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You can learn all kinds of things on the internet. How to fix your leaky tap, how to get your baby to go to sleep in five seconds, and now, how to get your kid to step away from the console.

On the Japanese Twitterverse this week we read of one father’s unusual method of getting his son to stop playing video games – by making Pokémon compulsory.

Our story comes courtesy of Japanese Twitter user @coyo54, who tells the tale of his senpai (superior) at work, who was having problems with his game-obsessed son:

“My coworker’s son was completely obsessed with Pokémon. He and his wife tried limiting the kid to one hour of games a day and told him to play outside, but he never did what he was told.”

https://twitter.com/coyo54/status/611562943700799488

“So, the father decided to implement a new system. ‘There are no limits on how long you can play for,’ he told his son, ‘but you must catch one pokémon every day. You also have to report to me every day on your progress.’

“At first, the son was delighted, but he soon tired of the new regime. When his father spotted him playing something else, he would yell: ‘Why aren’t you playing Pokémon?!’ Eventually, the son got sick of video games and took up soccer instead.”

https://twitter.com/coyo54/status/611562996884598785

The son, who is in elementary school, now apparently plays on a soccer team in his spare time instead of staying cooped up playing Pokémon all day.

▼ He never caught ’em all.

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But is this good parenting? Japanese Twitter commenters were divided, with some decrying the father’s actions as tantamount to brainwashing. Others praised the dad for his smart idea in successfully convincing the boy to take up another hobby. The original poster, meanwhile, defended the father:

“This senpai of mine, he’s a great worker and highly respected. I want to follow his example. And I never, ever plan to disobey him.”

https://twitter.com/coyo54/status/611563209649029120

We don’t think we’d like to get on this guy’s bad side, either!

Source: Twitter via Hachima kikou
Featured image © RocketNews24