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Behaviour Experts Says 'Fortnite' Should Be Banned But Others Say 'Lazy Parenting' Is The Issue

Behaviour Experts Says 'Fortnite' Should Be Banned But Others Say 'Lazy Parenting' Is The Issue

Expert Lorrine Merer claims parents don't want to say no to their children playing the game - which she said should be taken off the shelves

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Here we go again, Fortnite is back. That life-ruining video game that's tearing at the hearts of homes up and down the country.

Now, a behavioural expert has said 'soft' parenting is to blame for young children becoming addicted to playing Fortnite as she called for the violent video game to be banned.

Just days ago we read about a nine-year-old girl who is in rehab after she became so addicted to playing the game that she wet herself rather than go to the toilet.

Then headteachers started warning parents to keep their children away as their education is being damaged.

The MailOnline reported that Lorrine Marer spoke Good Morning Britain about parents needing to 'get a grip' and 'say no' after it emerged playing the controversial game is affecting primary schools pupils' concentration and performance in class.

Marer claimed that parents don't want to say no to their children playing the game - which she said should be taken off the shelves - because they don't want to be seen as 'unpopular'.

And, surprisingly, viewers took to Twitter to slam the call for Fortnite to be banned, saying addiction is down to 'bad parenting' and not the games they play.

Twitter

Marer said: "Parents today do not know how to say no, because if you say no then you make yourself unpopular, and parents then believe if they're unpopular children won't come to them with problems. Rubbish. It's absolute rubbish.

"The truth of the matter is it's very difficult to put boundaries in place around this when they're getting 'oh my friends are doing it'. The mere fact teachers are saying get a grip to the parents, what's that saying?"


Twitter
Twitter

And of course Piers Morgan had to put his two pence worth in. A few days ago it was Love Island.

But this time, when he was talking about 'weak parents' on Good Morning Britain he kind of had a point. Did I just say that?

This morning, he had a good old rant about parents 'cowering to their kids' in a debate over whether Fortnite should be banned.

So when Morgan said: "Once again in this country it is too convenient to park blame elsewhere. This is a parental issue. If you've got a child who is addicted to these games, take the damn thing off them. Limit it to 30 minutes a day.

via GIPHY

"Set boundaries and keep them. Don't let these little brats demand to do it for ten hours a day or all night long. So many parents are cowering now with their kids.

"I don't think the game Fortnite is the arch criminal here. I think it's the abuse of time spent on it being encouraged by weak parents. Look kids, if your parents are too weak to tell you, take it from me. Get off the damn screens."

Morgan - the voice of reason over here.

And he wasn't stopping there, adding: "I've got four kids. The youngest girl is nearly seven years old. You have to, as a parent, exercise parental responsibility. If she was playing all night, I just take it away. It's got to start with the parents.

PA

"If you put a [child in front of] a screen all night long, they're going to be exhausted and then addicted."

I've got no children so am in no position to pass over non-existent expertise but he's got four so with that probably comes a bit of knowledge - and it does sound rather simple. Admit it.

Morgan's co-presenter or 'on-screen wife', the oh so lucky Susanna Reid, said that she doesn't believe all games can be compared in the same way to Fortnite, but Piers was having none of it.

And he just had to have a little blast at Love Island again didn't he - yes, he's opinionated and all that but know when to stop.

Piers and Susanna.
PA

He concluded: "[Playing games] does scramble their brains. Spending eight to nine hours is like watching Love Island for five seconds.

"Imagine playing for ten hours a day and then watching Love Island.

"Honestly, it's about being a parent, for goodness sake. Stop cowering in front of your kids... Grab the screens and ignore the tears."

Just couldn't resist could you, Piers?

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Entertainment, Celebrity, Good Morning Britain, Susanna Reid, ITV, Piers Morgan