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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think that Fortnite is too violent for a 7 year old?

189 replies

Celestia26 · 09/10/2018 22:57

I have a son aged 7, who has a few classmates who play Fortnite quite alot.

He's started talking about it, but because it contains guns and shooting I have said he can't play it.

AIBU? I haven't played it myself, so I'm just judging it on what I've heard.

OP posts:
pinkhorse · 26/12/2018 18:33

My ds has played it for a while now and he's 8. He only plays it at weekends and school holidays. It has not affected his academic achievement in any way at all (as another poster stated Confused). He's very very clever, polite and volunteers at weekends. It's not the devil game that some of you seem to be making it out to be.

GruciusMalfoy · 26/12/2018 18:39

My 10yo is allowed to play. Its still very much the most popular game among his peers. My 7yo isn't allowed. I'm glad when my older one breaks it up with a bit of Minecraft.

To be honest, my biggest online concern is the sort of YouTube videos they watch. I often find those more difficult to police, because some inappropriate stuff can suddenly crop up from nowhere. We have a short list of suitable youtubers now. DanTDM, Stampy, Ethan Gamer, that sort of thing.

Elenajc86 · 26/12/2018 18:44

I let my 8 year old boy play at weekends. Pretty much everyone in his school plays it and I didn’t want him to feel left out. If he acts up I go in and switch it off straight away, game over. I don’t think the content is particularly violent or inappropriate. He used to play Disney Infinity which is also a shooting game and like someone mentioned before Minecraft is for little ones and your using swords to kill things etc so it’s hard to differentiate between what game is ok and what isn’t when a lot of games involve some sort of weapon even ones rated for younger kids.

I grew up watching cartoons like looney tunes where the characters spent the whole time trying to kill each other and I ended up ok 😂. I personally think my son is mature enough to watch films rated 12 like Superman/Spider-Man/Home Alone. So I fell he’s mature enough play Fortnite also.

I think if it’s in moderation and the chat is disabled it is harmless. But it can be very addictive.

Getfitmumma · 26/12/2018 18:46

It's a 12 rating so I would say no and have said no to my 6 year old DS for that reason

sickmumma · 26/12/2018 18:50

My 7 and 9 year old play fortnite - funnily enough before I let them I posted on here saying I wasn't sure (because of all the people saying it's addictive aggressive etc) and got flamed for not letting them play! DH then played it and said it was quite mild and we did research on it. they definitely do not play games such as call of duty etc! That's another level.

They have strict rules and don't display aggressive behaviour etc, my boys have never been the type to play fight or wrestle anyway. It's no different to a marvel Lego game they had tbh only the online features that could pose a problem but they are not allowed to play with random people. Generally they play in a 'playground' mode against each other, with their uncle or a few friends from school. As with all things I guess you have to use your common sense - if your child can't self regulate, is aggressive or displays bad behaviours then you wouldn't let them play the game. I like to believe my kids are good and well rounded and that's because I've taught them a healthy balance. It's not the only game they play, they also as a rule have to have all homework/reading/housework complete before I will even contemplate letting them go on a console. It's also quite a good way of maintaining out of school friendships with friends children as they can chat together as obviously too small for phones yet.

SuffolkNWhat · 26/12/2018 18:50

I'm a Mum who plays it (I stream as a hobby on Twitch) however I do not let my 9 year old DD play as I have seen how addictive it can be in young people, when she is a bit older we will reconsider. It's very much up to you to decide what your child can cope with and take it from there.

It is an awesome game though and I recommend parents do play if only to reclaim it as ours insert evil face emoji

NellyBarney · 26/12/2018 18:54

It must be impossible to keep younger siblings away when you have older kids playing the game, they'll see it and want to join in. Maybe his classmates have older siblings? I am less worried about the violence, rather about how addictive it is and I want to avoid daily arguments about limiting gaming time so I am saying categorically no to all forms of consoles. My kids have kindles, which are boring by comparison.

Tika77 · 26/12/2018 19:02

I think it is. I don’t even let my 9 year old play it, but that’s because it’s online.

Maldives2006 · 26/12/2018 19:06

How’s he going to get hooked on a 2 hour play date if he is friends with this boy let him go.

My son’s friends have call of duty and my son has asked for the game and been told no, my house my rules

Maldives2006 · 26/12/2018 19:07

My son doesn’t like it so not every kid is desperate for it.

Maldives2006 · 26/12/2018 19:10

Social services will be giving this head very short shrift!!

GobblersKnob · 26/12/2018 19:12

Haha I don't let my 14yo. It's stupidly addictive.

OrgyofSausages · 26/12/2018 19:14

I've just researched it and it's very clearly a 12 years and above rated game.
Think about it OP: it's a 12 rated game for a reason and if you choose to ignore that then IMO that's woefully inadequate patenting.
7 years old? He's got 5 years to go. Would you be happy showing 18 rated porn to him when he's 13? Hmm

OrgyofSausages · 26/12/2018 19:18

Pinkhorse why are you happy for your 8 year old to play a 12 rated game? Are you somehow more knowledgeable than all the research and expertise which led to it being rated a 12 ?

Girlicorne · 26/12/2018 19:20

My 9 year old has played it since he was 8. All of his friends play. I probably would have let him play at 7 I don't think it's too bad. I don't think its addictive, he goes tk afterschool club til 6 every night and one night a week we go trampolining or cinema straight from school and football on a thurs. We are out all day at the weekends too so his time on it is very limited. I think if you impose limits it's fine. He is also only allowed to play downstairs so we can keep an eye on him.

Elenajc86 · 26/12/2018 19:36

I’ve just got to add that my son is a really sweet kind kid he’s not violent or agressive and he’s top of the class in his school for maths and english. His school report couldn’t have been better. He plays Fortnite on a weekend. He’s always been a bit of a gamer. I do limit his time quite a bit he can only game weekends so it doesn’t get it the way of school/homework.

OrgyofSausages · 26/12/2018 19:36

I'm shocked by the number of parents on here who are happy to let their young 7 / 8 / 9 year old children play a 12 rated game. You should be encouraging them to do intrinsically better and more creative and age appropriate things, not binning them off on some awful addictive adrenaline pumping moronic shite because you can't be bothered to spend time with them.. Shame on you.

SuffolkNWhat · 26/12/2018 19:40

Hey hold off calling it moronic (really?) shite until you have tried it yourself. I can't stand video game snobs who have no clue about games proclaiming from on high with zero knowledge about it.

OrgyofSausages · 26/12/2018 19:43

And I can't stand people who plonk their 7 year old children in front of 12 rated games for an easy life, and then wonder why their kid has the attention span of a gnat and cannot even manage to read a book.

SuffolkNWhat · 26/12/2018 19:51

Well I agree with that as I posted aboce I don't allow my child to play it, but the game itself is well made and fun.

SuffolkNWhat · 26/12/2018 19:52

above*

sickmumma · 26/12/2018 19:53

@OrgyofSausages does it count if I also play it online with him? He loves it when we play the game together! 😂 I don't quite know what you expect me to be as a mother and please feel free to judge away knowing me only as a username on an Internet forum (and being how lovely you seem - attacking other parents about their parenting style/ choices) I bet you have let your child do things that others also don't agree with - after all everyone is different and the world would be boring if we were all the same.

I have had no concerns from the teacher over my child's education - he is actually ahead and very bright, he plays piano, enjoys football and all the other things normal 7 year old boys do! A few hours a week on a playstation game he enjoys and is being regulated on is not the end of the world! If anything I think teaching him to regulate on technology is a good idea after all the age we are in we cannot escape it now and good healthy habits are much easier to implement at this age.

OrgyofSausages · 26/12/2018 20:01

Sickmumma: it's a 12 rated game. Your ds is 7.
Will you let him watch 18 rated porn when he's 13? Maybe you could watch it together? Of course not.
We have these age restrictions for a reason. Why on earth do parents actively choose to ignore them?

needsahouseboy · 26/12/2018 20:06

My 9 year old DS is not allowed to play it. He fully understands why and accepts it. Plus I tell him that I don't care what his friends are doing, he is my son and I care about him and his welfare.

ChoudeBruxelles · 26/12/2018 20:08

OrgyofSausages you sound like a sanctimonious darling