So there will be a lot of 10 yr olds playing GTA V today.

Dcully

So this game is out today,my 10 yr old son [11 next month] is just home from school saying all bar himself and 2 others in his class are getting this.
I just popped onto his xbox live account there now and indeed 5 or 6 of his class mates all on playing.
Ofcourse my lad is getting stick about not getting the game, the thing is the game is littered with adult content, the shooting and car chases etc i dont mind too much as he understands its not real but theres plenty of sexually suggestive content [amongst other content] in there that the wife and I are simply not comfortable with our son being exposed to.
I know all the parents of these kids and know they havent a clue whats involved in gaming let alone this particular game and seem to simply ignore the 18+ cert.
Sadly there will be a lot of 10 year olds playing this game for weeks/months to come.

Let me add that im an avid gamer myself, proud owner of a very high spec PC and and xbox 360.
I wont be getting the game myself as its not my cup of tea but im not one of these parents who thinks all games are dangerous etc etc [thats a whole other can of worms that i dont wich to go into], im fine with my son playing games in moderation.
He loves minecraft amongst others,away from his console he plays so many sports,trains or has matches 3/4 days a week.
In short i enjoy games as does my son.
I just think parents need to educate themselves a hell of a lot more with these things just like social media.
Far too many parents just turn a blind eye.

Im pretty sure im doing the right thing here,i understand i cannot protect my children from everything but at 10 years of age he is simply not ready.
Im not trying to start this whole gaming is bad for kids debate as i simply dont agree but im wondering will any of you parents be doing similar?

Stone Deaf 4evr

Hey dude at the end of the day, you're the parent, you make the rules. the advantage you have by being a gamer is that you're savvy to the content of these games. When i think back on the films and games I played as a kid, I reckon my parents would have freaked out if they knew the content. (kingpin, soldier of fortune etc. etc.)

Gaming isnt bad for kids, theres no debate there, everything in moderation and all that. but exposing a young mind to violent content, objectification of women etc isnt on.

i find the hardest thing about being a parent is laying down the law , aka being the ar$ehole. Still, its for their own good.

BTW, im still an avid gamer, been at it since the commodore 64, and still enjoy the escape that Call of Duty and the likes of GTA offer.

tinkerbell

You're dead right, Dcully - 10 years of age is way too young to play GTA, you can only protect your kid. Did his friends get the game? If so, maybe have a chat to the parents that you're not comfortable with your son playing if he's at a friends house.

Dcully

tinkerbell wrote: »

You're dead right, Dcully - 10 years of age is way too young to play GTA, you can only protect your kid. Did his friends get the game? If so, maybe have a chat to the parents that you're not comfortable with your son playing if he's at a friends house.

Ive just checked his xbox live account and 7 of his classmates are playing it right now as i type.
Thats not including those that dont have xbox live.
I wouldnt dream of mentioning it to parents, ive learned parents can be so funny about such things and before you know it people are offended.
I mean do these parents not know what their kids are playing?

freshpopcorn

Some parents do know that these games are not age appropriate for their children but they don't care as long as the kids know it's not real and there not meant to copy it/act it out in really life.

Dcully

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Some parents do know that these games are not age appropriate for their children but they don't care as long as the kids know it's not real and there not meant to copy it/act it out in really life.

I have made that point already about not acting it out and knowing its not real etc but the sexually explicit content is another matter.
Talk of porno stars and pornography over the car radio,strip clubs,mother f ***er here there and everywhere, reference to oral sex,the list goes on and on.

Trust me ive done my research, I watched some live streams of the game lastnight on twitch to tv just to be sure on the issue.

Its one thing kids knowing to not act stuff out but its entirely different for a 10 year old to be viewing/listening/playing anything of that nature just cannot be right.

CrazyRabbit

Ya know he'll just play it at their house if visiting. And it'll be completely unsupervised.

I'm not saying you should let him play it, but it might be harder to prevent him being exposed to it than you think.

TireeTerror

You should be proud of standing your ground. My dad was a nightmare growing up, I couldnt watch 15 cert movies until I was 15!! I had to go round to mates houses to watch them. The content in GTA is on a whole different level altogether though. Any parents allowing 10 year olds to play it should be reported for the welfare of their children.

smemon

what does his mother think about it? 10/11 is too young imo... doesn't matter who they are or how mature they are.

Dcully

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Ya know he'll just play it at their house if visiting. And it'll be completely unsupervised.

I'm not saying you should let him play it, but it might be harder to prevent him being exposed to it than you think.

Lets just say from past experience hes walked away from something similar.
Im not saying hes a saint but he knows when his parents say to avoid something its for his own good and so far hes obliged on every occasion,i know that wont last forever but for a 10 year old it will do for now until hes of an age to make up his own mind.

Where we live he needs to travel to friends and vice versa so its always planned visits.

MillerIE

Strict parents make sneaky kids

He will play it regardless, but im not saying what youre doing is wrong, 10 is too young, but some parents can be ridiculous with this stuff

Dcully

TireeTerror wrote: »

You should be proud of standing your ground. My dad was a nightmare growing up, I couldnt watch 15 cert movies until I was 15!! I had to go round to mates houses to watch them. The content in GTA is on a whole different level altogether though. Any parents allowing 10 year olds to play it should be reported for the welfare of their children.

Id just like to add we are not over protective parents not saying you suggested we are , we [myself my wife and 10 year old boy] regularly sit down when our youngest goes to bed and watch some tv series,stuff like person of interest which might contain mild voilence,gun fighting etc.
As you say GTA V is a whole different level.

Dcully

MillerIE wrote: »

Strict parents make sneaky kids

He will play it regardless of what you say, but im not saying what youre doing is wrong, but some parents can be ridiculous with this stuff

I dont see it as being strict at all,im just not comfortable with him being exposed to all the sexually suggestive and sexual talk/content at 10 years of age.
Im well aware he will hear it all in the playground at school etc but thats different than it being played out in a virtual world on his console.
The guns and car chases/crashes dont bother me too much as ive already said,thats no worse than what hes seen on TV.

0ph0rce0

Bah he's 10, he knows all about chicks, dicks, fanny, blowjobs, **** this **** that **** you.

I don't think not letting him play a game is going to change anything. He hears worse in school i'll bet.

hoodwinked

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Bah he's 10, he knows all about chicks, dicks, fanny, blowjobs, **** this **** that **** you.

I don't think not letting him play a game is going to change anything. He hears worse in school i'll bet.

i disagree, i know some 10 year olds do, but not all, how do you know the op's son isn't one of those who are blissfully unaware?


i know an 8 year old who is across the road right now and playing this game, i also know he smokes because he often asked us for cigarettes and is seen in the trees smoking them,

he also drinks alcohol his mother leaves lying around,

that doesn't mean all 8 year olds drink and smoke, or even know how to or know about alcohol and cigarettes, some do some don't.

TireeTerror

At 10 years old I didnt know ANYTHING about this kind of thing. Thats the way it should be. Plenty of time for murders, robberies, porn when kids get older!

implausible

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Bah he's 10, he knows all about chicks, dicks, fanny, blowjobs, **** this **** that **** you.

I don't think not letting him play a game is going to change anything. He hears worse in school i'll bet.

You see, that's the issue. He may well know all those words and what some of them mean, but that does not mean that he knows all about them. Don't confuse using phrases like that with actual knowledge.

They will hear those terms from other content and at some stage grow curious about it. The objectification of women from games like this is something that sinks into the psyche of young lads in a very insidious way e.g. they learn the words "ho" and "bitch" as a synonym for women, not as an offensive term. GTA V is a world where this language is pervasive and prostitutes are commonplace and to a kid at an awkward age when they may or may not be aware of or interested in sex and who is encountering this stuff for the first time, it can seem normal. You hear anything enough times and it you become desensitised to it.

Dcully

implausible wrote: »

You see, that's the issue. He may well know all those words and what some of them mean, but that does not mean that he knows all about them. Don't confuse using phrases like that with actual knowledge.

They will hear those terms from other content and at some stage grow curious about it. The objectification of women from games like this is something that sinks into the psyche of young lads in a very insidious way e.g. they learn the words "ho" and "bitch" as a synonym for women, not as an offensive term. GTA V is a world where this language is pervasive and prostitutes are commonplace and to a kid at an awkward age when they may or may not be aware of or interested in sex and who is encountering this stuff for the first time, it can seem normal. You hear anything enough times and it you become desensitised to it.

Couldnt have said it better myself.

johnzer6889

I find this topic very interesting! I started playing GTA when I was a lot younger! I'm 15 now, my brothers and sisters all played it, it was a favourite game for us. All my brothers and sisters are all in university now, I don't think it had any affect on us at all, we were outdoors children, we were only aloud to play it, when it was raining ha! However, I think nobody should be aloud to play minecraft, my friends have got the game now and they're all sado's that don't come out anymore! I refuse to go near it!

Allyall

I'm "in charge" of what my Nephew can and cannot play, as his mother doesn't have a clue, and his Father is not around.

He has asked for most of the GTA's so far, and is nagging for this one, the big hype about it etc.. makes it more desireable.
He's 14 and tbh, i'm a bit conflicted about him getting it. I don't think he should have it, but like your Son, many of his friends have it.

Some may say i am being too careful, as he will see it in his friends anyway, and he's 14.
But no way would he have got it a year ago, and he may not still.

Curious also as to what others think. Would you let a 14 year old own this game?

Unrelated - but i saw it when i was looking up game content.
(And no, i am not blaming the game for this.)

Man stabbed and robbed in London of Grand Theft Auto game

A man was hit with a brick and stabbed before being robbed of the much awaited Grand Theft Auto V video game in north London.
The 23-year-old was returning home from shopping when he was attacked in Colindale at 01:20 BST, police said.
The video game by RockStar Games was officially launched at midnight.
The victim, who is in a stable condition in hospital, was also robbed of a watch and a mobile.

CrazyRabbit

At 14, I'd be seriously surprised if he's going to see or hear anything new in the game. 14 now is not like 14 when we were that age. They are a lot more clued in on stuff we hadn't even thought about.

So long as they can tell the difference between pure fantasy and the real world, and he's not an immature 14 year old, I wouldn't have a problem it.

Of course there is the whole argument that GTA games aren't suitable for anyone of any age!

clairefontaine

Lets see. You know the weird thing is, if a parent exposed their own child to this content directly via conversation, they'd be accused of covert incest.

He's ten years old. You know him best, don't be afraid to be the bad guy, even if he hates you for it.

I wouldn't want that content in my home myself. And I wouldn't endorse a child of mine playing it. So it depends on your own values and the values you want him to have.

Allyall

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

At 14, I'd be seriously surprised if he's going to see or hear anything new in the game. 14 now is not like 14 when we were that age. They are a lot more clued in on stuff we hadn't even thought about.
So long as he's not an immature 14 year old, I wouldn't have a problem it.
Of course there is the whole argument that GTA games aren't suitable for anyone of any age!

He's not immature, but he's not wild, or into other things a lot of his age are, and i like that. I hope that is because he was prevented from seeing certain things. He's aware of things, i know that. He does play other over 18 games, but GTA is a bit much, unnecessary.
I know some kids his age are smoking and starting to drink, who, unfortunately he looks up to a little.

clairefontaine wrote: »

Lets see. You know the weird thing is, if a parent exposed their own child to this content directly via conversation, they'd be accused of covert incest.
I wouldn't want that content in my home myself. And I wouldn't endorse a child of mine playing it. So it depends on your own values and the values you want him to have.

I know this post was directed at the OP, but i find it applies to all kids.

I wouldn't want to bring porn, for example, into the house so my kid could see it, and he (my nephew) is no different.
If i did, that would be weird, amongst other things. I can't see GTA as any different. I don't see how realistic graphics imitating the seedier parts of real life is healthy.

I am leaning more towards, 'no', he's still not getting it.

pwurple

clairefontaine wrote: »

Lets see. You know the weird thing is, if a parent exposed their own child to this content directly via conversation, they'd be accused of covert incest.

+1
Sitting children down in front of porn or horrors is abuse in my mind. I love the GTA games myself , I find them very funny and hugely entertaining. I have a couple of the previous ones, including the original very blocky one from 1997. Still not suitable for a child though. Whether it is that they get desensitised, or that children's minds are still quite literal at that age, either way, it's not good for them.

I still think of that Jamie Bulger murder when I hear about 10 year olds exposed to over 18's content. Those two ten year olds had been exposed to adult rated content, it formed part of the murder, and part of the trial.

clairefontaine

Food for thought.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/09/grand-theft-auto-v-how-evil-should-a-video-game-allow-you-to-be.html?utm_source=tny&utm_campaign=generalsocial&utm_medium=facebook

After reading this, ten years old? No way.

TheBrewMeister

As much as we try to deny it. As much as we hide it; try to wash it off and cover it with perfume. As much as we try to create laws to banish it. The fact remains - We. Are. Animals.

We are carnivorous, murderous and sexual creatures with a taste for blood so ravenous, so deeply imbibed into every stitch of our DNA that 10,000 years of evolution couldn't erase it.

Sex and violence are a part of the human existence. The more you try to shelter your children from it, the more susceptible they are to it.

Just like drugs and alcohol, the best thing to do is maintain an open communication about it. Talk to them, explain - more than once - that this is fiction. This is unacceptable human behaviour. There are no consequences in a video game, but in real life there are dire consequences to these types of actions.

It has been my life-long observance that the more you try to shelter your children from the "evils" of life, the more they will seek them out. As a previous poster said - strict parents make sneaky kids.

Just my $2 (worth $.02)

pwurple

In real life there are dire consequences to these types of actions.

There are consequences in the game too... if you go around killing everyone the police come for you fairly rapidly and the game ends. That's one of the things about GTA which I love, it has its own (wacky) karmic laws.

Still wouldn't say its suitable for a ten year old. Secondary school at the very least, and at that only with supervision.

strict parents make sneaky kids.

I don't think it's strict in any sense of the word to avoid showing pornography and other grown up content to small children.

Just my $2 (worth $.02)

Wrong currency mate.

TheBrewMeister

pwurple wrote: »

Wrong currency mate.

I'm American. And it's intended to be a joke - the dollar is REALLY weak so even the $.02 isn't even worth $.02

Jokes aren't as funny if you have to explain them...

SirDelboy18

Think when Vice City or GTA3 came out I was around that age and my parents wouldn't let me get it. To be perfectly honest I was annoyed at the time that they didn't get it for me and all these years later I still don't see why they didn't.

What actually happened is that I was allowed rent it a couple of times and I ended up beating it. I don't think that playing it at a young age had any impact on me at all.

He is going to be exposed to this, either at a friends house or whatever. It's a guarantee - I don't think that you putting the foot down will prevent him from playing this game at all.

But as was said, you know your child best, so the decision rests with you.

Tigress

I stood my ground on this one years ago on older brother 16 now and he doesn't want it he's just back from Eur Gaming in London.

He cant have it anyhow as brother 12 and 8 in the house. I can just about handle the war games but GTA is a no no.

I don't care what others have. They could play it there though if the were there @ friends (my 12 and 16) but not in our home. anyhow Minecraft was their thing for a while I dont mind as long as they have out of home hobbies.

TireeTerror

johnzer6889 wrote: »

I find this topic very interesting! I started playing GTA when I was a lot younger! I'm 15 now, my brothers and sisters all played it, it was a favourite game for us. All my brothers and sisters are all in university now, I don't think it had any affect on us at all, we were outdoors children, we were only aloud to play it, when it was raining ha! However, I think nobody should be aloud to play minecraft, my friends have got the game now and they're all sado's that don't come out anymore! I refuse to go near it!

You would be better of doing some study instead of gaming if you are spelling like this at 15!

implausible

TireeTerror wrote: »

You would be better off doing some study instead of gaming if you are spelling like this at 15!

fyp

Sleepy

MillerIE wrote: »

Strict parents make sneaky kids

That's true to an extent but when those sneaky kids become parents themselves, they know every trick in the book.

I was never an angel as a kid, but rarely got caught.

r3nu4l

Dcully wrote: »

Im pretty sure im doing the right thing here,i understand i cannot protect my children from everything but at 10 years of age he is simply not ready.
Im not trying to start this whole gaming is bad for kids debate as i simply dont agree but im wondering will any of you parents be doing similar?

I'm an avid gamer myself and a fan of GTA and totally agree with your stance. Fair play to you for being a decent parent!

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Bah he's 10, he knows all about chicks, dicks, fanny, blowjobs, **** this **** that **** you.

I don't think not letting him play a game is going to change anything. He hears worse in school i'll bet.

implausible wrote: »

You see, that's the issue. He may well know all those words and what some of them mean, but that does not mean that he knows all about them. Don't confuse using phrases like that with actual knowledge.

They will hear those terms from other content and at some stage grow curious about it. The objectification of women from games like this is something that sinks into the psyche of young lads in a very insidious way e.g. they learn the words "ho" and "bitch" as a synonym for women, not as an offensive term. GTA V is a world where this language is pervasive and prostitutes are commonplace and to a kid at an awkward age when they may or may not be aware of or interested in sex and who is encountering this stuff for the first time, it can seem normal. You hear anything enough times and it you become desensitised to it.

Very well said implausible. Excellent.

I'm a fan of GTA, it portrays the 'seedy underbelly' of urban America very well and as an entertainment product, just like a movie, it even hypes and in some ways glamorises the activities within.

However, I'm an adult who is relatively well-adjusted and I completely understand that referring to a woman as 'bitch' or 'ho' is just wrong and corrupt! It's disgusting. I understand that women are not commodities.

My adult brain knows and understands this. A 10 year old brain is very different and while they understand it's a game, they also think that repetition of some of the language and the 'lifestyle' portrayed in the game is cool and tough and exotic.

Unfortunately a lot of parents are not seeing the game being played by their kids or think that because it looks 'cartoony' that it somehow won't have any effect on the kid. I'm not so sure. I think it just reinforces things that they are picking up from music videos (Robin Thicke anyone? :mad:) and other imagery.

All that said, I'm a fan of GTA simply because I can take the portrayals in the game and put them completely in context. It's an adult game, kids simply shouldn't be playing it imo.

Dcully

Well folks ive stuck to my guns despite seeing so many of his friends playing it.
He has been very good about it,im so proud of him.
It was his birthday yesterday 11 now, party this evening with his mates in local gaa hall and astro turf.
He informed me lastnight his two cousins are playing it now 9 and 12 which seems to have made it hurt more.
Ive seen atleast 8 of his class mates playing it on his xbox friends list,all of whom are nice young lads and will attend his party this evening.

Allyall

My Nephew didn't get it either, despite people saying that 14 was plenty old.
He since downloaded the Battlefield 4 beta demo, and hasn't breathed a word about GTA V since.
After I posted here I was very conflicted, and was leaning toward him getting it. But as mentioned, it never became an issue.

Sir Gallagher

hoodwinked wrote: »

i disagree, i know some 10 year olds do, but not all, how do you know the op's son isn't one of those who are blissfully unaware?


i know an 8 year old who is across the road right now and playing this game, i also know he smokes because he often asked us for cigarettes and is seen in the trees smoking them,

he also drinks alcohol his mother leaves lying around,

that doesn't mean all 8 year olds drink and smoke, or even know how to or know about alcohol and cigarettes, some do some don't.

That kid sounds like a fckin badass.

r3nu4l

Fair play for sticking to your stance. It must be hard on him but in the long run you're right, he's far too young to play it.

I sometimes wish there were two versions of some of the games out there, the 18+ version and a PG version

Gerry T

My son is 12 (13 in march) and he's looking for GTA for Christmas, hard saying no as a load of his friends play it. But that doesn't make it right. So after looking at what people say I think he's 2 young and its more important I'm a dad than a friend. So it's going to be a no this yr. ANyway I would prefer if he learn't to think for himself and not be one of the crowd

byhookorbycrook

Many 10 years olds still believe in the Man in Red. It's 18s for a reason. Think of it this way, would you be happy to see children play this in school?

clairefontaine

It baffles me why an over 18 ratings game is on sale in Toys R US.

http://www.toysrus.co.uk/index.jsf?fh_eds=%EF%BF%BD&fh_view_size=10&fh_start_index=0&fh_location=%2f%2ftrus%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C%7btrus_trus%7d%2fitemtype%3dproduct%2f%24s%3dgrand%5cu0020theft%5cu0020auto&media=web

I wrote a letter of complaint to them.

"The comments come from Lazlow, recognizable to Grand Theft Auto fans as the franchise's long-suffering radio DJ: "Our games are not designed for young people. If you're a parent and buy one of our games for your child you're a terrible parent. We design games for adults because we're adults."
http://www.destructoid.com/rockstar-terrible-parents-buy-gta-for-children-174229.phtml

There is always this....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/pqube-Atari-Flashback-3-Console/dp/B005HGDPCM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385931255&sr=8-2&keywords=atari+flashback+4