
The video games sector is currently the largest entertainment industry in the world, and for good reason. There are a great number of enjoyable experiences and virtual worlds to discover through this modern medium. That said, most would agree that sitting in front of a screen, however compelling, is not healthy in the long term if it consumes most of your waking hours.
This is why it can be helpful to introduce more analogue, focused hobbies into our day-to-day schedule. Measures that help us feel connected to our daily lives. The same goes for our children, especially teen boys, who seem to take to gaming and its competitive spirit like nobody else.
Keeping your teen boy away from game consoles is not always easy, however, and you may not need to do so all the time. However, it’s also good to give them options, to ensure you use the carrot approach rather than the stick. In this post, we’ll discuss how to help your teen boy enjoy some fantastic hobbies going forward, helping them fall in love with daily life outside of a virtual world:
HELP THEM LEARN A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
Think of the enjoyment of a video game – fun, expression, a sense of achievement, and connecting with an interactive activity. You can find that in other hobbies, and so can they. Investing in a great instrument for them to learn, such as a drum set, guitar or saxophone, can give them a sense of growing pride as they learn the scales and are slowly able to play the songs they’ve come to love and learn. If you designate a worthwhile practice space at home too, you can ensure they feel happier spending time there than in front of a screen.
CONSIDER ACTION-PACKED HOBBIES
It’s also wise to consider action-packed hobbies that your loved one may or may not have been introduced to. Enrolling them in martial arts could be a good place to begin because here they’ll learn discipline, mutual respect, and how to handle themselves and prevent physical conflict (all good martial arts teachers will tell you how to get out of a fight with much more emphasis than they’ll teach you how to finish one). These can be healthy lessons for a young boy to learn. Moreover, there’s much more focused action here than in the virtual world.
DESIGN AREAS WITHOUT SCREENS
Having areas in the house that are screen-free can be a good place to start. This might include an arts and crafts space (or at least a table that can be made into this), a reading corner, and outside, sports areas like footballs and goals or a basketball hoop. You can even invest in a good mountain bike or skateboards for your teen to go outside and explore, and even get the exercise they might not have had. That kind of approach can make a big difference and really offer a worthwhile outcome.
While gaming isn’t a bad thing for your child to enjoy, a little variety in their day-to-day planning is essential. We hope this advice helps you achieve that.