Do you let your young children play video games with mature content?
- Thread starter Gtiracer
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It depends a lot on the individual child but in principle if they are mature for their age I wouldn't have a problem with a 6yo playing Halo, especially when you are there with them all the time they are playing and if it seems to be affecting them will be able to deal with it immediately.
Lots of people saying 'I played violent games when I was younger and it didn't affect me' in this thread.
That is not good evidence to base your decision on - for a start video games have changed a HUGE amount since when you were 8.
I don't know if playing GTAV or COD from 8 onwards makes a difference, but I know that there are lots of great games out there which don't involve killing people e.g. Minecraft, chess, rock band, mario kart etc.
That is not good evidence to base your decision on - for a start video games have changed a HUGE amount since when you were 8.
I don't know if playing GTAV or COD from 8 onwards makes a difference, but I know that there are lots of great games out there which don't involve killing people e.g. Minecraft, chess, rock band, mario kart etc.
I know someone that works as a forensic computer scientist for a Police and specifically deals with cases to do with children.
He has a 10 year old child and I really admire the balance that he manages to achieve with his son.
I definitely think he considers the online aspect to be the most dangerous aspect of gaming and, while not a gamer himself, does his best to be completely informed about what his son and their friends are playing.
I think the part I appreciate the most is the time he puts in to spend time with his son while he plays games though. He also doesn't overstep his bounds by "reporting" the kids when they're trash talking one another to their parents (it's obvious they don't know he's listening!) and he doesn't preach about what those parents should be doing - but he does just take a very active approach to what his own son is being exposed to.
On a related issue as well, something I've never seen before, is that he'll take his phone off his son most nights and talk through the texts he's been sending and receiving. At first I thought it was maybe a bit much but since he's done it from day one it's all his son knows, so expects and accepts it. He really catches a lot of things early and his son thanks him every time for the advice he gives him.
He has a 10 year old child and I really admire the balance that he manages to achieve with his son.
I definitely think he considers the online aspect to be the most dangerous aspect of gaming and, while not a gamer himself, does his best to be completely informed about what his son and their friends are playing.
I think the part I appreciate the most is the time he puts in to spend time with his son while he plays games though. He also doesn't overstep his bounds by "reporting" the kids when they're trash talking one another to their parents (it's obvious they don't know he's listening!) and he doesn't preach about what those parents should be doing - but he does just take a very active approach to what his own son is being exposed to.
On a related issue as well, something I've never seen before, is that he'll take his phone off his son most nights and talk through the texts he's been sending and receiving. At first I thought it was maybe a bit much but since he's done it from day one it's all his son knows, so expects and accepts it. He really catches a lot of things early and his son thanks him every time for the advice he gives him.
I think you've swayed me. He's definitely an old 6 year old, if you know what I mean, and we always play together, so I think you're right. Thank you.
As an extra into the debate, I do not allow him to play ANY online games, at all.
Soldato
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I don't have children yet, but I've always said that I won't be letting my children play 18 games until I feel they're ready for it. Kids are so savvy these days, and whilst at e.g. age 9 they would be fine driving around nicking cars on GTAV it wouldn't take them long to figure out how to beat people up, acquire weapons and go on mindless bloody killing rampages.
I just feel they should be able live as a child and actually have a childhood before they find out about violence, sex and drugs etc.
I just feel they should be able live as a child and actually have a childhood before they find out about violence, sex and drugs etc.
4 year old, gets to play Dying Light.
Only kidding, my limit with her is lego games and Minecraft and I'm usually playing alongside her
It'll probably be into the teens before she's allowed near an 18 cert game, but I remember playing games before they had age guidelines on them, it really depends on the child.
Only kidding, my limit with her is lego games and Minecraft and I'm usually playing alongside her
It'll probably be into the teens before she's allowed near an 18 cert game, but I remember playing games before they had age guidelines on them, it really depends on the child.
I must be a horrid parent my older 2 10 and 12 have free reign to play whatever games they want, although I do take a proactive approach to taking time to game with them and getting a lot of feedback about various scenarios in game why people act that way in real life its a great way to bond with your kids and I would bet a lot of people on here with kids the same ages as mine would be ruddy horrified to hear some of the things they talk about to their friends.
It galls me that parents think this way.
My Step kids, 9 and 11 play Call of Duty, on and offline and it bugs me that parents cave in to this at these ages. I said no when asked, but my partner gave in to the whines and the oh it's not bad, no blood blah blah.
Never mind they are pointing a high powered rifle at someone's head and thinking it is fun at a point in life where they could go either way.
May as well give them weed and booze and say they are mature enough to make up their own mind.
I don't think video games turn people into violent killers, but it does desensitise kids into thinking violence is nothing to worry about.
If they were my kids they could get a bit of leeway, maybe 2 years on the age ratings, but allowing an 11 yr old to play Call of Duty etc just seems insane to me, I told my partner as much.
There are plenty of "bad" games which are rated 15.
You can legally have sex at 16.
You can legally drink at 5.
0/3, poor effort.
GTA when you were 6 was a pixelated mess
Games these days are far more realistic.You seem to be completely downplaying the "graphics have improved" factor. They've improved phenomenally, which, while great for us mature gamers, means that games which were previously a 16 bit blob of coloured pixels are now almost photorealistic.
I'd say games are far worse than violent movies, in that they are interactive and actively encourage the player to "perform" violent actions, whereas movies are a passive experience where you watch someone else perform those actions.
I don't for a moment believe that violent games will turn you into a murderous psycho, but lets not forget that children learn by imitation, and if they're constantly seeing, and being encouraged to "perform" violent acts, it's going to have some influence.
My son is 3, and is already playing Minecraft, Lego games, and loves Goat Simulator, and certainly wont be playing any "unsuitable" games until he's at least 12+ (as far as I can control it!). However, my idea of "unsuitable" will probably differ substantially from the age ratings!
My kids are still too young to play any video games, but the above would be my thinking. I'm going to try and get them into something that's good for their brains like Starcraft, but I'm sure they'll think that's too boring and want to drive around shooting stuff instead.
Mine are young enough (6 and 4) that they haven't discovered more adult games or been encouraged to. I play a bit of mario kart and wii party type games with them and that is a fun thing to do occasionally. I certainly do not envisage them playing FPS any time soon.
I didn't have any restrictions growing up and probably wouldn't impose any either. I was 14 and my brother 17 when we went to buy GTA. Mum said that if my brother got asked for ID then she would get it later for us. We got home and installed it, played it and laughed the night away.
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I am sure you are going to go on a killing spree as result of this, sooner or later.
I have this problem with students in my classes, lots are currently watching breaking bad and are considerably underage, considering the fact that I find some aspects horrific I think that its uninformed parents who let them watch/play things like this. The age rating is there for a reason imho.
Nothing wrong with it at all so long as they understand that games are games and not excuses to become mass murderers etc etc as the media has stupid people believe.
Can't remember ever being told I couldn't play a game or watch a film because of an age sticker.
I think it's BETTER for you to know that your kid is playing/watching that stuff rather than them doing it being your back anyway. But that's me.
Can't remember ever being told I couldn't play a game or watch a film because of an age sticker.
I think it's BETTER for you to know that your kid is playing/watching that stuff rather than them doing it being your back anyway. But that's me.
The big concern for me isn't violence in games, it's gaming addiction.
It has effected my life and the lives of people very close to me. I see people saying games like Minecraft are ok, I've seen people waste entire days digging a hole in the ground, and for what? Games without stories I feel are much worse than games with them, there's no end to them, no point to put it down.
Thankfully my little one enjoys being outside or reading much more than gaming
It has effected my life and the lives of people very close to me. I see people saying games like Minecraft are ok, I've seen people waste entire days digging a hole in the ground, and for what? Games without stories I feel are much worse than games with them, there's no end to them, no point to put it down.
Thankfully my little one enjoys being outside or reading much more than gaming