COD

Liberalbrehon

Call of Duty is an older teenage game with lots of killing. It can be played on xbox with other kids online. This game is rated for a reason yet my ten year is being excluded because I don't allow him to play this game or related types of games. I believe they do subconscious damage to such a young developing mind. The other kids from 9yrs old up some from educated parents I would have expected more from. Anyway he is starting to complain that other kids are doing it so why can't I?
I'm putting foot down on it but it's difficult when other parents are so naive about exposing a young mind to such violence. The mind can't tell what is real or imaginary. It would really help if parents copped on and stopped exposing kids to these games. There are other suitable games but already some are desensitized to violent acts.
What do you think? Am I being a prud or responsible? I feel/know the latter. If you expose your kids to these games what possible rational is going on inside your head?

Will I Amnt

You are being responsible. A lot of parents seem to have an attitude of "oh, it's only a video game" and that video games are for teenagers, you even mention yourself it's a game for teenagers, it has an 18's certificate for a reason, do these other parents allow their kids watch 18 cert movies?

While it's far from being the worst game they could be playing and there's nothing in it a 15/16 yr old wouldn't have already seen it's certainly not suitable for 9yr olds.
There's a website called common sense media that will give you a breakdown of any game or movie with a rating out of 5 for various things such as violence, drug use, sex etc. and let you know if it's suitable for kids.

cletus van damme

you are the parent and you do what you feel is right.

However my son has played COD since he was 9 , I play the game myself and I think the violence is comic book and not graphic.

However I limit the play to the online multi player rather than the missions itself as some of the subject matter in the missions can be adult.

I think the multi player is fine for him - it's just a bunch of guys running about shooting each other.

But only you can make your decision for your child and don't let anybody try undermine that.

CrazyRabbit

It's really not all that different than running around shooting friends with Nerf guns. A child at that age would have to be of really low intelligence to have difficulty telling the difference between fantasy make believe and reality when it comes to these games.

In my life I've played countless hours of violent video games (well into the tens of thousands). I am not a violent person. I've never beat anyone up or tried to kill anyone.
They're just games. These are not the things that turn people into crazy nut cases. They're just easy to use as an excuse by people too ignorant to know any better.

You're worried about causing damage to your son. Well, making him the odd one out and feeling socially excluded is going to do a lot more harm.

Let him play. If you noticed he becomes more aggressive or if it interferes with school/homework/outdoor activities then you can stop him playing then, but it's extremely unlikely.

Also...sit with him as he plays for a while. Show some interest. That way you can talk about anything disturbing that you see/hear in the game and make sure that he knows to come to you if anything bothers him during any of these games. Better this than he plays in secret at his friends house.

inocybe

I held out until son was 13 - the language bothered me more than the game content tbh. Most of the kids he plays with sound a lot younger, doubt there are any 18 year olds left on the game.

PauloMN

Found this thread while searching for same, my boy is 13 and I've held off on 18s games for as long as I can with him. He plays 16s games, which I've checked and they are ok for him, but am nervous about the 18s ones. I think it's a case of taking them game by game and checking the content. I'm not allowing GTA under any circumstances as I just don't think the content is suitable at all (he's not interested in it anyway), but the COD ones are the ones he really wants to play. Has a bunch of the 16s ones, but the newer ones seem to be 18s.

Real balancing act, want to do the right thing by them and try to shield them from stuff as long as possible, but at the same time I don't want him to be the only one who can't play certain games with his pals.