'I let my son play video games until 4am - it doesn't make me a bad mum'

12 March 2024 , 15:41

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She didn't want the 'bedtime' argument with her son - so let him stay up until 4am (stock photo) (Image: www.alamy.com)

One mum didn't want to have the "bedtime argument," so allowed her son to stay up until 4am to play on his Xbox.

Lynn Mitchell candidly opened up about her decision online, but it's left fellow parents divided after she admitted she didn't want the arguments of telling her son to go to bed. She shared her situation on the Facebook group Family Lowdown Tips & Ideas, as she explained how she was waiting for her son's Xbox game Fortnite to update, but the survival battle game didn't load up until 3am hence the late hour. She wrote: "What's happening with Fortnite now?!? I don't think I can cope if it's not ready. Exasperated mum, UK."

However, she further added later on: "Who would have thought that people can be so judgemental." She then defended her decision after backlash and said: "As the mother I allowed my son to stay up for however long he wanted. It was my choice. It was the easy option and after a hard week at school and work I didn't want the argument at 'bedtime'.

"His Xbox finally updated at 3am and he ended up in bed at 4am and was up again at 8am," and claimed: "If this makes me a bad mum then so be it."

Parents were split over whether she should have allowed her son to stay up until 4am, with many chiming in about children's addictions to video games. One Facebook user wrote: "It's not about you being a bad mum! Sometimes we don't realise how damaging our actions can be for kids, it's lack of awareness, we all learn at some point," and added: "But if a child is soooo addicted to Fortnite and stays up till 3am, I worry how much stress and anxiety he must have had waiting and waiting for 'Fortnite' to work."

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Others went as far as to say it's as bad as drugs and gambling and commented: "These addictions are almost like drug addictions or gambling addictions!!" While another slammed the game as "toxic" and one mum told Lynn to do "something constructive" with her son instead.

Although many parents resonated with Lynn's situation, as one person reassured: "If you're a bad mum then I am in bad mum solidarity with you, whilst my kids play Fortnite. No judgment here. I salute all parents and guardians, especially those that don't feel the need to slam a fellow parent on Facebook."

Niamh Kirk