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Too Much TV and Computers?
Q: My 11-year-old son is only interested in playing video games and watching television. He seems to be bored with life. How do I get him interested in school and other activities?
A: Get your son involved in some groups. Joining a Boy Scout troop or a youth group at your house of worship would give him opportunities to participate in fun activities with other young people his age.
Find out his interests and look for groups related to them. If he's interested in computers, there may be an interest group in your area or classes on Web design or other computer-related topics. If he's interested in space, there may be an astronomy group or a class at a community college nearby. Your public library staff should be able to help you find these groups.
Talk with your son's teacher. Explain your concern and set up a plan for encouraging him with his work for school. Perhaps the teacher is planning to assign some high-interest projects or could help your son learn more on his own about an area in which he is interested.
You can also control your son's TV and video-playing time. Limit the amount of time each day that he spends on these activities and insist that he do something else when the time is up.
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Barbara Potts has worked as an elementary school counselor for many years. She has a BA in psychology from Wake Forest University, and an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
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