Do you allow bad parenting, just to get rid of skid?
If I was a parent, I would have a time limit on video games and TV time, and I would encourage and participate in lots of fun activities with my bios, like art and museums and reading, even if they fought me on it, for their own good and for family bonding. BUT, with my skid, I really couldn't care less }:) My BF who always wants to make his little prince happy, lets him play video games, I kid you not, for about 8 hours a day on weekend days, and at least 3 hours a day on school days. Before the boy discovered video games, he was plastered to BFs body. He was a clingy little octopus who was either on the couch hogging the TV and blabbering or he was literally touching his dad. When we had him, 50% of the time, I didn't get any adult time unless the child was in the bathroom! I remember waiting, hoping he had to take a pee so I could tell BF something. Hallelujah video games! All of the sudden, his bedroom that he only slept in and came sprinting out of the moment he awoke, is now where he exists most of the time. If we close the door and I use a little imagination, its like he is hardly there. This brain-sucking, violence glamorizing, waste of human intellect that is video games has given me part of my life and sanity back. Okay, a very very small part of me feels bad that the kid really should have limits and should really be engaged in "family" activities, but the great majority of me is just happy to let him rot out his brain...in his room, far away from me, with the door closed! Skid is happy, BF is happy that skid is happy, I am happy that kid is not in my face.
Heeelll yaaa!!!! Wii &
Heeelll yaaa!!!! Wii & renting kiddie movies ensure that he stays in the basement/gameroom & outta my hair. DH will hang out with him for a while mostly when playing the wii, but then he'll surface & we can have some along time. As much as SS7 wants to hang out w FDH - tv rules for him. It also ensure he doesn't come wake us up in the mornings as he'll go straight down and watch tv/play video games.
LOL *LIKE*!!!!!
LOL *LIKE*!!!!!
For the last 6 months, SD6
For the last 6 months, SD6 has been glued to cartoon network. Do I agree with letting a child destroy their possible intellect on these things? No. But..."not my kid" and I can get near my husband again without a child literally glued to him, 24/7.
I see SD6 when hungry or thirsty mostly only. I did say to DH, "What is the use in someone visiting you when all they do is go straight to their room and glue themselves to a television, only to eat and drink and never talk to you?" He has not really answered me back yet either. He is growing used to the fact that BM and SD6 merely have used him up for a long time and only badmouth him, no matter how hard he has tried. It is kind of sad to see that.
It backfires though. It
It backfires though. It stunts the skids (all the video game playing and computer junk) both physically & mentally. Those videos are time suckers...they will never get those HOURS back. Hours that should have been spent productively doing homework, chores, bonding with bio parent, exercising outsaide, whatever -- instead its hours wasted on violent games. I don't get it! Why do bioparents think "hours spent along in room" is good for their kid? They know its wrong but are afraid to be parent or else they are lazy. Which is it DH???????
I know it is wrong and I
I know it is wrong and I didn't allow my BS to do it at this age. But SS12 if he is playing games I don't have to deal with him. DH has been better about making him go outside and do other stuff, but he does let him play too much. But, really that is all the kid wants to do.