Kids Playing Roblox These Days Are Draining Their Parents' Wallets
My elementary school son is hooked on Roblox and keeps nagging me to buy in-game items, but paying 50,000 won at a time is a burden. How do other parents manage this? I give him a weekly allowance of 10,000 won and told him to handle game items within that, but he gets upset. Could anyone share tips on dealing with kids' excessive spending on games?
9 answers
I've had a similar experience. I think the allowance management approach is the right answer. It's natural for kids to get frustrated, but I see it as part of learning the value of money. On top of that, I looked up free in-game item events together and showed them alternative ways to get things, which helped a bit.
10,000 won a week is far from enough to buy Roblox items. But that's the reality. I discussed it with my child and set a separate 'game item budget' of 20,000 won, allowing them to spend only within that limit. At first, there were a lot of complaints, but they gradually adapted.
You might also try teaching your child how to earn 'Robux' within the game. They can get free Robux through events or missions, and there are also ways to trade items. After my child learned this, their impulse purchases decreased.
I had a lot of concerns too, but in the end, I set a limit on card payments. Telecom apps have a feature to block only game payments, and on iPhones, you can use Screen Time to prevent in-app purchases. Even if the child gets upset, I think parents need to draw a clear line.
50,000 won is really a burden... When my child insists, I firmly say, 'We've exceeded this month's budget, let's talk again next month.' Then I suggest alternatives like going to the park or playing board games, and over time, they become less fixated.
But honestly, Roblox item prices are way too expensive. 50,000 won could buy a real toy in the physical world, so it does feel wasteful to spend it on virtual items. I tried convincing my child by saying, 'Wouldn't it be better to buy something you actually want in real life with this money?'
In our house, we make our child earn 'game money' themselves. We give points for helping with household chores, and they use those points to buy game items. Since it takes quite a while to save up for 50,000 won worth of items, they naturally learn to control their spending.
I'm worried that my child might be too immersed in games and not engaging in other activities. I tried playing Roblox with my child to understand what makes it fun for them. As a result, my child became more receptive to my opinions.
With a weekly allowance of 10,000 won, it's tight for buying game items, but that can actually be a good lesson. I helped my child learn to save and plan on their own, and now they manage it themselves, saying things like, 'I'll buy this this month and that next month.'