Gaming addiction or just being a kid?

Apr 23·1 min read

My 11 year old gets home from school and immediately wants to play Fortnite with his friends. He'll play for 3-4 hours if I let him. I limit him to 2 hours on school nights but he's constantly asking for more time, getting upset when I make him quit, and lying about how long he's been playing. His teacher even mentioned he seems tired in class. Is this normal or am I dealing with actual addiction? What have other parents done to manage gaming without completely banning it?

4 comments116 views

Comments(4)

LLucas M.RegularApr 23

11 is the age where gaming with friends becomes social time for them, not just mindless screen time. How long are we talking? If it's 2-3 hours on school nights that's worth setting a boundary on.

MMarcusNew DadApr 24

My kid is the same age and same obsession. We set it up so he can play after homework and dinner, but gaming stops at 8pm on school nights no exceptions. On weekends he gets more time. He still complains but at least he's still playing soccer with the team.

MMarcusNew DadApr 24

There's a difference between a kid who plays games and a kid who can't disconnect. Does he do homework first, go outside, or is it literally the only thing he wants to do? That matters for knowing if you need to intervene.

LLucas M.RegularApr 24

Fortnite with buddies is normal kid stuff honestly. Just make sure there's limits and he's still doing other stuff. If he's skipping meals or refusing to do anything else that's when you have a real problem.