Would you stop your children playing violent video games?

[Cowabungaa]

If they show they can't handle it maturely, then yes I would.

For example, I was always cool with my little sister watching me play violent games. But I'd quickly turn Gears of War off when my 2 little nephews walk in.

 

[tharglet]

At 16, he could be pretty much any level of maturity. Some 16 year olds will be fine and won't act silly, others will. It would matter which he is.
I wouldn't be surprised if he was buying the game to rebel against his parents.

Tbh I found the older AvP more "aggressive" than the new one. And sucked less - but that's a point for another thread. Tbh, I don't really get what the controversy was really about - it didn't really elicit much "wtf"s out of me, and I didn't feel as compelled to eat the spare humans as the older game.

 

[Woodsey]

AvP is rated 15 in Australia anyway, isn't it?

I'd never stop my kids from playing a game they were allowed to buy themselves, that's for sure.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

I wouldn't mind, violence would be encountered in all aspects of life. And by the time my child can grasp how to play games, he would know the difference between right and wrong.

 

[gamer_parent]

I have a daughter. She's 2.

So at this point, yes, I would stop her from playing violent video games. I'm sure that my stance will change as she gets older, but my reasoning for not wanting her to play violent games is far more than just afraid that she'll turn into a psychopathic killer. That argument was ridiculous to begin with, and I don't even know why we still prop up that strawman to argue against.

Fact of the matter is, long term exposure to violent media DOES have an effect on your behavior. (for example [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobo_doll_experiment]) Obviously there's a lot more to a child's behavior and development than just media exposure, but to deny that it has no effect would be outright lying to ourselves. As such, while I would never ask for a law to censor my content for me, I sure as hell will do so for my own kid. For how long is a different story. that will depend mostly on her.

 

[NotAPie]

Yes until they can tell the difference between real life and a video game.
That's what my mom did that is what I'm going to do.

 

[0bserv3]

A sixteen year old? let him play. If he gets scared, take the game off him. Otherwise he's pretty much as screwed up as he's gonna get.

 

[Beryl77]

If I had children, I surely wouldn't let my 5 year old son play a violent game, but I think with 16 he should be able to tell the difference between real life a game. I myself played 18 rated games when I was 13 or 14 and it didn't do any harm to me.

 

[SamFancyPants252]

Hell, I'd encourage it! Gamer respect, you know.

 

[VanityGirl]

Alright, here's the scoop of a woman, a gamer, and someone who is thinking of having kids.

At a young age (from 1-10) many kds are subject to the "monkey see monkey do" theory. I hate to say it, but kids may try to emulate violence they see. Even good parenting can't stop the kids from doing or SAYING something they've seen in a violent video games.
I've seen and heard stories of kids saying and doing things they've seen in movies and it's interesting to say the least.

Would I let my YOUNG child play violent games? Most likely, if it is a fighting game like Street Fighter, then yes. If it is a chainsawing, swear every 3 seconds game like Gears of War, than no.
It all comes down to judgement on a parents part. A game like Halo3, even though it has an M rating, would be ok in my eyes for a kid to play. I game like Modern Warfare 2, I might have to think twice about.

Oh and about argument of "games not being based in reality". Have you seen games lately? Games have changed graphically so much in just 10 years. The games I played were not nearly as impressive as games today. Some games are so lifelike that it would be hard to tell the difference. The "games not being based in reality" argument is weak anyways. When I was young, I knew power rangers wasn't real, but that didn't stop me from trying to be a power ranger. You can tell a kid "it's just make believe" but kids will still try to emulate what they see. One of the daycare kids tried being a dinosaur because he watched "The Land Before Time", clearly not based in reality, but the kid ran around trying to be a T-Rex anyways.

I'm honestly both surprised and a little taken back at how hypocritical some are. If a story about a 10 year old who only plays violent games comes up, you blame the parents for not controlling the child, yet you yourselves believe that letting your child play would be ok.


Be a good parent, when your kids are young, play the game or at least educate yourself on it. Too often parents buy M rated games for young kids then wonder why they hit or curse.
Always Always Always educate yourself.

 

[Hosker]

I played violent videogames at a young age and I turned out just fine............
So my kids can as well

 

[Lullabye]

No. My kids will be smart/mature enough to be able to handle it. If not, in to the furnace they go.

 

[The_Deleted]

AvP is rated 15 in Australia anyway, isn't it?

I'd never stop my kids from playing a game they were allowed to buy themselves, that's for sure.

Is that not handing over your responsibility as a parent to someone else.
Half the problem is parents conceding to whomever decides what is right or wrong and then getting up in arms when the content or context is not what they expected and are, themselves, morally or ethically against.

 

[Woodsey]

AvP is rated 15 in Australia anyway, isn't it?

I'd never stop my kids from playing a game they were allowed to buy themselves, that's for sure.

Is that not handing over your responsibility as a parent to someone else.
Half the problem is parents conceding to whomever decides what is right or wrong and then getting up in arms when the content or context is not what they expected and are, themselves, morally or ethically against.

No, that's saying "the law says you can buy this now, so I won't stop you". If they were younger then the age cert. then I'd tell them whether they could play it or not. I'd quite happily let a 12/13-year-old play a 15 for example.

It's the same as "the law says you can't have sex until your 16, but once you are 16 I won't try and stop you".

 

[Juk3n]

Alright, here's the scoop of a woman, a gamer, and someone who is thinking of having kids.

Even good parenting can't stop the kids from doing or SAYING something they've seen in a violent video games.

as a hardcore gamer who has a kid firmly in that age (7) i would have to disagree, wholeheartedly. I played ANY game i wanted from age 8, mybrother 8 years my junior) from age 4 played the ones i played (living in the same room, kinda hard not to) Now my son, plays the same games i do, and when he goes to stay with my mom for weekends, he plays the same games my brother does. He's 2 generations deep in marathon gaing sessions with every violent AAA game released since his birth. He's completed alot of them, and he KNOWS that that 'monkey see, monkey do' shit - DOES. NOT. FLY! Nor was my brother violent and nor was I.

Three examples all in the same family, all in the same household (more or less) whats the explaination to this lack or imitation violence?

Good Parenting. What else good it be with 3 generations of example?

 

[BabySinclair]

Depends on the rating (the game itself) and the age of my [imaginary] kid. The closer they are the less I'll care so long as they are mature about it. There will be some kidding around, I broke a tooth wrestling in a superman costume when I was nine without video games, just Power Rangers and DC/Marvel TV shows.

I'm not going to let them play over-the-top violent games until they reach the mental acuity to accept the difference between reality and the game world. That also includes less violent games until they near their teens. I'm an avid supporter of the ESRB (and their equivalents) for setting guidelines, much the same as the MPAA and movie ratings, the problem lies with the parents who ignore these guidelines.

 

[Geekosaurus]

No I wouldn't, but I'd take notice of the age ratings. Whenever I go into Gamestation I see parents buying a game like GTA for their winy seven year olds.