More and more children in the school are talking about playing the game ‘Fortnite’. Whilst we understand the game is very popular, it is also highly addictive and unsafe if played without strict monitoring.
Before your child plays Fortnite for the first time or goes back online, we urge you to take the time to learn more about it and the risks by reading the brief articles below.
For starters, the game is rated for aged 12 which means it is not recommended for any child at primary school. However, children as young as 5 are saying that they are playing everyday. There is absolutely no good reason a child this young should be playing the game. Apart from the mild violence, the game is designed for online chat with other players and is highly addictive. Addictive games often lead to tiredness, extreme behaviour and a lack of interest in other things. Young children simply should not be playing this game.
As a parent it can be difficult to make unpopular decisions for your children. Particularly when people in the media are promoting the game and just about every other child is doing Fortnite dances wherever you go. That said, it is really important that your children are kept safe and their well being is protected. Perhaps this is easier if you agree boundaries as a group of parents so all your child’s friends are doing the same thing. This has worked for some parents.
Gaming is good fun but needs to be appropriate and carefully monitored.
