Chrissy

My boys are totally into using the computer all day long and i am ok with that but at the end of the day the boys all go NUTS!! they run around and scream and jump on each other and can't control themselves to the point where they are all getting hurt and angry with eachother. they need to get some activity during the day but i don't want to tell them they have to turn off the computer and jump for a while. i suggest they take a break and play. i pull out games that involve physical activity that they love and they say "YEA! let's play LATER!" i know a lot of this is because it's winter in northern ohio and it will get better in the spring but what to do until then? any suggestions?

peace,
chrissy

plaidpanties666

--- In [email protected], "Chrissy" <EquinoxAutumn@...> wrote:
>
> My boys are totally into using the computer all day long and i am ok with that but at the end of the day the boys all go NUTS!! they run around and scream and jump on each other and can't control themselves to the point where they are all getting hurt and angry with eachother.
***********************

I'm curious what you mean by "end of the day"? Is there a time they all tend to get sick of the computer at once? If so, maybe you can plan some high-energy fun to happen around that time - actively look for something they can do to work off some of that pent up energy.

At the same time, look for ways for them to get some action while playing - either encourage them to do something physical while something is loading (and by encourage I mean offer to do something fun *with* them, right that second) and/or look for things they can do while also playing: jump on a mini-trampoline, sit on an exercise ball, that sort of thing.

Since part of the trouble is being stuck inside, look for big-body toys to bring into the house - you might need to rotate them if, like me, you don't have much space! But you could have a sit-n-spin availabale, a big ball with a handle for bouncing (or an exercise ball), balloons, a small slide, a chin-up bar, a rope swing, a skateboard (sit on it and scoot around the floor), a punching bag, a tunnel, I even had a small slide at one point! Like I said, you might have to have just one or two things available and rotate as they get stale.

---Meredith (Mo 8, Ray 16)

Debra Rossing

> look for things they can do while also playing: jump on a
mini-trampoline, sit on an exercise ball, that sort of thing.
That always amazed/amazes me - that DS can jump on a mini trampoline
while playing videogames and manage to run, jump, shoot, whatever at the
same time he's bouncing (Thank heaven for wireless controllers!) I can
barely keep my character from repeatedly hitting walls and getting
killed while sitting still!

Deb R


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Joyce Fetteroll

On Jan 27, 2010, at 9:24 AM, Chrissy wrote:

> "YEA! let's play LATER!" i know a lot of this is because it's
> winter in northern ohio and it will get better in the spring but
> what to do until then? any suggestions?

Spring's coming. It won't be like that forever ;-) And once video
games are beaten or played with several different options, the
challenges offer diminishing returns.

How about a trampoline in front of the TV? Wii's have lots of active
games. Impromptu games of tag?

Think of video games as a page turner with *a lot* of pages ;-)
Haven't you ever said to yourself as you're engrossed in a book, "One
more page and I'll turn off the light" and then it's 20 or 30 pages
or even the end of the book and dawn's breaking ;-) A well designed
video game is exactly like that.

I'd keep offering. I'd offer different things. If they respond well
to you planning a day out like going to an indoor play space, let
them know ahead of time and build it up.


> they need to get some activity during the day


That is probably right, but it's frustrating and makes for unhappy
moms to seize a solution and then turn the new problem into how to
get the kids to comply with the solution.

Have you tried asking them about it when they're not in the midst of
play or release of energy? Like when you're all in the car together.
Ask them about being energetic with each other and what *they* think
about it. And what solutions they might come up with. Listen without
interjecting much. Helping them play around with ideas and problem
solve is a much more useful life skill than getting them to release
energy for a single day's more peaceful evening.

Joyce

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