Microsoft announced a new Family Settings feature today - a feature that will no doubt be looked upon as a curse by countless kids and as a glorious new method of punishment by parents.

Called “The Family Timer,” the new feature allows parents to restrict their kid’s play time and can be set on a per-day or per-week basis. Notifications will appear to warn the gamer that the session is nearing the end and the feature will automatically turn off the console when a pre-determined time limit has been exceeded.

Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft: “As a leader in interactive entertainment, it’s Microsoft’s responsibility to provide parents with tools they can use to manage their children’s video gaming and online experiences, and we have made that a priority from the very start.”

The Family Timer feature will be available for download via Xbox LIVE in early December.