What makes Fortnite so appealing to kids? And how can parents keep them from getting so sucked into the game that it’s unhealthy? “We’re hearing from a lot of parents worried because their kids seem even more glued to this game than others, and tearing them away from it for homework or dinner is becoming an issue,” reports David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “We’re also hearing about kids developing behavior around the game that could get them into trouble.” Brian, father to another nine-year-old, describes walking outside and hearing neighborhood kids screaming about near misses on a Fortnite game like it’s a World Cup final. It’s not like a sports game on the Xbox - it’s really addicting.” She mentions a friend whose ninth grader stays up to 3 and 4 in the morning playing. “He has played other video games, but he hasn’t been so enamored by anything like this before. Sarah, mom to nine-year-old Henry, says that Fortnite is different from other games. The game’s almost hypnotizing popularity has many parents worried. When they’re not playing Fortnite they might be watching streams of other people playing it on Twitch or Youtube. Kids of all ages are obsessively playing Fortnite on their phones, computers, PlayStations, Xboxes and Switches. But as long as you’re clear and don’t bend to pressure, you can set these rules even with kids who already play. It’s best to be clear about these rules before your child ever logs on. So they shouldn’t say anything they wouldn’t want getting back to a parent or teacher. And anyone could overhear their gameplay or take a screenshot of what they post. Friendly trash talk is fine but bullying never is. Your child also needs to understand that they should treat people in the game the same way they’d treat others in person. Kids also need time to spend with family, get enough rest, and engage with off-line hobbies they enjoy. A healthy amount of game time should leave them plenty of time to see their friends in real life and get their homework done. Kids get sucked in fast.Īs a parent, it’s important to set limits on how much time your child is allowed to spend playing Fortnite. That can make the game almost like playing a slot machine. And though a player rarely wins the game, it’s easy to feel like each round is a near miss. That means kids are prone to fear of missing out if they know their friends are playing without them. Players can meet up with real-life friends in the game and form teams. Because the game’s visuals are less graphic than violence in other war-themed games, parents may give younger kids a pass to log on.įortnite is social and competitive. The game combines the world-building appeal of Minecraft with themes from other first-person shooter games. If your child plays the video game Fortnite, you may already know how hard it can be to tear them away from the screen.
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