Why Can't My Child Stop Gaming?

This behaviour makes perfect sense when you understand the psychology behind it — but whether it's a problem for YOUR child depends on factors I'd need to assess with you.

The reasons differ dramatically between an 8-year-old watching Minecraft roleplay versus a 15-year-old watching Twitch streams for 6 hours daily. One might be healthy creative inspiration, the other a sign of something deeper.

In our session, we'll look at what they're watching, how much time they're spending, and what it's replacing in their life. Then I'll tell you exactly whether this is normal behaviour or something we need to address.

There's no magic number — and anyone who tells you "2 hours max" doesn't understand how gaming actually affects different children.

A child gaming 4 hours on Saturday after homework and outdoor play might be perfectly fine. The same child gaming 2 hours daily but lying about it, skipping meals, and losing sleep is showing addiction signs. Context matters more than hours.

I look at specific indicators in your child's behaviour, their age, what games they're playing, and what else is happening in their life. We'll work out what's actually too much for YOUR family — not some arbitrary number from a study.

This depends entirely on where your child is right now. A total ban works in some situations and catastrophically backfires in others — and the difference comes down to factors I need to understand about your family.

If all their friends play Fortnite, banning it creates social isolation and resentment. But if your child is showing genuine addiction signs, sometimes a reset is necessary before we can reintroduce games in a healthy way.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. In our session, I'll assess your child's current relationship with gaming, their social situation, and what you've already tried — then we'll work out the right approach for YOUR family.

Games are designed using psychological principles that make stopping extremely difficult — and most parents are trying to set boundaries without understanding these mechanics.

There are specific reasons why "stop in 10 minutes" doesn't work, why they always need "just one more," and why every attempt to end gaming time turns into a battle. The mechanics vary by game — Fortnite uses different hooks than Roblox or Minecraft.

Once you understand what's actually happening in their brain, setting boundaries becomes much easier. I'll walk you through the specific psychology of the games YOUR child plays and show you strategies that work without the daily conflict.

Yes — gaming helped me earn two 50% scholarships through the creativity and critical thinking it developed. But the benefits depend entirely on which games your child plays and how they're playing them.

Minecraft creative mode develops completely different skills than Fortnite Battle Royale. A child building complex worlds with friends gains different benefits than one grinding solo matches for cosmetic rewards. The same game can be developmental or detrimental depending on how it's used.

I can tell you exactly what benefits (if any) your child is actually getting from the games they play, versus what they're missing out on. Then we'll work out how to maximize the genuine benefits while addressing the problems.