Parents across the country are increasingly concerned about the amount of time their kids spend in front of various screens. Technology has led to amazing changes in modern life, but not all of those shifts have been positive. A prime example lies in the recent obsession with the video game Pokémon Go. Many Punta Gorda parents feel that their children have developed an unhealthy obsession with the game, and are taking steps to limit the amount of time spent staring at a cell phone in an effort to capture imaginary creatures.
Divorced parents face an even greater challenge when parental expectations vary from one household to another. If both parents cannot see eye to eye on setting limits for screen time, Pokémon Go may be the straw that breaks the figurative camel’s back. Parents who hold strong opinions about the detrimental effects of online gaming might even consider reapproaching the court to ask for child custody modification.
It should be noted that receiving a custody modification is not an easy thing to accomplish. Parents must convince the court that the change would be in the best interest of the child, and that the child’s current set of circumstances pose a risk to their health and well-being. Fears about video game obsessions and excessive screen time are unlikely to meet that legal standard.
This leaves Punta Gorda parents in the difficult position of having to sit down with their former partner and try to reach a compromise when it comes to Pokémon Go and similar uses of technology. In some cases, simply laying out one’s argument in a calm and rational manner is enough to convince the other parent. However, parents must also prepare for the possibility that no compromise will be reached. In that case, there may be little left to do other than to encourage healthier pursuits whenever possible, and to wait for the Pokémon Go craze to run its course.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Pokemon Go…ne! Can Divorced Co-Parents Protect Kids from Excessive Screen Time?“, Bari Zell Weinberger, Aug. 24, 2016
