April McElrath posted on a Facebook group for parents of avid Fortnite players. She posts that her son, Marcus, tried to start a game before he went to school. Many fear that the game will become a distraction. Fortnite is a colorful, open-world survival game where the main objective is to stay alive. Fortnite became very popular, reaching kids as little as seven years old. One parent tried to bargain with their children, giving them ‘V-Bucks,’ (in-game currency for players to buy character skins and emotes,) as allowance and a reward for good behavior.
On the other hand, Suzanne Kosmerl believes the game isn’t as bad as people make it out to be. Though her son, Wyatt, does have some problems getting off, it taught him teamwork strategy, and communication skills. They were in a time where her son didn’t talk much. Then she asked him about ‘Fortnite,’ and he talked for an hour. Even made a powerpoint. With her son having friends across the country, she thinks its a modern way to stay connected. Teachers have even tried teaching their students through the game.
Adam Pletter, a child psychologist, hears about the game every day from his ten year old son. He is the creator of the facebook group both McElrath and Kosmerl are a part of. He has been playing with his son and trying to understand the game so he can bond with his son and set reasonable rules. He said he’d, “rather patents understand the game on a basic level so it doesn’t sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher noise and kids ignore them until parents get really mad.”
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Questions
How do you think 'Fortnite' effects kids?
Coming from personal experience, I think it's distraction. My brother's always playing on it and ignoring their chores and they don't listen to the parents when they are told to get off for a little while.
How would you handle a 'Fortnite' obsessed child?
I would watch, (since I personally don't like the game,) and try to understand the basics of the game and make rules based off of that. I would also use it as a reward for good grades and behavior and take away game time for bad behavior.
Replies
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I would try to understand the game first by watching them play it so it would ahow me the basics of the game and so i can make rules off of the game. I would also ground them from fortnite if they had bad grades in any class.
Within reason, playing the game is probably fine for them and a good way to spend some free time. However, if playing this game gets too out of hand, prehaps causing kids to get angry or lazy, it could potentionally have a negitive effect on their future actions.
Honestly, I'd try to find something better for them to do. Video games can be addicting and can cause bad habits if you let it. Even if video games don't cause violent behavoir, studies do show it can encourage it.
Like any video game, I think Fortnite can be a fine game to play as long as it is in moderation. However, many kids have an addiction to the game and play it for way to long. So in my opion parents should put a time limit on how long kids can play. For example start with only about 30 mins of playing the game, and for good behavior add time and bad behavior take time away.
I think they affect kids because some kids stay up till 3 im the morning on some days because it can be so distracting some kids dont finish their homework because they are busy playing fornite. I would let the Obsessed child do his hw and if he doesn't then he doesn't get to play fornite and if he gets his hw done then he can play as long as the child get his hw done its ok to have play time on fortnite.
Fortnite can be distracted and yes some kids may be "addicted" to the game, however I don't think you should ban the game during the school year. I would limit there time on a console for a night and maybe lenthen it out on a weekend. Also if the game ever becomes distracting and a child is not doing well in school you can always take away the game for some time.
I think that any video game in general can distract a child from school and other activities. Yes fortntie has been the most popular one lately and some kids are addicted. I think that if you set rules with your child, it would help. It could be used as a reward. I agree with Madison how parents could use it as a reward for good grades, because that still means they are getting their homework done atleast.
I think that Fortnite benefits kids in some ways. It teaches them how to communicate and work with other people. The game also has its disadvantages because of how distracting it can be at times. From personal experience I can say that I like to watch people play the game, but I've also seen people refuse to stop playing. This causes problems with parents and siblings.
I think fortnite effects kids just like socail media and cell phones do. Every kid puts Video games and cell phones before school work and work around the house. I think with fortnite lots of kids could be falling behind in school because they are playing rather than studying. Once a child becomes obsessed with fortnite it has come to far to where I think the child should have little to no fortnite game time until everything else is done that needs done. Also could be used as a reward for good behavior or grades.
I think it would be a very smart idea if parents started restricting Fortnite during the school. Fortnite is not the only video game that distracts students but it is one of the most popular games. Students should limit their time on video games or at least make it a reward for good grades. Students are becoming less productive during school because fortnite distracts them.
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