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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Fortnite

61 replies

crazymumofthree · 03/05/2018 08:05

AIBU not letting my 6 and 8 year old play fortnite? All of their friends (year 1 and 3) are playing it however we have it downloaded (DH and brother have played) and it's a shooter game kind of a bit like hunger games as you kill until your the last one left. It's not gory as such but I am reluctant, they normally play Fifa, car racing games and they also have some of the Lego and infinity games (which does have a battle mode where you do shoot the baddies so I guess not too different in that respect. Am I being too precious?

OP posts:
Domino20 · 03/05/2018 18:27

Chattymummy, pleeeease pm me when you do. My son will be mortified if I get some online gaming pals, and I shall laugh mwa ha ha ha!

Chattymummyhere · 03/05/2018 18:28

Simple rules.

Chat function off
Xbox / PlayStation in the living room
Monitor/turn off friend requests
Link up Xbox to phone all messages comethough to the phone as well as Xbox to be viewed instantly as well. I don’t know if PlayStation have this function.
Limit screen time.

extinctspecies · 03/05/2018 18:28

Don't let them play it, it's very addictive.

Chattymummyhere · 03/05/2018 18:32

Domino I can ask my mum if you can have her gamer tag too if you want. Her, my dad, my brother and a bunch of Mixer users all play it together in team mode. My parents actually have two TVs with an Xbox one each set up in their livingroom just so they can play games like this where it’s one player to one console Grin

Domino20 · 03/05/2018 18:39

Chattymummy, my son has suggested that set up for us at home too but I think it's just to get me off his console! Yes please to gamer id if at all possible 😁 (I've just shown my son this thread, he said, 'I bet there all no skins lol lol)

ICantCopeAnymore · 03/05/2018 18:39

My DH and I have two consoles each too so we can multiplayer 😁

Barbie222 · 03/05/2018 18:43

You have to at least let them learn the Floss *swings arms about

ThisIsNotARealAvo · 03/05/2018 18:48

I let my kids play it and I don't have a massive issue with the content. However, DS aged 10 is totally obsessed with it, more so that he was with Minecraft. As they can talk to each other he is allowed to do that (supervised) so there's the whole social side of it too.

I don't want to take it away because it is so important to him,but he does find it really hard to finish a session and gets angry if he has to finish early for any reason.

At school they talk about it constantly and floss constantly and I just hope it dies a death ASAP.

0h · 03/05/2018 18:51

My 10 and 13 year old play it. Don't think I'd let a 6 year old play and probably not 8 year old either, so yanbu. I was on the fence about my 10 year old playing at first.

Doing let them play if only to save yourself the detailed play by play conversations you'll save yourself from! Grin

When my youngest wins I have to head every last detail of how he did it.

QuentinSummers · 03/05/2018 18:54

Domino I would but playing on DH profile atm. Need to set up my own. Always so tempted to get the headset on and chat to the 12 year olds Grin My D'S is mortified

(I'm crap at it btw)

Cleanermaidcook · 03/05/2018 18:56

I've said no to Ds age 8. Mums in the playground have said it's addictive and their children's moods have deteriorated when playing it. God knows why they haven't taken it away if this is the case.

Pixiedust49 · 03/05/2018 19:00

I’m a primary school teacher. The majority of Year 3 and up all playing it and talking about it. And flossing.......

Domino20 · 03/05/2018 19:18

Quentinsummers, I'm not that hot either! I start panicking when I hear an opponents foot steps and shoot wildly and with little aim?! I'm trying to get into the habit of building more but honestly, in my late 40s, my reaction times are never going to be as good as the kids. It really is a fun game though and I'm loving the latest update. Mum squad mum squad mum squad (starts chant in the hope of roping in some gaming pals).

Chattymummyhere · 03/05/2018 19:24

My mum gets my ds to do a lot of her missions for her lol he really racks up the points. She’s buying him the battle pass and loads of stuff to go with the one for his birthday. I can’t wait to get my hands on it. A lot of people expect my mum to be much older than she is until she starts streaming 😂 she’s a moderator for my brothers mixer page as well. I told her she was reliving her teenage years but with today’s tech. She snap chatting Americans and arranging to go to the gaming event later this year.

HarshingMyMellow · 03/05/2018 19:31

@Domino20 I'll play with you!

Habeebtea · 03/05/2018 21:04

Me too! We are fellow addicts here! DD8 plays and DS6 but he gets bored and just runs around chopping up trees!

QuentinSummers · 03/05/2018 21:45

I'll set up a profile tomorrow Smile

FoofFighter · 05/05/2018 23:18

#flosses

Sunnysidegold · 05/05/2018 23:38

Sensible rules there chattymummy. School have sent home a letter about fortnite saying it's the chat facilities that are dangerous - I was under the impression you couldn't turn that off? My 7 year wants to play but has to make do with friends ' houses as we don't have a console!

Dixiestampsagain · 06/05/2018 02:12

I wouldn’t let my yr 6 and yr 3 DC play it, they’ve never asked for it, though.

Ka6scope · 03/12/2018 21:43

Violent videos games can make a child violent, and aggressive best be assured they stick playing with the car games

Kolo · 03/12/2018 21:54

Loving the idea that you all started a fortnite mumsquad and have been playing all summer.

My boys make me play fortnite sometimes and I’m crap at it. I can hear them in the other room patronising me “oh well done, mum, you learned to run”. I don’t get building, I can’t aim. I never get any loot. I just run round collecting materials until some American 12 year old shoots me and does the loser dance at me.

sickmumma · 06/12/2018 07:03

I just thought I would update this thread, I have let them play it, they love it and only their dad has become a little addicted to it! They are 7 and 9 now do year 4 and 2 at school!

Rules are all homework, bedroom tidied and reading done before they can go on for an hour after school (not every day but most when we don't have clubs or plans) it works pretty well as they get all their stuff done, the house is kept tidy and then I get an hours peace and can cook dinner while they are busy.

We have a playstation upstairs and one in the living room so the boys generally play each other or with a couple of friends from school or my friends little boy (which is great as they don't get to see each other as much and so they can keep in touch) they also sometimes play with my brother which they think is fab! And they normally do the playground mode so it's just them playing together and no one else but if they are in a match they know not to fill the group otherwise they come off (haven't had to do this yet) and if their friend tries to add someone they don't know they also leave the group (which 7 year old DS did the other day said I'm not allowed and so it was all cancelled and they didn't join which I was very proud he did!) generally with a 5 minute warning for dinner they come off happily as that's quite a good way for them to come off and they know that's their go ended for the evening.

LegoandiPads · 06/12/2018 07:07

Mine play it (though a little older). Only play with friends. Limited screen time. I like it, that they are chatting to their mates and having fun.

JustABetterPlayer · 06/12/2018 07:11

I’m a primary school teacher and I can confirm most of the boys in year 3 play it (7-8years old). My son is not allowed, the reasons being the ingame chat, the length of the round and the addictive nature of my game/my child.

Plus as a gamer... it’s just a rubbish game, if he wants to improve his muscle memory he can play CS vs bots. “Go go go” is a bit more appropriate for him to read than endless bad language and racists chants.