Does any other parent play online games? I do for a hour or so most days and it worries me that a lot of teenagers seem to miss sleep and school just to play a fantasy character. I can see the addiction in a way to online games but how can parents allow their children to live their life on a game?

My boy has been gaming on line for about 3 years now and he plays the war games where you join a clan. Well anyway it worries me as he now wants to join the army this year. What worries me is that I do not want him to become gun hoe.

I'm very much into the whole world of warcraft thing. And as an adult I can certify that it is very addictive. Also I have seen quite a few families playing together, mom, dad and a kid.

Computer games are addicting to everyone, not just kids. So I guess to stop kids from being so hooked to it is to give them a definite schedule to play their games. Allow them to play games only after homework only for a maximum of 2 hours per day on a school day and 6 hours per day when it isn't.

Alot of teens get addicted to online games like World of Warcraft these days and it is really sad to see them losing sleep over a silly little game. Although at least it isn't only the teens that are getting sucked in because they have their school work.

i being a parent..do play games occasionally though..

i play yahoo pools..sometimes..its a good game..

games are ok for an occasional recreation, but daily habitual playing addicts and it's a waste of time. We should be examples to our kids by also not loafing in front of the TV a lot either. We can only teach our kids to use their time constructively by setting the example and encouraging their participation. If we let ourselves take the easy way out, our kids will learn to do that too.

Online games can be very addicting. I used to play them before I had kids. I don't think I would let my kids play until they are older teens as many times the other people playing are so much older. I would be concerned about adult type conversations with a younger teen.

I play games but not the online ones. I know I could easily lose myself for hours in a pc game so can understand the fascination and how absorbing they are. I don't doubt that if they'd been around when I was a kid, I'd have been playing them all the time too.

Given the choice as to whether my son wanders the streets looking for stuff to do with his pals or sits in front of the computer playing a game with them, it's a no brainer. I'd much rather know where he is and what he's doing.

As a child I played a lot of games, before and after school, weekend and holidays, I am sure that I could have been doing better things but all my Mum ever tried to get me to do was walk into town with her and I thought that was both boring and had too much risk of embarrassment (to be seen with a parent when I was a teenager was the most embarrassing thing ever!)

I am hoping that I can encourage my children to do more activities and have a broad range of hobbies so they do not spend all of their time playing games like I did.