Kid tries to verify mom's claim that Fortnite stops working at bedtime and the internet delivers

In today's digital age, it's nearly impossible to keep kids away from social media and video games. While gaming has been popular for decades, the online aspect introduces children to an immersive world of imagination that can sometimes become addictive. Many parents worry about how too much screen time can be unhealthy and interfere with their kids' social development, leading them to find creative ways to reduce screen time. That's exactly what one Reddit mom, known as u/Farting_Dog33, did—and the internet overwhelmingly supported her.

In a forum dedicated to Fortnite fans, the child asked, "Is it true that Fortnite stops working after bedtime?" While this isn't the case and online games can be played at any hour, the child was clearly lied to, likely for an important reason. "I want to play Fortnite past 9 pm, but my Mum says I can't because the game stops working then. But, like, how and why does it turn off after then?" the curious kid asked. Unaware that his mother said this to restrict his late-night gaming, the kid innocently sought advice from the internet and what happened next was both wholesome and hilarious.  

Reddit users quickly banded together to reassure the child that his mom was right, inventing playful reasons why the game would stop working after 9 PM. "Yep, it turns off so everyone can get a good night's sleep. I think they just unplug it somewhere, I don't know," said u/tommy7154. "The bus driver can only drive 12 hours a day due to safety concerns with falling asleep behind the wheel. They gotta sleep too," gagged another Reddit user. "Yep, servers shut down for small maintenance, since they need to fix any small bugs and make sure that everything works well. You can still log in, but you'll only be able to see the lobby," added u/-Waffle-Eater-.

This heartwarming exchange caught even more attention when u/YoNiceShoes shared it in another forum. "Great response from the Reddit community. I need the children to have more sleep. Nowadays, they have darker eye bags than adults. A perfect example is my nephew," said u/MoonlightLilyLover. Some reminisced about similar lies their parents told them for the greater good. "My mom told us that we had to be quiet while the cookies or cupcakes were baking. If we made too much noise, they'd collapse in the oven and be ruined. Bought herself a good 20-30 minutes of silence," shared u/Nimara. "It's like telling my nephew he can't play with his toys after bedtime because they need to sleep. His favorite movie at the time was 'Toy Story,'" chimed in u/Flutters1013.

On a similar note, a gamer disciplining a boy who refused to obey his mother while playing online went viral. Marcus–who goes by @mdeethegamer on TikTok–was playing Fortnite when, in the background, they heard a young player's mom constantly pestering him to stop playing. Ignoring her advice to pause the game and go take a shower, the boy continued playing, but Marcus put him in his place. "You better listen to your mom and get off this game," Marcus told the boy through the microphone in the joystick. This interaction was lauded by many moms who could relate to the situation.