My son has an awful habit to play online games during the dinner or launch. He goes to his room with the soup or his favorite fried chicken and launches Apex Legend or Overwatch. Yes, I have already clarified the names of his popular games. Is it OK? When I ask him why he couldn’t have dinner without the game, he tells me that while he eats and sleeps, his enemies becoming stronger.
You let your kids eat in their rooms?
I’ve got grandkids now so maybe I’m just an old hippie but that was never allowed, even in our loose household.
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Neighbour’s kid is 14 years old. One day I passed to see his mother, she yelled at least 5 times over 15 - 20 minutes for him to stop his game and to come out of his room to participate the sushi making project. Actually it was his idea to propose to do it with his family. He kept replying “coming” but never stopped his game. In the end, the mother has to remotely cut off his internet connection from her phone, and he finally came around. Nightmare!
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Welcome Martha to HO!
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Sounds like you want a way to balance his activity while enjoying a meal together. Plus, you deserve the respect. Good luck, those years are precious and trying! I remember how much grief I gave my elders and I turned out fine 
…I’m 62…and still play guitar for hours each week…my wife is a saint.
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If you really want to help him, I would buy a copy of the book “The Art of War” and tell him that he must read 1 chapter (or 5-10 pages) during meal time. This will truly educate him about waging war, and while his “enemy’s become stronger” while he eats and sleeps he will become wiser and stronger. Remind him of the tale of David and Goliath, the stronger opponent never has the advantage over the better prepared for battle.
(not being sarcastic at all)
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Just posting so I can follow the thread.
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ETA: Why do you allow your son to eat his meals in his room? Socialization is more important than winning a video game. I was contemplating what I would do . . . I know where the circuit breaker for each half of each bedroom is (former owner was a meticulous labeler) --I think I’d trip the circuit until dinner was finished.
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Our workaholic friends were always at the dinner table for their kids. They’d be back at it after chores and bedtime (presumably homework was finished before dinner.)
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Amen. My sisters and I have a robust vocabulary, have never been in real trouble (hey, we were all teens in the city, but no arrests, rehabs, unwanted pregnancies) and are all college grads. Dinner was at 6:00 daily–we could go out before and after, but 6 seats were at the table every day at 6:00. More like 3:00 or 4:00 on weekends. The food wasn’t always great, but family dinner experiences always were. And to contradict the article, dad always insisted on a glass of Coke and a sweet dessert every day 
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Our friends in education always say K-12 is about families being committed to their kids in the first instance, not some attribute of the school system; (just substitute “parent” for “teacher”:
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Unfortunately, yes, the son works and learns hard, that is why I allow him a little free time at least while he is eating. It is not a secret, that games take much time, but they bring him happiness and relaxation, as well. So I am happy with this, as well.
