Parents of children who play Fortnute/X box

[Remmy123]

At the end of my tether - two children 8 and 12 seem completely obsessed with fortnite / playing it / watching it etc

Saturday morning when they wake up they go on, they argue over whose turn it is, it's like they are addicted!!

They arnt allowed it in the week now, but this morning for example one argument already over it. '10 more minutes' ends up being an hour, if I turn it off I'm a horrible mum .. etc .

I really do hate the game but all of their mates play it.

How much does your child play / how do you limit it?? When they are not on it they are bored doing anything else!!!!

Help need my kid back!

[Crockof]

Can you not do split screen on the Xbox? Turns are always argued over (and well before computer games)

[Crockof]

You can split screen I've just Googled. This might help with the turns?

[Remmy123]

Oh will have a look! Thanks

[WALKING2]

The game fortnight has a suggested age of over 12/13 cannot remember which. Maybe it is unsuitable.

Be the parents and stop the gaming if it causes you/them problems?

[Remmy123]

Hi - the game is a 12 because of the online chat which is switched off.

[WALKING2]

Or set a time they can go on later in the day? Maybe tv quietly until 9 am

[Balaur]

I'm going to be completely honest and admit my 12 yo ds can be on his xbox for up to 12 hours s day. His football at weekends has started up again and he'll be back at school next week so it will naturally limit it then. Over lockdown it was how he stayed in contact with friends because his phone was broken. We also force him out on walks and he does also meet with friends in person maybe once a week. I agonised over it for months but it will soon be far less time. If your kids are only on it at weekends don't stress. Just make sure they are getting some exercise and seeing people in real life too.

[WALKING2]

Use natural consequences....if they argue the game goes off

[Remmy123]

I can give them set times it's the attitude I get from them and the obsession with it i'm struggling with - all of their mates play it I don't want to ban it completely although I'm getting tempted.

[WALKING2]

12 hours on an ex box for a child in one day! Wow

[ThePenIsBlue]

@Balaur

I'm going to be completely honest and admit my 12 yo ds can be on his xbox for up to 12 hours s day. His football at weekends has started up again and he'll be back at school next week so it will naturally limit it then. Over lockdown it was how he stayed in contact with friends because his phone was broken. We also force him out on walks and he does also meet with friends in person maybe once a week. I agonised over it for months but it will soon be far less time. If your kids are only on it at weekends don't stress. Just make sure they are getting some exercise and seeing people in real life too.

What a sad waste of youth

[Balaur]

To add, my ds has always struggled with other forms of "playing", never been into imaginary games, or stuff like lego, or crafty stuff. Just not him. I make him read though and he has to for school anyway. It's hard but if you try to balance out gaming time with other stuff then I think that helps. My ds likes cooking sometimes so we get him to help make dinner or bake occasionally.

[Crockof]

I think clear warnings help, so I tell them this is your last game, rather than 5 more. Minutes as I get that quitting in the middle of a game is annoying.

[Balaur]

@ThePenIsBlue oh bog off with your pompous little mealy mouthed statement.

[Crockof]

Lockdown has been a sad waste of youth, mine used it more since everything they used to do stopped.

[ceeveebee]

Wow. My 8 yo is allowed 30 mins on weekdays and 1 hr at weekends.

[ElfDragon]

It’s time to get tough.

Setting aside whether they should be playing fortnite (mine don’t, and won’t be for a while, and my youngest is 8), it sounds like it’s the endless bickering that is getting to you.

Set rules, and stick to them. Be firm. If they argue, they get a warning. Carry on and it gets turned off. Back chat with you and it means loss of future time on the console.

My two youngest (13 and 8, so similar age gap) are a nightmare for pointless bickering or complaint that the other has had an unfair turn/amount of time/whatever. A certain amount of it is going to happen, and it can be good for them to learn negotiating and teamwork etc, but they know I have my limit and that there are rules. The console goes off if they are arguing too much, end of story.

Set timers if you have to, to help both of them stick to their allotted time. A timer can also help with notice that their console time is coming to an end, so they know to start saving/finishing up.

[Crockof]

People sanctimoniously preaching about screen limits is a bit like MN chicken.

[CodenameVillanelle]

Be really clear about what they are allowed. Write it down and explain it to them before implementing it.
Over lockdown proper my DS had 8 hours a day on it at weekends and holidays with enforced breaks three times a day. Over the summer holidays he has been on it a couple of hours in the morning and evening with playing out with friends in between.
If you decide what time they are allowed on, how long for, who goes first etc and set it all out clearly then you will have something to refer back to. Set out what the consequences will be if they argue and fight.

[Balaur]

12 hours a day DURING LOCKDOWN ffs. I might have known this would bring out the sad sighers and "waste of youth" commenters. Do any of you have a child who has never "played" with toys or imaginary games?

[CodenameVillanelle]

@ceeveebee

Wow. My 8 yo is allowed 30 mins on weekdays and 1 hr at weekends.

That's extremely parsimonious

[ceeveebee]

Is it? Yesterday he played football for two hours, tennis for an hour, read, played with Lego, and we all watched a movie together. If he was allowed to game all day none of that would happen. I know which I think is a better use of time.

[HugeAckmansWife]

Balaur my DS is the same. I've tried everything but he simply isn't 'crafty', doesn't find lego interesting. He will play outside, or board games, or read, but other than reading, he wants me involved in whatever he's doing. I dislike gaming in general, it's just not my thing, but actually he thrives on learning the game, the tricks, the landscapes and has become much more integrated socially through it. I'd far rather he was doing that than roaming the streets sitting on people's garden walls. My dd is totally different.

OP, the arguments can only really be solved by a strict rota. The problem with a simple time limit on FN is that the games are 'live' so you can't pause it etc, you have leave in the middle of a battle. DS doesn't like coming off but I give him a lot of warning to he can plan and not get into a new match 5 mins before dinner etc

[Remmy123]

@Balaur I get it - my child never played either with toys / crafts etc as a toddler

I do set them times but admit I then say 'ok another 30 mins' I sound like a parrot most days

[user1495884620]

Using set times with fortnite is setting yourself up for arguments because of the nature of the game. It is a series of discrete battles with a start and an end and nobody wants to quit mid battle. If you want to limit times, it may be better to say that they can have a certain number of battles each, or if you use a timer, say they have to stop at the end of their current battle when their time is up.