Dr. B – What have you concluded about video gaming and coasting?
Parent A – My new hypothesis is that it doesn’t cause a lack of motivation, but enables it.
Dr. B – What do you mean by that?
Parent A – We did that experiment of no screens for a week.
Dr. B – I remember.
Parent A – Removing video gaming did not lead to improved effort in school.
Dr. B – Just improved effort with long lost hobbies as I recall.
Parent A – Yeah. It freed up time for other interests that had been neglected.
Dr. B – Like his robot building as I recall. Is he still doing that?
Parent A – Yeah. In fact, I think the robotics cut into video gaming more than anything else.
Dr. B – What’s your conclusion?
Parent A – I don’t think limiting video games and robotics would have any effect on school work.
Dr. B – So, let him play as much video gaming as he wants?
Parent A – Are you kidding? Of course not.
Dr. B – I thought you said video gaming was not the cause of poor effort in school?
Parent A – It’s still a choice of how to spend time. And if he is gaming he is not doing something else.
Dr. B – Like building robots.
Parent A – Or interacting with the family or reading a book or hanging out with friends or helping make dinner or …
Dr. B – I get it. It’s a time eater. The question should be, “What else would he be doing if he weren’t playing video games?”
