Video Games vs. responsibility

[Findabhair]

So DH came home from work and he said he wanted some down time and as usual he went to play video games on his computer. He's been playing for over an hour now and he'll probably play until dinner and then again after dinner until he goes to bed.

Knowing him he'll "forget" to take out the garbage tonight and he'll "forget" to clean the cat litter even though I'll ask him when he still has lots of time to do it but he'll say "oh shoot I guess I can't do it now" when the garbage room is closed for the night.

DD and I have been at the park most of the day so yeah I guess I had it easy? But I'll still be doing the dishes tonight and putting DD to bed, etc, etc.

Anyway, I was busy taking care of something because HIS family is coming tomorrow for a visit and I'm kind of tired and he says "Someone smells stinky!" and I'm like "okay well can you change her?" and he says "okay" well she comes to me fussing because she's sitting in a poopy diaper and apparently he hasn't done anything about it yet. So I picked her up, took her in her room, changed her and then I said "she's changed now so you don't have to worry about it" and he says "oh sorry. . I thought I would be killed earlier"

Honestly :P I hate video games. What kind of an excuse is "I thought I would be killed earlier"?!

[twinmommy]

DH is bad for this as well. He plays the moment the kids are in bed until he goes to bed. The only way we stopped fighting about it was to set boundaries. That is why he has to wait to play when the kids are in bed. Which gives him plenty of time to do “his chores“ before his video games start.

From one video game widow to another

[cmhellcat28]

Makes me happy i'm single lmao!!

[Mommy2Cuties]

Is there not a pause button on the game or is he playing something like Xbox live where you play against other people...

I would just tell him that if he plays until 11pm or whatever he has to remember that he still has to take the garbage and do the cat litter. Put the cat litter on his side of the bed if you have to to remind him

My Dh used to be consumed by video games and would spend almost all day playing.... I finally had to put my foot down.

[WateryTart]

It has nothing to do with video games. If it wasn't the game, he would find something else to occupy him. And if all he has to deal with is passive aggressive comments and no real consequences - then there really isn't much of a downside to continuing this behavior. I'd let him know you don't accept how things are going and be firm that something needs to change.

My DH is an avid gamer, but he knows that it's dinner and clean up before. I like gaming and foruming so I have the same rules that he does.

[MomLiz]

Ya, if that was me I'm pretty sure his game system would go “missing“ next time he went to work

[Mommy2Cuties]

I totally agree with Danielle. Like I said my DH was really bad for that, the girls even (well moreso Miss A) made comments about Daddy doesnt do anything with them and he only plays games with his buddy K (yes the same one from my other thread).

I dislike how SOME working out of home parents assume that because the parent at home is there all day its all butterflies and rainbows. My DH is home with the girls now and I would never walk in and assume that because MY work day is done that I dont have any other responsibility.

I would first talk to your DH and really get him to listen to you. He may not even realize he is being hurtful or may not even see what is going on around him while he is absorbed in the gaming world.

[All_naturalmom]

DH always seems to have his finger hovering over the pause button. he doesn't mind stopping anytime I ask. I get that he wants downtime however he and I both know that family time is more fulfilling. Even if that means changing diapers

[Findabhair]

He does online gaming it's some shooter game where they're in teams. I don't know the name of it. I would like to strangle his buddy for introducing my DH to it. The two of them meet online every night and play together in this stupid team. He doesn't want to let the team down. I don't understand why it's so important?

I wish I could take it away but it's a full computer which he also does work on (for his job).

I've asked him to apply for a new job for a week now as well which he keeps saying he'll do but never gets his act together.

I realize he makes too many excuses. I tend to be too tired to combat them at the end of the day. I know it's not good but I'm kind of thinking fine. . .I give up at least if I do it I know it'll get done. . .

[WateryTart]

That's the kind of games my DH plays. Is it on steam? Left 4 dead? Counterstrike? Call of Duty? Battlefield?

Still most of those campaigns don't take that long, and generally during level changes or map changes you are given the opportunity to break/pause.

If you want to be REALLY sneaky, go to the source of your cable internet and unplug it, then plug it back in. It will cause his game to disconnect and he won't be able to rejoin until the next campaign. Then make him do stuff.

[Findabhair]

Battlefield Bad Company 2

[WateryTart]

ha! That's the one my DH plays most.

[twinmommy]

That's the kind of games my DH plays. Is it on steam? Left 4 dead? Counterstrike? Call of Duty? Battlefield?

Still most of those campaigns don't take that long, and generally during level changes or map changes you are given the opportunity to break/pause.

If you want to be REALLY sneaky, go to the source of your cable internet and unplug it, then plug it back in. It will cause his game to disconnect and he won't be able to rejoin until the next campaign. Then make him do stuff.

LOL...I will need to save this for a later date when I REALLY need him to do something NOW

[Findabhair]

ha! That's the one my DH plays most.

It seems to be highly addictive. How many hours a day does your DH play it? Can it be paused in any way? I really don't game at all myself lol.

[Skye.S]

my dh is addicted to halo reach. We finally had to set some rules about how often he's online playing. He doesnt play untill the girls are in bed and the kitchen has been cleaned up from dinner. We also agreed that it wasnt fair for him to go play games and leave me with a fussy baby every single night so every other night he stay upstaires and helps with the baby so i can have a little down time aswell.