My Little Girl Gamer (Semi Parenting Issue)

[Eizoryu]

Sounds to me like she's just being a toddler. Mine's not that old yet, but she does love to be involved in what I do. Kids that age just have the attention span of gnats. That's just how it is.

Simpler/developmentally-appropriate video games, or no games at all, is what I advise. But if that's not an option, when she gets frustrated that she can't do it by herself, she needs your encouragement. Show her what to do once or twice, check with her at each step of a process to see if she understands what you're doing, and then let her try while you be her cheerleader.
If she fails at something, don't dismiss her frustration, but don't make a big deal of it, either. Acknowledge ("Oops!" ), encourage ("That's okay! Sometimes we miss, so let's try again! You'll get the hang of it!" ), and try again. Then let it be when she's done, and move on to the next thing. Alternatively, you can let her get bored of it and encourage her to move on to something else.

Does she like coloring? Color with her for a bit, explain that you have to do a chore but that you'll be nearby, and go do it. Or whatever else she likes to do, set a time limit that you will play with her, and ask her to play by herself for a little while as you do some chores (rather, part of A chore. Or if possible, bring the chores into the same room as the one she's playing in (like folding laundry). Or you can ask her to help you do chores, if said chore has a part to it that a child can do.
For example, when I'm washing or drying laundry, I ask my daughter to hand me things, or shove clothes I hand her into the front-loading dryer. If I'm cleaning the floor, I ask her to put objects in boxes or on tables that are at her level. Or her toys in their boxes. Or trash in the trash can. That kind of thing.

I know it's hard, believe me. Being a parent/guardian is no easy thing, mate. Speaking as a stay-at-home mother of two. But as long as you're doing your best by her and she knows you love her, you guys will make it. emotion_c8

[Snapple Lizard]

It may be a bit to advanced for her. Maybe the controller doesn't fit her little hands well.
Peggle, Cars, Pacman, Monkey ball or Hamster ball, Angry Birds, Katamari.
If she just wants to watch you play, let her.

[Kalgara]

The most important thing is that she has fun, if she likes to watch you play the game let her watch you play. When I would babysit my friends little brother we'd take turns playing kirby but when he got bored he'd just want to watch me play and just talk about things and that was fun for him

[Shark Bacon]

Maybe it's too advanced for her, dude. Try like a leap frog or something...

Or maybe she doesn't like to play. I don't like to play most games. I mostly only watch my boyfriend play. That's a thing, you know.

Don't force the poor kid.

I would try some lower level ones first, like the kind they sell in the toy aisle at Walmart. That kind of thing. Or maybe she can do some Toy Story coloring books while you do your thing?

I don't know. Good luck, dude.

[nepko]

Turn off the console and find something more enriching to do with her.

If she can't play the game theres not much point trying. She's too young to be having a console anyway. I think I got a SNES when I was four, nearly five. I used to play it by myself and with friends but never needed supervision. She'd probably be better with a different hobby until she can play the console herself.

[xChibi Cannibalx]

Henrika

3 years old is way too ******** young to play video games.

I disagree. My dad started playing mario on the nes/snes with me when i was about that age. We did have a rule to play only an hour or two at a time though, but we could still play multiple times a day together if we/i wanted to

@OP
Try getting her a game she likes. You said she likes playing games where she has to take care of a baby/babies, perhaps look for games like that? This isnt for the PS3, but i suggest Nintendogs for the ds or 3ds. Long summary short, you feed, bathe, walk a puppy. Theres more features to it, such as mini games to play with the puppies as well. Best part is, its single player only. But it involves reading to start, so you might need to help her here and there with it

Obviously, you probly dont want to go out and buy her a new system and game, but it was an example. Stick to games she likes. Maybe "i dont get it" is her way of saying "i dont really like it"'

EDIT: You also have a computer - do you have a steam account? Try out Putt-Putt games with her. Hes a purple car with a dog who rides around on his back, and they go on adventures. Theres some learning in it and i believe all of the games have fun music at certain parts too, if she likes music. There also from back when i was little, so im sure they arnt expensive. They are on steam, here - http://store.steampowered.com/sub/42719/
Im totally buying myself these for christmas, holy eff

[Alexander J Luthor]

Seriously, bro. She's 3. It's pricy, but Skylanders would have been a better bet. Get her the portal and three doll chips and she'll rock that. Just watching the characters move around would be enough for her attention span.

[Nurse Kipsie]

Until you get her an easier Toy Story game, encourage her. I am sure she will eventually get the hang of the hard parts. Best wishes!!

[Chocobo Mullet]

i know which one you're talking about and seriously, that's gonna be way too hard for her. maybe when she's older and has better coordination for this kind of thing because it is pretty fun. what i didn't beat the entire game by myself whattt
my 6 year old nephew would ask me constantly to help him and he's pretty good at games. (he does other "enriching" things don't worry)

at 3, she still needs development with her...motor skills, I think they're called.

[lividdarkangel800]

im not really good with kids, but maybe play the game and have her hands on your hands so she can understand what movements make the character do what? i mean if she is only three, she might just not have the motor skills to be able to play by herself. so showing her and letting her hands feel the right movements might help a lot.

[Brain Weasels vAShitton]

get minecraft r something and play in creative with her?

[king of the fall xo]

Come on now.
The little girl is only 3.

[Moogle Voodoo]

you can play other things with her besides video games

[legnanellaf5]

You need to understand what she wants. Which is to play with you. But she isnt trying to actually think and struggle to play a game, she wants the basic interaction you can get with playing WITH someone. So if she isnt happy with playing that game, it means that the game isnt made for 3 year olds and she is acting like a normal child. She is also a toddler, so just because people did grow up playing games since they were children, the type of games we grew up with are pretty basic in comparison. Dont overestimate her ability because of nostalgia.

Remember that even E games are for children who are 10. The basic requirements for these games are beyond her. But we also have people who make games FOR children her own age, and maybe not a PS3 game, but there are ones that are more her level. Otherwise I suggest making her feel involved in a ps3 game by playing together even if it isnt multiplayer, since she seems to want to watch the game even if she cant play it.

[Bokee Gngr]

The Half-Satyr

wahmbulance Warning! Very frustrated goat ahead. wahmbulance

The Semi-Parenting issue is that my 3yo niece wants to play games. But have so little patiente that gets me frustrated.

Here in the house it's just the three of us, me, my brother and our baby girl. My brother just got divorced, the mother of the child moved to another state and i lost my job. Because of this, i babysit my little niece pretty much all day and do the chores around the house. Recently, bro brought her a PS3 which she immediatly became obcessed with.
I brought her a Toy Story game, since it's her favorite movie, and we play it multiplayer. But the problem is, she does not want to do anything, at all. Usually, i do all the quests and she just drop the controller and watches me (even though she demands to play muiltiplayer). And whenever i try to teach her, she grew impatiente and just tilts. Spacing out or just becoming bratty.
It gets me so frustrated. And today, happened again.
I want to teach her to play games on her own, so i can try to put the house in order. But even though she says she wants it, i don't think she do.

i'm aware she wants company, and i don't want the games to babysit her for me. I love this girl like it's my own! I just... Don't know what to do anymore. What could i do to teacher how to play video games?

A few suggestions are...

1. The game you're playing is too advanced for her age. Try getting her a Dora the Explorer game. They are easy to play and win for her age. It is more on her level

2. Get her a DS lite. They're not expensive anymore and there are A LOT more kid friendly games she can do.

3. If there are chores she is able to do (like throw things into the trash for example) you can make that into a game as well. Tell her that you will do one Toy Story mission and then she has to do an Uncle (whatever your name may be) mission. Make the mission fun and educational such as "I need you to pick up all the red paper and throw it away" or "pick up all the cans but don't touch the bottles" ...you get the idea. IF you can't play a game with her or she can't play alone yet and you want to get the house work done you can make it into a game to kill both birds with one stone in a different way.