Recently, this topic has been in the news. Seems that some professionals are mounting an effort to have this made into an actual diagnosis that will be eligible for treatment. What do you think- is this a real psychological condition, or is this fully manageable by the parents?

I know I have been thinking more about it especially concerning my 12 yr old who has a PS 2 and a Nintendo system. He also really enjoys a couple of online games such as Roomscape. Dh and I really have to monitor the time he spends on these games. Our goal is to have him monitor himself and not overdo by pursuing other activities in equal proportions. We have not been as successful as we would hope.

For example, the other day, my DD was watching him while DH and I worked. A friend had something come up, so 2 other boys around the same age came over also. (Something I normally do not allow when the kids are home alone). The kids were there a total of 3 1/2 hours, and they did not go outside once to play. We have a pool (Okay, there were not allowed to go in the pool without adult home), trampoline, fenced yard, b-ball hoop, volleyball/badminton, footballs...etc.

I was pretty upset when I heard this. He is now limited to 1 hr a day for all video/computer games. He has to write the times down on the chalkboard near the games to ensure accuracy. One exception is the DDR dancing game which I think is good exercise.

Do any of you worry about video game addiction and how do you regulate video games in your home, if you do?

I don't think I'm really worried about it being an addiction, but I do worry about the kids playing too much....My kids get 5 hours of game play a day, which might sound like a lot, but it's broken down to an hour per child. Rainy days or days when they don't feel good they get more time. I don't count the time we spend on our Wii, in those 5 hours though, because it's something we all play together, and we move around laugh and play. I don't know that I totally buy it being a true addiction, but I guess maybe sometimes people really can't control how much they play.

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

I think these doctors have too much time on their hands!!

I definitely think this is a parent-control issue. Just like with anything else, if you do it enough it will become addicting and you (or a parent) must decide how much time should be allowed on whatever it is. Heck, these boards can be addicting if you let it (but I certainly wouldn't think it should be diagnosed by doctors as a medical disorder!!)

Maybe this is just another way for the drug companies to offer medicine to children to make them little zombies.

I don't think this is a total parental control issue because I know many an adult who always seem to be playing games........

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

My son can play whenever he wants to, but most of the time he prefers to be out playing football with the neighbor boys. Personally, I think that video games haven't had any adverse affect on him whatsoever. It's no different that when I was younger and we got cable and a betamax vcr.

I don't have kids, but I have worked with guys who'd spend anywhere from 3-8 hours playing MMORPGS (big online games) a day, so I'd say this is real.

the exact reason why my kids don't have any kind of games just yet.. i have 2 nephews that i spent vacation on this past week. they are 4 and 6. we went to the beach.. they were on their nintendo ds 9 hours a day... if they don't have them they can't become addcited to them. The adults that get addicted I dont' really know about that.

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

Guilty as an adult who always seems to be playing video games
Especially now that the kids are home for the summer- I use them for stress relief
We're getting a Wii(if I can find one) this next week- we've been saving up for months. We can all play this one together though

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Mom to Katie 1/95 and Sara 5/97

I think it is not only kids but adults also. When my husband and I bought our first Nintendo about 16 years or more ago we ourselves were addicted!!! I stayed up until 2am with him playing after the kids went to bed. That did not last long with me, but my husband still was playing. Currently it is only for free time with the kids and hubby and for myself there is the computer.

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Carolyn
At the Jersey Shore