Last night I outlined the “summer video game rules” with the boys…the electricity had gone out due a storm rolling in (it was so weird…we’ve only lost power a handful of times the entire seven years we’ve lived here), so we were looking for things to do. I’d been working on the rules for a few days, so we went with the rough draft and together as a family we tweeked it.
So, here are some of our rules, they have not been tested, but based on past experience, they are what we feel will work for us:
1. NO video games are to be played in the morning. Period. The boys do not get anything done if they do that and they just want to be zombies if they do.
2. Video games are allowed each afternoon I work (I work for a telecom. company from home) after one hour of quiet reading (blessed that Ethan still naps, when he wakes up, he gets to join in the fun) but are to be turned off as soon as I am done with my schedule (meaning they *do* get to play for about 2 hours a day, geez).
3. Other then our traditional “video game Friday night”, video games are NOT allowed in the evening, unless they have worked to earn time to play some. Even then, it is the parents choice to allow them or not. Some things they can do to”earn” play time: read 2 pages of scriptures, walk 1 mile with me, help Ethan with his writing or reading (pictured above), read one article from the Friend, play outside, do chores, etc.
4. There will be no begging Bart to “check their game” on his phones. If they have completed all of their regular tasks (dishes, laundry) and 1 additional assigned chore (either specified by me or Bart or they can pick from a list I have made up) they may “check their game” on Bart’s phone. They may NOT do this for more then 15 minutes total per day.
So, those are some of our rules. I know that the afternoon video game time is excessive, but it is what has to be done in our family in order for me to not work every single night until late into the night and still function as a mother, wife, and household member. The boys don’t seem to mind. 😉
Having Bart now work from home has been a tricky transition as summer, so we are still all getting used to each other being home all the time, and having to sometimes be quiet…and the boys figuring out that just because they SEE Dad, they can’t BOMBARD Dad. Also, it is apparently very hard to remember to only use the basement bathroom, not the upstairs bathroom….they will learn…or Bart’s co-workers will learn the bathroom habits of our children (the bathroom and master bedroom connect with glass doors.). 😉
Finding Joy 