AIBU to think my daughter shouldn't spend money on Fortnite?

[greenmummylove]

Hello! My DD is 12, and is very into Fortnite. She has her own bank card, which she saves all her money onto, meaning she often has around £300 at a time (saved from birthdays and Christmas!) I get her bank statements, and noticed she had spent over £100 on the game! When I questioned her, she said it was her own money, and that she could spend it on what she wanted. AIBU to take her xbox away? She could've spent that on so much! But instead, she spent it on dances on a game she'll forget about in two months. Thanks in advance!! x

I think if she has access to almost unlimited money at 12 and is blowing it all in add-ons in a free online game, then you need to take the reins. Put her money into a savings account that she cant touch, and give her smaller amounts to spend on crap. You need to put limits. She doesnt have the maturity

If my 11 year old had access to that sort of money, then he would also spend every penny on Vbucks, as he did when I was giving him pocket money. I just decided that I cannot afford to give that much money every week to bloody fortnite. It stops being a treat, and it stops them actually even being any better at the game. It just becomes a way to show off to their friends about what cool new skins they have.
This is how those free games get you. Free to sign up, but you are hammered by add ons. Its a scam. Im sure a lot of us computery families have been caught out. I had to delete candy crush for similar reasons for myself. Its important to not get caught up in buying add ons

I know for a fact that this obsession with fortnite won’t last.

Sure, but if the alternative is buying magazines, lollies, make up and a t shirt, well they aren't things that last long either - from a few minutes to a few weeks or months.

By banned her from the Xbox you make what she has spent completely worthless.

It doesn’t matter who set it up it’s your job as the parent to make sure the controls are set and to learn about them. Considering all the press around kids spending on iTunes/ps4/Xbox I’m honestly shocked that you don’t understand how easy it is to buy content if no locks are set. That’s before you get into the fact if you haven’t locked down purchases you sure as hell haven’t locked down who she can speak to have you...

Ignorance is not a defence.

For me the key thing is that she has used her card online without consulting you, when this is something you both discussed would happen if she was to make purchases.

Regardless of what she's spent wasted it on, she should have discussed.

she already came to me regretting spending the money

Oh well. Lesson learned. For both of you.

She’s obsessed with the game and spends all her time on it? So be a parent and set limits

Whilst I think £100 is quite a lot, pretty much everything I bought when I was 12 has no interest to me now. It didn't have much interest to me by the time I was 13. So while yes it does seem like a lot I think it's reasonable - it's what brings her joy right now. She'll probably grow out of it soon.

Also the fact she managed to save up £300 in the first place is good, I used to blow any money I had straightaway when I was 12.

I used to spend a bit of money on free-to-play games but I don't any more. Do I somewhat regret it now? Sure. Would I go back and change it? Probably not. I enjoyed it at the time and that's really what matters.

Why are you posting on all the Fortnite threads?