My 11yo wants Fortnite like every other kid at school. I finally let him play on weekends only, max 2 hours. He's been pretty responsible about it but now hes asking for a gaming PC. I feel like if I say yes, that opens the floodgates and hell be gaming 24/7. Any of you guys let your older kids get their own setups? Worried Im either being too strict or too lenient.
Weekends only is exactly what we do. Stick to it and don't let him negotiate. The consistency matters more than the specific rule.
Weekend only is the perfect compromise. My kid tried the 'but everyone plays it' line and I held firm. Now he actually appreciates those Saturday gaming sessions more because they're limited. Stick with it.
Smart move setting boundaries early. I've seen kids get way too deep into it. The weekend limit keeps it fun without it becoming the whole identity thing.
Everyone's kid wants it right now. Weekends only is actually a solid compromise. You're not the bad guy and he still gets some of the social currency at school.
Three under five here and I'm already dreading this conversation in a few years. How many hours are we talking on those weekend days? Just trying to figure out what reasonable looks like.
That's a good limit. At 11 they need to learn self control anyway. Don't let him convince you that all the other kids play unlimited.
Have you thought about what he does on weekdays instead? Just cutting it off without a replacement activity usually backfires.
Weekends only is solid middle ground. My 11yo burned out on Fortnite pretty quick anyway once he realized how much he sucks at it. You're doing fine.
Weekend only is the play. My son wanted it bad too and I'm sticking to that rule. The kids at school will get over it, his brain health matters more.
The fact that you're being intentional about it instead of just saying yes or no shows you care about the balance. That's the hard part.
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Weekends only is smart. At least you set a boundary instead of just letting it happen. My 10yo is getting there and the peer pressure is intense.