Why do some parents let kids play 18+ games on Xbox?

[Ripeberry]

Almost had an argument with someone on Facebook about this. But truly...WHY? Don't these parents actually know what goes on? In the latest game (that I know of) in Call of Duty 2, the player has the option of killing unarmed civilians in an airport. Why do people think this is acceptable but if the 'soldier' was shooting up puppies and kittens there would be an outcry.
I know people who let their 7 or 8yr olds play these games just because their friends do. The parents say that their kids are 'emotionally mature'
I don't think so and it just stores up trouble for the teenage years when the hormones are going wild and they don't know how to deal with a scary situation.
That's my two pennies worth and I just think the world of entertainment has got it very wrong and it's mass child abuse.
It cheapens life!
Discuss...

[MrsP2C]

I hear you and add to that unsuitable films. I'm staggered at the number of children (mainly boys) who age 6 have seen James Bond, all the Harry Potter films, Batman etc. It's scary isn't it?

[Tazmin68]

Hi

I had this as an issue about 3 years ago when a child brought his ds during holidays with grand theft auto china wars. After that I introduced a no games from home policy. My boys had a Xbox between them for christmas and the oldest is now grumbling that he cannot play against his friends on live when they are playing black ops. He is 10 I have explained that he will have to wait until they are playing minecraft and play with them then and no way is he playing black ops. Had to laugh had to contact Xbox and they talked me through setting up system with parent controls etc and they told me if three free download games we could play and despite them knowing how old my boys are they still tried to promote one that was 18 walking the dead.

[FussyElmo]

Ok Im going to ask a question how many of us have a wii and let the younger children play on it? When the console came out it was rated age 7 and some of the games that go with it like will spots and wii sports resort are age 7.

I assess each game on its own merits and look at them and then make the decision. So for example my 5 yo loves the game transformer prime but its aged 7 so should he not play on it but he watchs the cartoon. The same 5yo cannot play on shooting games as they are not acceptable for his age.

My dh wants the game devil may cry now thatwill be another game he cannot play when any of the children are about.

Just to point out none of my children are allowed to play 18 games but I do allow the 12yo to play on some 15 games after they have been vetted by me and dh :thumbsup:

[FussyElmo]

Ok Im going to ask a question how many of us have a wii and let the younger children play on it? When the console came out it was rated age 7 and some of the games that go with it like will spots and wii sports resort are age 7.

I assess each game on its own merits and look at them and then make the decision. So for example my 5 yo loves the game transformer prime but its aged 7 so should he not play on it but he watchs the cartoon. The same 5yo cannot play on shooting games as they are not acceptable for his age.

My dh wants the game devil may cry now thatwill be another game he cannot play when any of the children are about.

Just to point out none of my children are allowed to play 18 games but I do allow the 12yo to play on some 15 games after they have been vetted by me and dh :thumbsup:

[jadavi]

I like carnival wii game (hand eye coordination funfair stuff) and an iq game one with tests and Marhs puzzles. Olympic sports is ok too

[Roseolivia]

I have an xbox kinect for the kids to play on but none of the games have shooting/fighting etc.... We have carnival, sports, zumba, Disneyland, Adventures.

[FussyElmo]

I have an xbox kinect for the kids to play on but none of the games have shooting/fighting etc.... We have carnival, sports, zumba, Disneyland, Adventures.

Kinect sports is a 12 rating. This is the grey area on games. There is absolutely nothing wrong with kinect sports in fact its a really good game for getting the childrenmoving etc. Now my nearly 12 yo has a game which is 12 on the box but 18 for downloadable content :rolleyes:

Think the ratings do need a look at. This is why I decide the suitability of a game not the age rating :thumbsup:

[lynncjt]

I let the children use the Wii but only 3+ games as it's in the play room and the little ones could be around as well.

[Ripeberry]

But its the games where you shoot people and the screen gets covered in 'blood' .
Some people let their young kids play this for hours on end. They know its a game but what is it doing to their emotional maturity?

[FussyElmo]

But its the games where you shoot people and the screen gets covered in 'blood' .
Some people let their young kids play this for hours on end. They know its a game but what is it doing to their emotional maturity?

Totally agree with you I hate the games hate the fact my dh plays them.

But I do think the age rating needs to be changed I would happily let ds 5 play on a 12 game like kinect sports which is classed as 7 years too old. But I object to my 12 yo ds playing on some age 15 games.

Thats why I dont use the age rating as a guide to them playing but I decided the suitability of them.

[QualityCare]

My boys have been brought up to know right from wrong we listened to the news and saw wars killings shootings muggings daily it was explained to them that this was unacceptable behaviour, they were taught that gangs wern't clever and to have a mixture of friends, they played toy soldiers when they were little this nearly always involved bang your dead but they had the imagination to know it was a game. They have an x-box they played appropriate age related games, as they got more mature games were assessed (like fussyelmo) they sometimes had games (when they were 12/13 yrs) rated 15yrs not 18yrs, but they knew and understood they were games not real life, l think a lot has to do with the childs home life if they are brought up to believe hitting back, bullying etc is normal ie "so and so hit me" "well go and hit him back harder" then the attitude to the game is the same. Having said that minded children are not allowed to use the x-box we have an old game cube with mario cart games which an 8yr old is allowed to play during the school holidays if either of my sons is home 18 and 19yrs, and yes they will both play with him, he is also allowed to watch if they are playing fifa on the x-box he doesn't ask to play with them even though he is football mad. I do agree that young children should have age appropriate games but l don't agree with the children using games consoles at my house, the 8yr old only comes very occasionally in the school holidays, and as l have no other older children l don't mind the odd game but if l had more older children it would not be used. Just another moan my friends grandson 28mths was given a tablet for christmas which he carries around and sits using all the time.

[Joda]

My 11 year olds play on games suitable for 12 year olds (we haven't got an XBox, just a wii), but I certainly wouldn't let them play on anything 'older'. However, I'm amazed that they come home saying how many of the kids in their class play on '18' games on the XBox etc. It's the same with Facebook - most of their class seem to have a FB account - and have done for a while (even the kids whose parents I consider 'sensible' lol).
I'm not sure what the effects will be of young children playing/watching these games etc but it will be interesting to see how they grow up and what they are like in 10/20 years time.