The Situation
Your 14-year old son is glued to the controls again. And tearing him away “mid-level” has become quite the challenge when he’s gaming with his online friends. It's dinner time and he needs to put the controller down and come to the table. You've called to him three times already but he’s immersed in his alter ego and his mission to save the world; totally oblivious to the time and what’s going on around him. You’re tired of the shouting and the extra tension it brings to the household. But short of taking draconian measures by storming down to the basement to pull the plug on the Xbox, what can you do?
Your Frustration
You’ve noticed that the more your child connects with the virtual reality of online games, the more he seems to disconnect from the physical reality of the world around him. You know that this can't be good for his personal growth or his real social life; and so you search for ways to engage him in the here and now. But, you’re finding it difficult since he prefers to spend his spare time escaping to an alternative reality to gain the approval and acceptance of his online friends that comes from attaining the new high score.
The Solution
Promote a healthier life balance by controlling online game time! Log in to your WebCurfew account and locate the Xbox on your WebCurfew control panel. Turn off internet access for the Xbox, which does not affect internet access for any other device in the house. Return to your WebCurfew account after dinner (or when you want) to turn the internet for the Xbox back on.
The Result?
If your children’s online gaming is interfering with family time, being outside, or participating in extra-curricular activities offline, then WebCurfew can help you encourage a healthier balance of time they spend in the real world by enforcing your rules around appropriate gaming hours.