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Parenting a preteen can be a minefield. Find support here.

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Parenting a preteen can be a minefield. Find support here.

Preteens

Fortnite aged 9??

26 replies

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 30/04/2018 17:31

All of my DS friends seem to be allowed to play Fortnite, they are aged 8/9 and in Year 4! My 14 yr old plays it and younger has asked.... my reaction is no way, but I am quite shocked that all his friends who come round to play talk about it. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I think he's far too young...

OP posts:

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Oblomov18 · 30/04/2018 17:41

Many year 4's I know play it. What is your objection?

Aprilmightbemynewname · 30/04/2018 17:42

My ds 9 is outstanding on it!

SnowLeopard6 · 30/04/2018 18:00

Turn the voicechat off. For me that's the bad part. Otherwise you can hear what anyone and everyone else is saying. Which could (and probably will) involve some very inappropriate conversations for the younger ones.

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 30/04/2018 18:06

Erm its quite violent....
thanks for the advice @SnowLeopard6

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Korg · 30/04/2018 18:15

Ye Gods, no! I don’t let my 10yo on it, and although he tells me he’s the only one, I’ve checked this via the class WhatsApp group... and he’s in the majority!

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 30/04/2018 18:20

Thank you Korg thought it was just me! Eldest DS has just shown me a bit, I think he'd struggle with the intensity of it more than anything else.

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YellowMeeple · 30/04/2018 18:26

My DS’s who are in Y4 and Y3 both play along with literally every other boys of that age I know- all their friends from school, all their friends from football teams, children of my friends. Seems pretty usual to me.

BertyFlanter · 30/04/2018 18:58

My 10yo DS is obsessed with it, it does get quite intense and screen time has to be limited but he loves it. And all his friends play too

SingingGoldfinch · 01/05/2018 07:48

My nine yo ds has been asking for it as "all his friends" have it apparently. After some research we said no and he's accepted it now and stopped asking. These games have ratings for a reason.

Pangur2 · 01/05/2018 07:54

I don't find it that bad, but I manage to come top 10 every game mostly by hiding in bushes around the edge, avoiding the killer cloud thingy of course. I suspect I'm not playing the game properly though, haha!

LynetteScavo · 01/05/2018 08:03

Well it's a 12, so for me that's your answer.

I know some younger children who play, for example 6 & 10yo brothers, but not many, where as every single teenager I know seems to spend every free moment playing it. I'm surprised teachers are receiving any homework from boys in Y9/10 atm

Unihorn · 01/05/2018 08:19

My DSD is in Year 3 and spends far too much time on it in my opinion but her parents don't seem to mind.

Dancergirl · 01/05/2018 20:36

No way! We had an email sent out from school warning parents against this game, some children had been playing with strangers online.

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 01/05/2018 21:05

Thanks for the replies, a mixed bag. I have looked into it a bit more and decided its not right for now. I am not popular as his friends are all talking about it, but he's accepted it.

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EddieVeddersfoxymop · 01/05/2018 21:09

My DD10 is an ace at it. We are a gaming family though and she knows that we are trusting her to be sensible. The voice chat is never used, even when DH and I play as I have no desire to be sworn at by kids. It's violent, yes, but so is Minecraft. There's no blood or gore so we decided it would be ok to let her play. She beats me hands down

Phillipa12 · 01/05/2018 21:12

I have said no to my ds who is 9 and year 4. Reason being that i dont want him playing with multiple unknown people online, have said it wont be a no forever and he does understand my reasoning.

puffylovett · 01/05/2018 21:17

My year 3 mature 8 year old has been playing this with his older brother. We have had to put a complete stop to it. For a while we allowed it only at weekends, but even that has now been banned. My 11 year old can cope just fine, but my youngest just cannot cope with the game at all, he comes off it so cross and angry, like a different child! He’s amazing at it, but It’s like the crack cocaine of the gaming world at the moment, far worse than Minecraft! There is a huge difference in his behaviour, with only short periods on it. Don’t do it OP. (Disclaimer - my youngest is a real gamer and would spend his life on a computer if allowed, if your child can be prepared to be sensible or is capable of taking it or leaving it then they might be ok, but for us it’s just not possible.)

Mamabear1475 · 01/05/2018 21:25

In terms of violence I would let my child use it as it is not violent at all. No blood, gore or swearing at all.
In terms of how addicting it is, how obsessed they are with it, the attitude you get when you tell them to get off it and the way it takes over loves not in hells chance would I let them have it.
DSs is 14 and I'm sick of it already. He's a good kid. Doesn't get angry when he is on chat whilst playing it. Never swears. But it's all he seems to think about and talk about at the moment. It's driving me crackers

BluebirdHill · 01/05/2018 21:28

I've done pretty much the same as SingingGoldfinch above. Not happy to allow it at 9.

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 01/05/2018 21:32

@puffylovett and @Mamabear1475 that's really interesting, to be honest I hadn't considered that side of it, but sounds like a very good reason to boycott it. Thanks for the replies.

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OnTopOfSpaghetti · 01/05/2018 21:33

Feeling like I've made the right decision having read these posts.

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MerryMarigold · 01/05/2018 21:38

We have it at 9 for ds2 (Ds1 is 12 and arguably less mature). There are strict time limits and sanctions (ie. No time on it next day) for mouthiness when turning it off. It's also a huge motivator for doing all necessary jobs/ homework/ music practice/ reading etc. before they can play (30 min only).

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iMatter · 01/05/2018 21:41

It's a 12.

End of discussion for a 8/9/10 year old.

My DC are 13 and 12 and they have it.

Ds1 asked for the 16 version. The answer is no.

MerryMarigold · 02/05/2018 03:56

I thought it had no cert as it's free

FoofFighter · 05/05/2018 23:22

I really think parents need to educate themselves a little better, it's perfectly possible to turn off both the communication and playing with a squad of strangers.

I highly advocate learning the game yourselves so you can see what your kids want to play. Although then you'll have to fight over it

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