Sunday School and Game Boys?

[Doris Grant]

Do any of the Sunday school teachers among us have trouble with students bringing game boys to Sunday school class? I teach the primary class and I have one boy who brings his game boy every Sunday and almost refuses to turn it off an participate in class. I always win but not without arguing. Why do parents and/or grandparents allow their children to bring hand held video games to church? I would never have allowed my boys to do this.

Doris

[David Cash]

None of my adult class have brought one yet!:basic03

I wonder if the kid's parents even know he has it along. My hat is off to anyone who can effectively teach a class of children in the first place.

David Cash

[Doris Grant]

Yeah they know he has it. He plays is constantly, from the moment he sits down in the sanctuary till he goes out the door to go home.

Doris

[Barb Bouldrey]

I would ask the parents to please not let him bring it to Sunday School class. They should not allow him to bring it in the door of the church, anyway.

I teach the children's mission lesson once a month. Today, as we left the craft room to go to the children's church area for music, one four year old said, "I like to sing and dance." They do a lot of motions to their songs. I had a good chuckle to myself.

Barb

[Roland Hearn]

I see so many things wrong with this situation and almost none of them have to do with the boy with the Game Boy. My one suggestion would be you engage the boy with the Game Boy and have him show the class his game. He may simply be wanting to know that he is valued.

[Barb Bouldrey]

Have him show the class his gameboy and then put it away.

Barb

[LoraineStanton]

Without meeting this boy or observing this situation I'll do some thinking "out loud". Every kid wants to know that he or she is valued. Most of the kids I've seen with video games just want to be left alone so they can continue the quest for "high score!" Now it could be that there is a feeling of power and success available to this kid in conquering the next level of the game that isn't available in "real life." Obviously in that case you want to find something in class for him to be successful at.

The fact that he brings it to church and plays it in front of his parents in the service cause me to wonder if this little boy is more in charge than his parents. If he is simply doing what he wants because he is not expected to do better.

I try not to argue with my students. (I was going to say "I don't argue with my students" but you know I'd get sucked into one next week if I said that!) Simply state the expectation. "Pete, please put the game boy away." No matter what the kid said I'd repeat "my line" If he didn't comply with the request there would be a consequence. Usually it is losing some of his KZ Bucks (something that they can spend in the class store)