Minecraft & Its Effect

[zeemimi]

chixchix:

I would like to know if other parents are facing this same problem and what we can do about it. I am using a MAC book and previously from Windows OS I knew how to block websites that i don't want my son to go to. Now using MAC i have no idea…anyway since school closed,he has been on the laptop playing Minecraft all the while , I have noticed that he has become more rude,more angrier ,and i mean the behaviour has just changed a lot.. is it anything to do with the game…when we stop him from using,,like telling him \"time is up( usually after 1-2 hours), he can scream and say shut up.. and he is only 10 years old.. sometimes i feel hurt that he behaves like that but he never dare be rude to his father


please advise what should be done. I can't hide the laptop as I use it for work purposes too

i usually choose what \"war\" i need to fight with the kids and this is one war i WILL fight to make sure that the child does not become addicted to the computer. He is showing early signs of computer addiction. It is good to arrest it early even if it is unpleasant.

Minecraft by itself is quite ok, i feel. It is building stuff.

You can limit the time for computer usage. Or you can make your son \"work\" to earn computer time, e.g. do some chores / assessments, etc.

You should also work out together with your hubby and make known to you son that the computer time rules drawn out are by both parents. Make know the rationale for computer rules, e.g. it is bad for the eyes / health. Can also show articles of how people have died after playing computer non-stop or have killed others.

Let son know that such rules are to protect him and not hurt him.

[sembgal]

chixchix:

I would like to know if other parents are facing this same problem and what we can do about it. I am using a MAC book and previously from Windows OS I knew how to block websites that i don't want my son to go to. Now using MAC i have no idea…anyway since school closed,he has been on the laptop playing Minecraft all the while , I have noticed that he has become more rude,more angrier ,and i mean the behaviour has just changed a lot.. is it anything to do with the game…when we stop him from using,,like telling him \"time is up( usually after 1-2 hours), he can scream and say shut up.. and he is only 10 years old.. sometimes i feel hurt that he behaves like that but he never dare be rude to his father


please advise what should be done. I can't hide the laptop as I use it for work purposes too

Hi, I believe your child has been addicted to Minecraft online. The only way to resolve this is to let your child go cold turkey. Ban from using the electronic gadget for 2 weeks and tell the child it is a privilege to use but not his entitlement. Limit the time spent maybe to 1 hour the most. Any rudeness from your child will have to let him be aware of his consequence. Reduce the timing say from 1 hour to 45 mins. It is not too late to curb the problem before it escalates beyond help. Your child is still young, can mould, if this continues without intervention, the problem will still persist into his adulthood.

[sharonkhoo]

I don’t know anything about the game itself, but I have noticed that using the computer in itself, whatever the game/activity, can cause varying degrees of ‘addiction’. Some kids are more prone to addiction than others, depending on the child’s personality and variety of interests. I have 2 teens, and one is more prone than the other. I used to limit computer time very strictly when my kids were young - 40 mins a day at most, maybe up to 1 hr during holidays. But any going over time, tantrums when told that time’s up, refusal to get off, nagging to get extra time etc would mean a ban for the next day or longer, depending on situation and behaviour. Rules have to be set clearly and enforced consistently by all adults if they are to work. My kids are on the computer much longer now that they are teens, but will mostly self-limit or will get off the computer (without making a fuss) if I tell them to.

[concern2]

chixchix:

I have noticed that he has become more rude,more angrier ,and i mean the behaviour has just changed a lot.. is it anything to do with the game…when we stop him from using,,like telling him \"time is up( usually after 1-2 hours), he can scream and say shut up.. and he is only 10 years old.. sometimes i feel hurt that he behaves like that but he never dare be rude to his father

Hi chixchix,

DS plays mind craft too, and there are reasons for such behaviour.

1) It is not just a building game. There are things in there to delay the kids from logging out, such as the likely appearance of zombies if they do not complete their building before they log out. They need to set up defences and when adults want them to stop playing, they refuse to because the don't want themselves to be 'killed' by the zombies the next time they log in.

2) Yes, there is killing in there. The figures are dehumanised - they are very pixelated, and there is no blood. So there is fun in 'killing' and less fear since there is no bloody scene. I find this kinda disturbing.

3) Because kids can link up and interact with others when they play. You see group behaviour of all kinds - from team work to bullying. It is good if we can sit beside them and just keep our ears open to their interaction. We can learn about how they behave in a group situation and how they get along with their peers. Sometimes, there is bullying when some 'gang up' to 'kill' another.

In all the games that my kids have played, this is one game which they will drag the longest when I call for time out. Because of this, I have also cut down their playing time.

[sleepy]

I know that many of dd’s classmates are into Minecraft. No idea what Minecraft is about but I don’t allow computer game time so she’s not participating

[happyheart]

Both DS play mindcraft with each other on 2 ipads. They play at the same time. If one has to finish homework, the other has to wait. I am very stingy, I limit their playtime to 30mins and max 45mins, if they have to ‘do something’ before shut down to prevent their character from dying the next time they log on. They have to watch their timing. If they cross it, they will be banned from playing the next day. If they turn nasty with their words and behaviour when I tell them to stop, they will be banned. Once, DS2 was banned for a week for displaying anger when I reminded him to stop. I also told them I could easily change password and not having to get into any fights but I chose to let them learn discipline. So far, there were occasions that I felt irritated with them playing this game because I had to repeatedly remind them to stop. I do not like to be a nag. But, ever since I carried out the ‘punishment’ firmly, the boys have been quite cooperative.

I often tell them about game addiction, i.e the signs and symptoms, and that we should prevent by limiting playtime. It will be too late once it hits.

[Jennifer]

Thank you for this post.


My younger boy has been asking for this game. I hv yet to see this game but my elder boy seems not to disapprove (he plays it occasionally).

My younger boy has a weaker determination when it comes to shutting down the computer or switching off the TV. I think I will talk to him again about getting this game.

[concern2]

Chatted with DS again last night about this game. Seems like there are different versions of the game. If you don't like the killing part, switch to CREATIVE mode. The killing is usually in the SURVIVAL mode. DS prefers to play in the creative mode because it stretches his imagination.


After talking to him, I have a feeling that kids like it to have a sense of control. In the real world, they are often told what to do, and being city dwellers, we are not FREE in the sense that we can't just build anything we want and go live where ever we want, but they could do that in this game, on creative mode, without all the threats (survival mode contains the threats).

DS said when DD plays the game, he noticed she likes 'tame' the animals by feeding them and the farm animals will start following her around. \"Very cute\" he said.

For the part when he refuses to leave the game when I tell him to, he had this to say, \"Because sometimes after building something, you have to test it to see if it works.\" Seems that you can even build machines with this game.

Hope this help explain better - to be fair to the game

[concern2]

happyheart:

Both DS play mindcraft with each other on 2 ipads. They play at the same time. If one has to finish homework, the other has to wait. I am very stingy, I limit their playtime to 30mins and max 45mins, if they have to 'do something' before shut down to prevent their character from dying the next time they log on. They have to watch their timing. If they cross it, they will be banned from playing the next day. If they turn nasty with their words and behaviour when I tell them to stop, they will be banned. Once, DS2 was banned for a week for displaying anger when I reminded him to stop. I also told them I could easily change password and not having to get into any fights but I chose to let them learn discipline. So far, there were occasions that I felt irritated with them playing this game because I had to repeatedly remind them to stop. I do not like to be a nag. But, ever since I carried out the 'punishment' firmly, the boys have been quite cooperative.

I often tell them about game addiction, i.e the signs and symptoms, and that we should prevent by limiting playtime. It will be too late once it hits.

Yes, I also reminded both my DC that their behaviour was getting aggressive, even the way they talked to me was getting rude. Given the 'benefits' of the game, I would still 'ban' them from time to time and limit their playing duration.

Oh, oh, btw, DS also said there is a character (\"Ghast\" if I remember correctly) will approach you and kill you if you stare at him in the game . This reminds me of those 'stare-kill' incidents.