Parents and Games

[Modeps]

My buddy and I were at a Gamestop so he could pick up Katamari Damacy and NBA2k5, there was a mother there with her 12 year old son, going through the games... he picked out, of course, GTA:VC. She's like "Dont you have that one already?" "No, I've got the other one!" "Ok, then get that one." They brought it up to the counter, the guy was like "Just so you know, this game is rated M... (noticed the woman blindly nodding and not caring) yadda yadda.. you already know this..." I wanted to curse at her kid, then when she got mad, say "if you think your kid is mature enough for GTA, then he can handle himself when he gets cursed at."

In your opinion, at what age is "old enough" to play M rated video games? I think 15 is alright, but not by much. Please post your age and your answer. Poll created for tally purposes.

 

[Modeps]

Age: 26
Answer: 15

Logic: I'd probably let my kids watch violent movies at 15 with supervision, although not having any kids, I cant tell for sure... Most M rated games are full of violence and some now with cussing, therefore, once screened, I'd give the go ahead.

 

[Malladine]

Age: 24
Answer: 17+

In addition, I actually don't think anyone under 18 should be playing games online, if I had to give a number.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Age: 26
Answer: 16

That number could be just a tad bit lower depending on the maturity of the child. On the other hand, I've seen kids that are 18-years old who have the maturity of someone who is 12.

 

[drag]

Depends. If a child is mature and is able to tell the difference between what is real and what is not.

But I figure 15 on average. Although it is probably a bad age seeing how your talking about grand theft auto and the kid would be learning how to drive pretty soon.

I know that Ridge Racer had a very noticably negative effect on my driving style in empty parking lots. And of course my dad didn't appreciate it one bit, seeing how the car's rims were so expensive....

So probably now that I think about it: They can buy it themselves when they are out of the house!

 

[rox015]

i think 16 is fine.

i'm 21

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Age: 22
Answer: 16

They get exposed to it anyways in high school by that age.

 

[Rottie]

Age 38

Volience games are for age 16+ and up. The rating system never show up when there were Doom 1 and Duke Em games came out.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Good question. I think it definitely depends on the kid. My parents let me watch violent movies when I was young (Aliens was my favorite movie when I was like 6). I was a smart kid though.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I used to watch all sorts of rated R horror movies when I was younger then 10. It's less of a maturity thing and more of a how is a kid going to react to it kind of thing. If the kid is one of the small number of people who will go out and start shooting people he probably shouldn't be playing violent video games or breathing air.

 

[skace]

Age: 23

Answer: I think it should be a judgement call between the parent and kid. You know your kid and you know how smart he/she is. If your kid is smart and understands that it is only a game, then what is the harm.

I remember watching Aliens and Poltergeist movies as a kid. I don't think violent games are any worse.

 

[DT4K]

Age: 33
Username definition: Dad To 4 Kids

I'm quite disturbed when I see parents that don't seem to care what their kids watch or play. I do think it depends on the kid and what the game is. But I don't see how playing a game which involves killing cops and innocent people, and finding prostitutes, can be a healthy thing for a kid. But violence comes in many forms. There is a big difference between something like GTA and something like Medal of Honor. Just as there is a big difference between the violence seen in a movie like Natural Born Killers versus the violence seen in movie like Aliens or Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I wouldn't really want my son playing GTA at all just because I think it's pretty sick. He's 9 now and he's allowed to play things like Jedi Knight. I'll probably let him play games like MOH or BF 1942 sometime in the next couple years.

 

[Nothinman]

Age: 26

Good question. I think it definitely depends on the kid.

Exactly, there's no way you can pick an age and say it's good for all kids.

 

[biostud]

I think I would play some with my kid to see if it affected him, and talk about it. I think they're old enough when they can differ between real life and the game. It's not only knowing the difference but also separating it emotionally. I saw Aliens when I was 6 and home alone with my sister, and woke three times durring the night because I had nightmares. I was definately not old enough to watch it, the same with games. But most of all I would ensure that my kid did other activities as well, as the amount of gaming also affect you psyche.

(voted 12)

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: DT4K
Age: 33
Username definition: Dad To 4 Kids

I'm quite disturbed when I see parents that don't seem to care what their kids watch or play. I do think it depends on the kid and what the game is. But I don't see how playing a game which involves killing cops and innocent people, and finding prostitutes, can be a healthy thing for a kid. But violence comes in many forms. There is a big difference between something like GTA and something like Medal of Honor. Just as there is a big difference between the violence seen in a movie like Natural Born Killers versus the violence seen in movie like Aliens or Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I wouldn't really want my son playing GTA at all just because I think it's pretty sick. He's 9 now and he's allowed to play things like Jedi Knight. I'll probably let him play games like MOH or BF 1942 sometime in the next couple years.

Agreed, I've got an 8 yr old. Although I'd let mine play MOH or BF 1942 now if he wanted. Although I don't have the games, I assume they're not much different than letting him watch an old WW2 movie. GTA is something completley different IMHO.

EDIT: I think GTA is more for college age peeps

Fern

 

[Modeps]

just fyi, BF1942 and MOH are rated T.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: Modeps
just fyi, BF1942 and MOH are rated T.

Yeah I know. My point was just that the violence in those games serves a differerent purpose than something like GTA and IMO is more acceptable. It is noble violence used to defeat an evil enemy. Far different from violence because it's fun and exciting to run over people. I haven't let my 9 year old play MOH, but I wouldn't be horrified at the thought of it.

So I guess I got off topic. I haven't played a lot of rated M games, but based on GTA, I'd say at least 16. It's not that I think violent games will turn my kids into serial killers or anything. It's just that I don't think it is particularly good for them. I do think there is the potential, with young children who are still learning how to deal with people and conflicts, that it could desensitize them and make them more prone to using aggression and violence to deal with their problems.

 

[TimboAA]

Age: 20
Age to play M games: Social age/maturity of a
normal 17 year old.

In other words...a 15 year old who is "mature for their age" would be "okay" to play one of these games. Just don't give me this crap that your 12 year old has the maturity of a 17 year old. There is no way they've had the life experiences of 17 years unless they are one in a million.

Of course...we all know most parents think that their children are the best at everything and fine little angels. A little violence won't turn OUR kids into the next Columbine scenario...right? (Although thats a completely different story)

I wasn't able to even rent rated R movies with my mom until I was 16...and that took some begging. Then when I saw a few rated R movies it was just like, "What's the big deal?"

My sister, however, started watching rated R movies in 8th grade....she got in trouble a few times...but nothing big...just an evil look from the mother and then it wore off.

My mother was never keen on violent games, especially FPS....even when I played a fantasy MMORPG called Asheron's Call she wasn't keen on the fantasy like violence. The game was rated T and was 14 or 15 at the time. My 13 year old brother however plays Counter-Strike all day long and my mother just shrugs it off now like its no big deal....i'll admit I got him hooked on it and did tell him he can't go around beating people up for the hell of it (or shooting/knifing/pwning in this case). He was introduced to violent video games earlier than i was and did some 'play fighting' around ages 8-10 that was influence by the games he played....it has since worn off...maybe has matured...maybe not. If I was a parent, I wouldn't go out and by the game for him.

It's kind of ironic I suppose...that I wasn't exposed to this violent rated R movies/ M games until an older age as the first child...but the last child gets exposed to it earlier...and although it is a concern, it gets shrugged off with thought in back of my mother's mind, "He's a good kid." Assuming he won't do anything or be influence by the game.

I think that the violent games & movies take more of an influential role in someone who's family structure is not as sound. Parents & older siblings are an overall influence/role model for kids... If they seperate the difference between game/movie & real-life, I think they should be okay. Like someone else said, it all depends on the kid.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Age : 17

Answer : 12-15

I really think it depends on the kid also. I've been playing M games since I dont know when but pretty early on and it didn't have any effects on me besides becoming a little desensitized but that probably happens to anyone who plays enough M games at any age.

 

[Zebo]

Age 33 dad w 3 boys

any age.

They know if they fusk up in real life I'll bring the hammer. At the same time I'm not into restricting entertainment. Pron is my only thing I try and block on router. But from the sounds of GTA I'd be blocking that too. never liked title so never purchased.

 

[Cawchy87]

Age 17

I would say ~Age 15 depending on the kid.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: TimboAA
In other words...a 15 year old who is "mature for their age" would be "okay" to play one of these games. Just don't give me this crap that your 12 year old has the maturity of a 17 year old. There is no way they've had the life experiences of 17 years unless they are one in a million.

You are right, a 12 year old most likely doesn't have the life experiences of a 17 year old. But I'm willing to say there are plenty of 12 year olds with the maturity of a 17 year old and many 17 year olds with the maturity of a 9 year old.

When I played Quake1, one of the kids I played with was 9 years old. He wrote maps. He was designing mods. One of the other people I played with was a 40 year old father and his wife. The fact is there is no 'age' to understand a game is just a game. It is just simple common sense that needs to be instilled. If your child has it, they should be ok playing a video game.

Ask yourself, at what age do you feel GTA would have caused you to go kill cops and run people over in real life.

 

[Davegod]

My age - 23

A number age isnt what's so important, its a mental maturity thing. That said, probably typically would be ~15, i.e. if they changed the law so the games were for 15+ but then actually enforced it well, i'd be fine with that (actually, would consider it better than current in about all respects, though would suck for those kids who have it figured out by age 12).

 

[Kishan]

Age: 18

I'll admit, I have seen some psycho, ignorant parents lately. They'll just control literally everything, internet, movies, games etc. I had no lock on my internet account growing up, and as a result I became more tech savvy. When I was younger, my dad and I would watch Robocop and such together, and that was pretty violent/curse filled. I don't think kids should be limited, unless it gets out of hand. However, my dad and I would play mario together, so its all in moderation.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Age: 22

Not until they have lived in the real world (no college isn't the real world).