Gaming

I spent a lot of time today playing computer games with my son, well Fortnite to be specific. I've really been enjoying the game myself and I've been helping my son with leveling up by protecting him whilst he completed some of the challenges. It's been driving my wife mad as we call out to each other across the house as my computer is in one room and my son is in another room on the family computer.
We set time limits for the use of the computer and as much as I'd like to keep playing with my son, my daughter wanted to use the computer for a while so I had to tell him to let her have a go. He gets quite angry when he doesn't get his own way and starts trying to bargain with me. He started trying to say that since he can't play anymore before dinner that maybe he should go in the bath now and then that way he could have more time after dinner to play.
I'm pretty sure that spending the day on the computer isn't what I should be teaching my kids but it is kind of the way the world is going. When I was his age I'd be riding my bike in the park with friends or by myself. I can't imagine letting my kids go play in the park without either my wife or I going along to keep an eye on them. There are just too many weirdos out there and you'd never forgive yourself if something happened to them.
The good thing about playing online with my son is that I know who he is playing with and what they are saying. I've already heard him talking to others about how old he is and what his real name is. I've been trying hard to let him know about online safety and that he shouldn't be telling anyone his real name, his age, where he lives or anything like that. We've already pulled the plug on the internet router a couple of times when he wasn't being as smart as he should. And let me tell you, pulling the internet out from under him is one way for him to get angry. He fully believes that access to the internet is like breathing oxygen, it's free, everywhere and he can't understand how some places don't have it.
I think that playing games online with my son is good for the relationship that I have with him as it builds some trust and communication between us as well as sharing any of the loot that we may get in the game.

Bomber
gaming Dad