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Video Games

With video games, how can I help my kids know when enough is enough?
 With video games, how can I help my kids know when enough is enough? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I’m a pediatric nurse practitioner, and we have three boys ages 5, 7, and 9. Several parents/patients have told me that they have the same problem as I do enforcing video game time limits. Certain kids just seem “addicted” and can’t wait until they get more. Do you have any visual time charts, contracts,…

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My 10-year-old son is miserable since I took away Call of Duty–what do I do?
 My 10-year-old son is miserable since I took away Call of Duty–what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 10 year old used to be an avid skateboarder and baseball player—until Call of Duty on XBOX Live arrived. I didn’t in my wildest dreams think that he would become addicted to a video game. I have a 21 year old who played all of the games but was never ruled by them.…

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Could my 14-year-old son’s anxiety be related to playing video games?
 Could my 14-year-old son’s anxiety be related to playing video games? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Is there a connection between excessive video game playing and increased anxiety levels? My son is 14 and has some basic anxieties like walking the dog at night that I feel are made worse by the first-person shooter games he plays. I’d love to understand if you have seen any connections here. –Grappling with…

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Will sitting close to the TV hurt my kids’ eyes?
 Will sitting close to the TV hurt my kids’ eyes? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I have an son who’s 11 and a daughter who’s 9½, and for many years, they have sat close to the TV when watching. I have asked them to sit farther away, and they do move back maybe a foot…but they always go back to viewing the show close up, even if the screen…

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How can I find educational video games for an 8-year-old boy who likes war stuff?
 How can I find educational video games for an 8-year-old boy who likes war stuff? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Do you have suggestions for how to find appropriate media, such as educational video games, for different ages, such as an 8-year-old boy who likes war stuff? I’d like to help direct him to more creative sites.  –Seeking solutions, in Burlington, VT A: Dear Seeking, It’s not always easy to know which video games…

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Do you have any last-minute tips for holiday shopping?
 Do you have any last-minute tips for holiday shopping? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Help! I’m shopping for kids of all ages this year for the holidays, and don’t know where to begin. What are your thoughts about the kinds of toys that are good for kids?
A: This year, focus on the CHILD–opt for Creative gifts you’ve decided upon after doing your Homework on the recipients’ interests, keeping in mind the importance of Imagination, Learning, and making Donations.

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What does the new AAP policy say about screentime for babies?
 What does the new AAP policy say about screentime for babies? 150 150 Mediatrics

On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a revised policy on media for kids two and younger. The recommendations for this age group are much the same as they were in 1999—that it is best for their developing brains and bodies to avoid both screen use (such as placing a toddler in…

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How do I get my 4 year old’s grandpa not to play violent video games with him?
 How do I get my 4 year old’s grandpa not to play violent video games with him? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My father-in-law bonds with my 4-year-old son by playing video games. Recently, he bought a LEGO pirates game, rated for 10 year olds, and the two play it for about an hour every time they see each other. I love that they spend time together, but since they started playing this game, my son…

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Will media affect my 4-year-old’s ability to pay attention?
 Will media affect my 4-year-old’s ability to pay attention? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I’m wondering if you would consider the results of research that has examined relationships between media and inattention to be conclusive. It seems that even on this website, some researchers find a connection and some don’t. Do the results lean in one direction more than the other? I have a 4-year-old son who is…

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Video games seem bad for my son, but he doesn’t agree…what do I do?
 Video games seem bad for my son, but he doesn’t agree…what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My older son has been haranguing me for months to allow him to get an Xbox 360. He currently has a Wii but has deemed the games “stupid,” which is exactly why I allowed him to get it (with misgivings). But the games for Xbox are generally so violent that I could come up…

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