Learning to say No

The National Institute on Media and the Family just released its annual Video Game Report Card at a press conference in Washington DC. The reason I bring it up here with Say Yes to No is that one of our findings was that parents are increasingly arguing with their children over when and how much time kids can play video games. 

Saying no is not always easy. You can cut down on arguments however with parenting tactics that work. Lay the ground-rules ahead of time. Be clear on what the consequences are if the rule is not adhered to. Most importantly, follow through and be consistent.   Use timers, media tickets or some other device to keep track of video game and other screen use. And keep the video game system out of kids’ bedrooms and in the family room where you can keep an eye on content and time played.

Finding the right media balance for your children is an important parenting task. The strength of a child’s argument is an indication of the powerful pull of media. Saying no when you need to is a gift for your children’s future.