My cousins are addicted to an online game
By Ghajini
@Ghajini (776)
Philippines
March 21, 2013 9:20am CST
Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to share this, well the other day two of my cousins were here at my grandma's house. We're talking about an 8 year old boy and a 9 year old girl, who happens to love playing all sorts of video games and as well watch cartoons most of the time. So my 8 year old cousin saw an online game on my grandpa's laptop which I used to play, so he asked me if I could teach him how to play the game, so I did. Then, after 2 days, he became so addicted to the game and won't even listen to his mother and insists on eating his food in front of the laptop. What's even worse is that even his sister (the 9 year old), started playing the game as well.
Both of them are somehow sick because they have been coughing for almost a week, I think. Then, upon talking with one of my older cousin, I have decided to end their addiction to the online game, since I really feel responsible for it, after all I was the one who thought them how to play the game. I am aware that playing some video games is acceptable but the problem is these kids are somehow spoiled and doesn't have self-control. So, what I did is, I uninstalled the game but left a fake icon of the game on the desktop, whenever they double-click on that shortcut, they are forwarded to a text document, which I just made on notepad, indicating that the game cannot be played for various reasons.
I really feel good that somehow I managed to end their addiction to this online game. However, they still do play a lot of other games on pc, smartphones and handhelds.
2 people like this
15 responses
@nitinnair89 (2900)
• India
21 Mar 13
Totally restricting or stopping someone from doing something that they love is not right as per me. You can allow them to play if they do something like behave good or study good.
But they are too small for that now. Lol. Else you can just allow them to play for some specific period of time..
1 person likes this
@Laurenlynn (715)
• Canada
21 Mar 13
I agree here with nitinnair, it is just like candy if you never let your child have any they will later on (most times) just want more. Everything in moderation!
@Ghajini (776)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Thanks for the response. Yes, honestly if they weren't this addicted or if they just had some self-control, I would not have done it. However, my older cousin told me to do it which my aunt also supported, since these children are really different, it's unfortunate that they have been too spoiled by their parents. Today, they found out the new note that I made up, telling that the game have been permanently closed. The 8 year old boy was sad for a while, but eventually he moved on and proceeded on watching cartoons again. Me and my cousin have done our part, I hope that someday their parents will realize that they don't need to spoil their kids too much, just too show how much they love them, instead they should know when to discipline and to reward their children.
@blackrusty (3519)
• Mexico
21 Mar 13
it is the best thing you could have done is to end the game right of the young kids they learn so much at this age and you dont want them to be a junkie 
@Ghajini (776)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Thanks for the response. Yeah, unfortunately, these kids are still addicted to other stuffs, they lack self-control. The 9 year old girl is already wearing eyeglasses, and the younger one even told me that it's fine with him to wear eyeglasses, he told me that when I was trying to tell him that too much video games is bad for his eyesight. Me and my cousin have done our part, I guess it's up to their parents to do what is right, hopefully they realize the difference between loving and spoiling.
@blackrusty (3519)
• Mexico
22 Mar 13
you are right sounds like you have done your part and it is time for the parents to step in and take back control of there kids before one day they become unruly and walk all over them
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Ok that would be good for them to at least stop their addiction to it. I think they needed some disciplining they deserve for being hard headed. I do not know it but I am an adult and there are times that you get hooked on it especially when you have reached a level that you are already good at. I think these games are really made for everyone to get hooked on that is why there are a lot of these games online that made many hooked into it.
1 person likes this
@Ghajini (776)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Thanks for the response. Yes, I am aware that these game are really addicting, I personally have been addicted to various online games before. I am not saying that games are bad even though some or most of them are really bad in the long run, nevertheless it all comes down to moderation since even child-friendly and educational games can be bad if it becomes an addiction.
@jazel_juan (15746)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Kids tend to be easily addicted on computer or online games. My kids also have the tendency to be addicted to these stuff too but my husband curtailed it and now they have specific hours as to when to play it because it is not good for them. We would rather have them run around the house and the yard and play ball games and the likes.
1 person likes this
@Ghajini (776)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Thanks for the response. I guess almost every kid has the tendency to be addicted to video games. It's great that your husband put some restrictions to their playing hours. Yes, having the kids engage with physical activities such as ball games is better, but of course everything should be moderated as well :).
@mbzzbd (31)
• China
22 Mar 13
Games like a evil sometimes,when I am young,I also addicited at thesse games.Just like your cousins.I know many people are addicted at games,It just like smoking,or drinking too mush.We know they are harmful,but we can't ger rid of them all.The things we can do is do our best to change it.
1 person likes this
@srisahara (4508)
• Indonesia
22 Mar 13
My daughter and my nephew also love games, even they can play throughout the night and do not sleep or sleep late. But, it happen in holidays. Yes, most of children are addicted to games. It is hard to stop from this behavior. We cannot remove games from their life but we can manage their time to make sure that the games do not hurt them.
1 person likes this
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
My youngest son and his cousin is into playing WWE and NBA2K13 using the PS3. I could control my son somehow, coz when I raise my voice, he'd hurriedly come up the room. However, it is his cousin I am worry about. He never likes going out of the house. His mother allows her to play on certain days. But the thing is, this boy no longer knows how to socialize. He'd rather stay inside the house and play either on the iPad or iTouch or PS3. What pisses me off is that his mother just allows him to be that way. I feel that the child will grow up timid around people. And to make it worse, he eats in front of the TV all the time which his mother does, too! And to think they bought a dining table worth $500 for just putting stuff on top of it!
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
So true! And I just do not know how my sister in law could realize the mistake she is doing by allowing his kid to be that way just so he won't bother her. I mean, some parents put up to the qualms of their kids so that they could do what they want undisturubed without realizing the long term effect on their children.
1 person likes this
@Ghajini (776)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Thanks for the response. That's good that your son listens to you, I understand kids since when I was young, I used to play a lot of video games and watch tv as well, however my parents are always there, especially my mom to remind me when I am playing too much already. Yeah, letting a child be too involved in these video games, might not only cause him problems with socializing with other kids but as well might harm him mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. I guess the change should start with the parents first, after all they should be the role models of their children.
@rog0322 (2829)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
22 Mar 13
Hi,
Computer game can be addicting to adults, how much more for young kids. I went through that phase once, playing almost all day and neglecting my other duties. Nowadays, I seldom play computer games, I think the novelty has worn off. My two kids, seven and eight has got the bug, I get concerns with their falling grades. I should limit the time in the school coming year in June, not to mention the rising electric bill I get every month.
@vidhyaprakash_2 (7116)
• India
28 Apr 13
Hi friend, in this modern days most of the kids are addicted with cell phone and internet games, so there is no wonder in your cousin's addiction with online games. As you managed it with your presence of mind and give a full stop to your cousin's game addiction. Still they are kids, they don't know they are wasting their time by playing this kind of games, after getting maturity, they will come to know about their mistakes and change themselves
@echoforever (5180)
• United States
21 Mar 13
Its crazy how even children can become addicted to video games. I think it was a good thing you did to uninstall in and put up the note instead. I hope they won't fall into a habit of these types of games any more, so young. Exercise is important for all of us, but, especially for kids.
1 person likes this
@Ghajini (776)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, they are still addicted to other stuffs, mostly video games and too much tv. They lack self-control and does not understand what moderation is. I just really hope that their parents eventually realize that their doing something wrong, that loving and spoiling is different.
@TLilly12 (1229)
• United States
21 Mar 13
It good that you stopped your cousins, from playing the computer games, on the laptop but like you said, you are not going to stop them completely, from playing games all together, they will have cellphone they can, play games on there is nothing you can do about that.
@cherigucchi (14876)
• Philippines
22 Mar 13
Most kids nowadays are really into online games that sometimes it becomes too much that resulted to addiction. What makes it worse is that parents thought that they are in school only to find out that they are hooked on internet shops the whole day. Parents should take this in control to aboid much more complications.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
22 Mar 13
It seems now a days, playing video games are all children want to do.
