Adolescents are, as noted, tricky creatures. They’re beginning to have complex thoughts about their place in the world but they’re still learning critical communication and self-advocacy skills, which are often suppressed by hostile authoritarian environments at school, in culture at large, and (sometimes) at home.
Having recently exited my own upbringing though, and having lived with an over-controlling parent who wished to live life through me, I can’t say that being overly forceful on this matter is likely to be helpful.
I wouldn’t say that video games are a problem so much as a perceived solution. The world is immensely tiring as of late, and the folks old enough to be parents of adolescents have, as an aggregate whole, demonstrated that they don’t believe that their kids’ future is worth fighting in larger society for, and they have actively worked against what is best for their offspring. They’re modeling toxic behavior and, whether either group realizes it or not, their teens are listening and taking these cues.
In that reality, who wouldn’t want to be sucked into fantasy worlds where the set challenges are engineered to be reasonable, the social connections are plentiful, and grinding actually can accomplish a worthwhile objective?
Rockets are fun, but the demands of the world and the evolution of culture will seep into the mindset of youth and young adults. Nobody is immune to the pressure, even under the best of circumstances that can realistically be presented.
The takeaway I’d present here is that at some point, there may have to be a calculated decision to let him drift and stop bringing him to the range if he does not want to be there. Try a few strategies presented here like inviting out a few of his friends, if that sounds doable, but know that respecting his wishes may be the endgame.
Video games are a curse.
