AIBU to want to smash the Xbox?

[Polkadot1974]

Saw a link on FB earlier via a friend asking about Fortnite. This game is like Mumsnet to my son. Highly addictive and he has become so moody
How to restrict it without tears/ sledgehammer is my plan by weekend before I parachute myself to a remote island

In our house it is DH with the habit. I feel your pain.

Homework first (to your satisfactory standard)

DSS has console set up in the living room, and plays with his friends online. All we hear is him shouting "anyone got any ammo" "over here" etc etc. Because he has headphones on he doesn't realise he's shouting, despite being told to keep it down

Mumsnet is quieter.

Same exact scenario here.

You need to use parental controls on xbox so only works at certain times and switches off after so many hours.

Kicking DS1 off the xbox by telling him has resulted in tantrums but he just accepts it when he's 'run' out of time. Also if he's being naughty I threaten to cut his time down further.

I lost 5yo DD's "pad" (a Kindle Fire). I have since found it, but I haven't told her- I like how she's spending her time now better. Would something sneaky like this be an option?

Fortnite. I feel your pain. My son too has become a slave to it since the damn Xbox arrived. He gets restricted weeknights and part weekend but it's like hes hooked on it. Let me know if you find a solution!

I HATE fort nite!! And the boogy bombs and ammo.. my son repeats himself over and over.. drives me insane.. he's not allowed all week though. Weekends only but still does my head in

It's the online aspect that drives me mad. He's playing with others so no, he can't come and have his tea as he'd have to drop out of the game. When will the game be over? No one can say.

Can you not just limit his time? My DS gets an hour a day, two on weekends.

He's Fortnite obsessed, but before that it was Portal, before that it was Forza, Minecraft etc.

We only game on Friday night and on weekends. It’s doesn’t stop them asking despite it being Avery cheat policy.

A very clear policy ffs

God I feel your pain. DT 1 (nearly 12) on XBox in one room DT2 on PS4 in other. Both playing Fortnite.

Last night I actually brought their dinner to them during a marathon session and then realised what I'd done...

Tell me more of parental controls. I need to put him on timer which I can but the stupid game has no time limit. It’s just until everyone dies. Hate it

It's so fricking annoying. We've just extended DSS13 screen time and he still comes down to ask to just finish this game, just this once, just for a treat etc. Errrr no.

Both DC know that if they overrun their limit then they don't get any screen time the next day.

I give DS10 one hour on weeknights and longer at the weekends so long as all homework is done first, room tidy etc
He has a headset though and all I can hear the whole time is him screaming into it.
I tell him over and over to stop shouting but he says he has to because everyone else is- funny enough though when I told him I’d be taking the headset off him for a week if I heard him shout again, the shouting stopped!
Fortnite is all he wants to talk about though, he’ll see something and say oh in fortnite this would happen, drives me bonkers

boogy bombs

OMG if I see "the floss" one more time I will not be held accountable for my actions....

Just one more game...
All my friends are online...and that's true - it seems he is friends with parents who are far more generous with their online time.

And yes - it's Fortnite. Or Rainbow 6 at the moment.

Same thing in our house - Ds yelling in to his headset to his friends 🙉. We limit it to after homework / practise and if he is difficult / plays up when it's time to come off, he can lose it the next day or even for a week if he's really bad 😫

My DSS FaceTimes me when he’s playing fortnite cos he likes to have someone to watch him play and to witter to! It’s quite sweet really. As far as games go I really don’t mind it, the violence isn’t graphic and no one actually ‘dies’ they just leave the game zone.

Do any of your kids get stroppy when they die in the game?

I play fortnite, it's true there is no strict time limit to a game but they are not actually that long compared to some. If you survive to the end it's about 20 minutes per match. You can die within the first few seconds but can then spectate your team mates so remain in to pick a higher finishing place. If you see they are spectating they are not actually playing so have no need to be at their screen at all

There is no need to actually shout or talk excessively, you disadvantage your team as listening is a huge part of the game. if they are not playing with friends and are in random lobbies they will not be speaking to anyone at all unless they accept or send a party invitation because there is no open game chat. That is what parents should worry about, dc talking to random strangers online. I have had kids as young as nine join parties I'm in, I just ask if their parents know they are joining and tell them they shouldn't just join randomers in game chat.

My DS was not allowed to go in to random lobbies and gamed with his actual real life friends only till he was fourteen and I gamed in the same room as him so had an ear as to what was happening. The stuff I have heard in lobbies is horrific.

My dgs’s aged 11 and 9 are only allowed Xbox Friday evening and weekends with set limit on time. At the weekend they also do football, rugby and swimming so not much time and no violent games, mainly fifa.

MyKingdomForBrie you leave the lobby when you die it is a death. It's basically The Hunger Games or Battle Royale the japanese film as a game. You scavenge for items then fight to the death and there can be only one team, solo or duo that wins depending on which mode you have gone in to out of the original 100 players who have parachuted in.

Younger DS playing fortnite.
17 yo foster ds playing PUBG, and teasing younger DS because apparently PUBG is sooooo much better fam.
Foster DS friends come round, and play Fortnite with the youngest 🙄
I retreat to my crochet and the dog......