WATCH: Back To School Can Be A ‘Fortnitemare’ For Parents With Kids Addicted To ‘Fortnite’
Sep 5, 2018, 11:48 AM | Updated: Jul 31, 2019, 8:48 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It has become what some people are calling a “Fortnitemare.”
Many parents are finding it hard to get the kids back into their routines after months of playing the popular video game “Fortnite.”
KSL’s Lori Prichard knows the struggle all too well: her son plays it.
“How tough is it to get that controller away from him?” Andrew Wittenberg asked her during Wednesday’s morning broadcast.
“I hate it,” Lori said. “So. Much.”
There’s a difference between obsession and addiction, and experts said the biggest red flag is when children lose control over their own behavior.
Psychiatrist John Kupfner weighed in on children’s battle with video game addiction.
“The first month of school every year, I have plenty of kids that come in because they’re sleep-deprived, they’re not doing well in school, they’re not following limits, they’re lying to their parents, and they’re sneaking and playing these video games when they’re not supposed to,” he said.
Kupfner said there are three rules parents must implement in order to quell “Fortnite” addiction:
- Kids should earn their playtime;
- Never threaten to take the game away without following through; and
- Tell your kids: They do not own the device. You do.
Doctors also warn against getting an addicted child to quit cold-turkey. It’s easier to back them down if possible.
“I’ve signed my kids up for all kinds of extracurricular activities just to keep them busy (and) get the video games out of their hands,” Lori said with a touch of frustration in her voice.
“You should see the ferocity in Lori’s eyes here,” Andrew noted.
Watch this morning’s report — complete with Lori’s very real reactions — here:
