Child would like unsuitable game for christmas HELP!

paddedjohn

Why are you even asking? Its rated 18 for a reason.
Would you take him the pub and get him pi**ed or let him smoke??

shellsuit

My son has it and is 14. He's had the others which have come out too, so has played these types of games at a younger age. Crikey, he was playing Doom when he was around the same age as the OPs son, because he knew it was only a game.

He gets plenty of fresh air too, playing Rugby for school and has played for a local footy team since he was 5

I wouldn't buy it for an 8yo, because there are some other cracking games out there for that age.

tizerbelle

Earlier this year, I asked for ideas for my nephew's 9th birthday and his mum said get him COD Modern Warfare :eek:

I refused to buy it. I told her it was unsuitable for him and that I would not feel comfortable buying it for him. As ever, she didn't understand it but there was no way I could with all conscience buy it for him.

Instead I bought two other games (a lego one and something else) both rated 7+ and he has really enjoyed them both.

kafkathecat

Pink Lipgloss, I have read some research on this too and didn't find any studies that showed a link between games and violence, although some claimed to. Children with free access to violent games and films often have much worse things happening in their lives. Boys have played war games as long as there has been war and these games seem to be an extension of that.
Saying that, I do think 8 is a little young and didn't allow ds them at that age, not logical reasoning just gut instinct.

skylight

jcr16 wrote: »

My hubby won't even play a 18 game when the kids are downstairs. children can pick up on things very easily.

I wish my EX had been like this. We were called into the school many moons ago asking why my then 7yo (shes now 16) was playing zombies and eating faces off friends at break-times. He still didn't get it even after that.

She is a realitvely well rounded teenager now with a dislike for anything bloody/zombie/horror etc (with the sole exception of Twilight, obviously....!)

Threebabes

My 15 yr old son has it and if he were 8, he wouldnt be playing on it.

bouncydog1

Have only seen the trailers and read the hype and no way in the world would I bow to peer pressure and let my child have it. If he is going to friend's houses where it is available then he wouldn't be going there any more.

Games and films are rated for a reason - many years ago I recall going to see the Exorcist when I was 15 (rated 18) - unable to sleep properly for weeks afterwards as I simply couldn't handle what I had seen. Who knows what images your son will retain in his brain if you let him play this game.

Jacks_xxx

I would be horrified at the very idea of a seven or eight year old playing an 18 rated game.

We don't fully understand the effects these games have on any of us and arguably children's minds are more impressionable and suggestible so whatever negative effects there may be - children will probably be more susceptible to them than adults.

It's our job as parents to protect our children against the marketers who encourage "pester power" and treat children as consumers with no thought for their well being.

sashadesade

Would you let him watch an 18-rated film? There's really no difference.
Too many people are of the opinion that it must be okay to let children play it because it's a computer game and that's a medium for children, same with comic books and animation - not at all true. I don't understand the argument that 'it's not real, so it's okay!', does this mean that it's okay to let your kid watch Hostel or Cannibal Holocaust because it's not real?

MiniMoo

My 10 year old asked us for it we told him point blank NO its far too violent and i did not need him to become nasty he has younger siblings.

He asked nanny, nanny asked what we had said when he asked us, he told her we said no, so Nanny bought it him 'as a treat' just to go against us, he's played it at nannies with his uncle and i feel it has helped make his temper worse.

Unfortunately nanny doesnt believe this so now we have had to stop visits and she has to come here.

Please dont buy this for a 8 yr old it might not have the same affect on your son but why chance it theres plenty of other great games out there.

I was the mean mom who just didnt understand he needed the game, but i wish nanny hadnt bought it him.

Moo x