My middle checks sports scores regularly online. And that has been it as far as screen time, so it's been a non issue.

 

But what about "Wii Rules"? We didn't have a good first experience with it and dh had me pack it away.

Each child responsible for own remote. Time must be fairly split. If their fussing causes me irritation, game over. Kids may play after school until friends outside playing (it's then time to go outside and play!). Never before or during school.

We've taken away the Wii and PS3 many times. They lose the privilege and have to re-earn the right to play.

[Kim in Appalachia]

the timer must be set. No crying over order of play (who goes first).

 

They don't get to play everday (because of other events). All school work and chores must be done first.

[Murphy101]

every kid has their day.

on their day, they are the one called upon for misc duties and the one that gets any special treats that arise in the day - such as getting the last cookie in the bag or picking the movie or Wii.

 

So whose ever day it is would get to pick the Wii games played and have #1 controler.

 

Any time they argue - end of game after 2nd warning. If the game is not being enjoyed as evidenced by bickering, then they are excuse from the game and the room for the day, whether it's their day or not.

 

That's pretty much standard policy though - arguing over something = that something is removed. There is not one thing in this world worth dividing brothers over.:)

 

No Wii or gameboys or other electronics before 3 pm or after 8 pm. Basicly not during schooling time or within 30 minutes of bedtime. (playing right before bed seems to leave them too jittery to sleep!)

 

The kids they are playing with get 1 hour turns. Whose ever day it is can play the entire time.

 

No side line heckling or game playing. It's anywhere from annoying to rude and can get really loud.

 

That's it here.

[Amy loves Bud]

No Wii during public school hours. Even if we are done. (Although we allow Wii Fit now.)

 

No Wii if your chores are not done properly.

 

Get off the Wii if we tell you to.

 

Luke would have played Guitar Hero all day for a while. Between no Wii during PS hours, soccer, and wanting to play outside with friends, they are limited to about 30 minutes to an hour a day naturally, without us ever saying anything.

 

On the weekends we will kick them off if it is nice weather. I do try to give them a 15 minute warning when I do that, because I know I don't like to just drop my activity immediately. (Like reading an interesting thread on the board.)

 

We haven't had the arguing or "that's no fair" bit here. If we did, it would be so gone.

[ummix3]

Our rules are on the weekends/holidays and maybe friday evenings. We also don't leave the WII out or connected to the TV when not in use, I think its less tempting that way.

 

 

HTH

 

Michelle

[JudoMom]

Our rule is 30 min/boy on both Saturday and Sunday. Don't bother to ask any other time because it will not happen, and you run the risk of losing your game time for that weekend.

 

Both bedrooms and the playroom must be cleaned to my standards before game time can begin.

 

If we think that attitudes are going south because of the games, we'll take them away until we decide to give them back. They know we are serious because we once took games away for a year.

 

If there is fighting or arguing during game time you might lose the privilege of playing. If you tell your brother what to do you might be kicked out of the main level (it's all open so they have to leave the level in order to not watch).

 

We've got one prone to being obsessed/addicted to video games. We're hoping that we can teach him how to self-regulate before he goes to college and spends his freshman year locked in his dorm room skipping class and playing games.

[PinkInTheBlue]

Our 10yr old is the only one that really requires restrictions. He has to ask to play DS or Wii and then it's only 30min. If he goes over his minutes, then he's without for a week. He could game for hours on end. He knows not to even consider it until after school and other responsibilities are done. Most days he can have two 30min sessions.