Living Love & Logic Tip #65

I'm very, very concerned. Everywhere I go at least one person tells me the same sad story:

He plays video games nonstop. That's all he wants to do. As soon as he gets home, he goes into the bedroom, shuts the door, and starts playing his video games. When I ask him to shut them off, he ignores me or flies off the handle. And…forget about getting him to do any chores. All he thinks about is his games.

The story continues:

And our kids are getting just as bad!

Do you have a loved one who's obsessed with playing video games? Is your family going down the tube as a result? I'm often asked, "How can I tell if my child (or my spouse) is addicted to gaming?" Perhaps the simplest test is to ask them to stop for a week. That's right! Just ask them to put aside their video games for one short week.

Here's what to look for:

• Does the person get defiant and refuse to take a break?

• Is the person willing to take a break yet becomes exceptionally irritable, depressed, or "bored" during that time?

• Do they lie to you about sneaking game time during their "break"?

If you see any of these classic withdrawal symptoms, you can rest assured that your loved one has a serious problem that will lead to serious consequences if left untreated. My advice is three-fold:

Step One: Don't deny or minimize the problem. Know that it can destroy your family if you don't take action.

Step Two: Listen to our audio download, Taming the Technology Monster.

Step Three: Get qualified professional help if your loved one refuses to live by the limits you set over their gaming.

To read more from Love and Logic click HERE! This site is LOADED with so many useful tools for parents!