Question
I wrote in to you about 2 months ago about my 17 year old son who is addicted to an online computer game World of Warcraft. He was on the computer pretty much every waking moment unless he was at school or work. I obviously am a total wimp. You told me at that time to take the computer away from him. I did not. He can argue forever and loudly and I was avoiding the conflict. I did cut him down on his computer time. He is allowed to play 4 hours per day Monday through Friday and eight hours each day on Saturday and Sunday. Yes, that is still 36 hours a week sitting on the computer. I feel really stupid about not having much backbone.
The new problem is: we always ate family dinners together, no ifs, ands or buts. Now he does not want to come down for dinner because his "clan" does raids at 6:30 and that is when "I decide to cook dinner" his words. He gripes, complains, yells and hits his desk when I tell him his four hours are up in the evening. He tells me and my husband that we are "gay" and "controlling". No other parents are like us. No other kids have limits on the computer. And of course, it's "his computer, he bought it and we have no right to limit his time". I just want to cry. Basically, even though we have cut his time, things have escalated.
Okay question, report cards are due home any day. Do we wait and see what his grades look like and use that as the reason for taking away his computer or do we just say that that is it and take care of the problem. Also, how do we take care of the problem? I already know you will say the computer goes away completely and immediately. But I don't know if I can take his meltdown and claims that we have no right to make rules and ruin his life. Give me strentgh please.
