Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that 8 years is too young to be playing Modern Warfare3 games?

149 replies

funnyperson · 29/01/2012 01:13

An 8 year old proudly told me he loved playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. His mum said he had all the others and had been give 4 other war computer games by doting relatives for Christmas. I looked it up - the games are rated 18 and might cause upset and distress.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-16745015
aibu to think that wargames have got out of hand for children?

OP posts:
sozzledchops · 30/01/2012 08:04

These is a thought that as children's brains are still developing, these is a worry that these kind of computer games can affect this development. There are articles on it maybe try and link some.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 08:39

My DS took an interest in my COD games when he was about 8. After a while he took over my PC :( He is 11 yr now and is in the middle of the latest COD game that was released before Christmas.

And no, we are not one of those families that don't supervise their kids etc etc. We keep him away from videos that have sex or gratutitous violence like certain 'slasher' movies.

As a previous poster said, kids vary in terms of maturity and I, as a parent, make certain decisions based on DC's maturity.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 08:43

sozzledchops - I know I don't have as many degrees as the 'experts' that conduct these studies but often they take kids who, how can I put this politely?, come from less than desirable families? and then conclude that COD & Co have make them problem children.

altinkum · 30/01/2012 08:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 09:22

"we dont have war things in the house"

To each, his own I guess. We got box standard toy guns to battery powered Nerf guns (fires soft foam projectiles) in our house. For his 10th birthday we took DS and a bunch of mates to play a form of Paintball except the guns fire laser beams and when it hits the sensor on your hat it deactivates your gun for 15 seconds. 3 hits and you are 'dead'. Two hours of running around a forest rescuing a downed pilot from enemy forces etc. It was a fun day had by a bunch of well adjusted and polite boys from 'good' families :)

pigsinmud · 30/01/2012 09:45

Too young imo. I won't let my 11 year old ds2 (yr7) have these games. My ds1(13) is in year 9 and he doesn't like modern war games - he does have Skyrim (medieval adventure with swords!) which is a 15 and I rather enjoy that game too Blush

I can't stand the swearing on those games and also some of the film scenes are so violent and graphic. I have seen them as my dad likes these games!

sozzledchops · 30/01/2012 14:38

Pushy dad - why the sad face? You make it sound like you are sorry it happened and he took over your computer and games when he was 8, as though you didn't have a choice. If you weren't happy about it as you seem to infer why didn't you just say no?

And the articles I'm talking about is more to do with the chemistry of a young developing brain, not sure if their studies have anything to do with the child's background but just how young brains develop.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 14:47

I didn't really expect anyone to seriously analyse the sad face. It was a light hearted addition as opposed to anything meaningful.

I've ready similar articles about chemicals in the brain and I don't doubt that if you were to measure the whatever of a child playing football or playing a musical instrument he really enjoys or even driving a bumper car at the fair you will see similar heightened levels.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 14:57

Caring nurturing parents appear to shun violent games. I suspect that other not so nuturing parents have no problems with their DC playing violent games. I suggest that these children don't have problems because of violent computer games but because they live in households where the parents don't have an issue with swearing or perhaps mild violence like slapping a child.

The problem child isn't a problem child becuase of PC games. He is a problem child because he is from a family that sees nothing wrong with a child playing violent computer games. I of course exempt myself from the generalisation :)

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 21:54

If Coca Cola want you to drink Coke, they show you a bottle of Coke. Advertising works. I don't understand why people can't see that showing violence, on a daily basis, to children is not a good idea. They don't need to play these games, there is no real upside so why let children see violence as part of their daily life?

And, PushyDad, researchers aren't idiots that just make up studies. They know about confounding variables (for example a 'bad' home) and the like. They study quite hard to understand statistics. Please don't criticize research without having a proper understanding of it. If you actually read the research (not the media summation of it) researchers are aware of the limitations of their work.

hatesponge · 30/01/2012 22:20

Every time I see one of these threads I tell myself I'm not going to post on it. Then inevitably I start reading and halfway through the usual sanctimonious bullshit about how it's only shitty neglectful parents who damage the brains of their DC with the vileness of computer games etc, and I literally can't stop myself.

My DC play COD, MW3 and all other sorts of war type games on Xbox. They also play stuff like Fifa/Pro-Evo, Sonic, Lego Star Wars et al. They are 13 and 10 but have been playing for the last couple of years, so since Ds2 was 8. It's one of many games they play. And gaming is in turn one of many things they like to do. Take my word for it they are very normal, polite, kind boys. DS2 accompanied me to a party on Saturday and every person there (none of whom have children, so are quite intolerant of them and any poor behaviour!) commented on what a lovely boy he was.

FWIW, where I live in a fairly expensive London suburb, it is very unusual for a boy of DS2's age not to play at least one of these games - all the boys who have Xbox or PS3 (all bar a handful of DS2's year) play them. This seems to be one of the areas where the 'majority view' on MN is out of step with the RL majority, certainly where I live.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 22:30

The Royal Family regularly go out and serious f-up harmless birds with birdshot. I bet you the jewels on Lizzie's head that Prince Philip never went near a COD game when he was a kid.
Yes, I know they didnt have PCs back then :) I was just making a point.

PushyDad · 30/01/2012 22:35

MrsP - Please don't be so patronising. You aren't the only one that know how to read books as opposed to the abridged version that is a paragraph in the Mirror.

Feminine · 30/01/2012 22:42

In my home DS8 is not allowed to play any of the mentioned games.

DS13 does, and is allowed to play any he wants. I will never pay for one though. My eldest has a knack for getting things in trades, computers etc..he is very able to get hold of any game he fancies.

After playing all the 'crap' over the last year, he has only really stuck with one.

I don't monitor DS13 at all, but at 8 he was only allowed racing games on his game-cube!

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 22:45

but often they take kids who, how can I put this politely?, come from less than desirable families? and then conclude that COD & Co have make them problem children That's why I think you don't understand how research is conducted. I am not talking about reading books, I am talking about interpreting research findings. People are so dismissive of research that they don't like the finding of. If researchers said, "look, a messed up child, he plays CoD, it messes you up". It is just as bad as all the people who say, "my children have played GTA since they were 4 and they are A students who volunteer with puppies". Data is not the plural of anecdote. Luckily researchers know this.

Feminine · 30/01/2012 22:45

hatesponge your experience is very much in line with what I have experienced IRL.

I have teen siblings also, and in the 'affluent' area it is also the case.

My Dad made a very good point years ago, in his opinion if the home life is stable and ordinary, kids have no problem working out what is real and what is imaginary.

All my brothers work and are productive members of society.

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 22:49

As if...

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 22:51

Not "as if" to you Feminine!

Feminine · 30/01/2012 22:53

Mrs I was trying to work that out! Grin

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 22:53

I'd like to know why these children are playing these games. Do people think they are educational? Or useful? Or is it just that people don't want to say no, or that they want their children to fit in or what, what, what. I don't understand why they can't be told... alcohol is for adults, so is tobacco, so is porn, so are 18 games.

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 22:54

Feminine I x-posted and it looked like I was dissing you bigtime, innit!!!

MamaMaiasaura · 30/01/2012 22:55

My ds is almost 12 and not allowed these games

Feminine · 30/01/2012 23:03

I'll tell you about my experience mrs :)

Well I guess my other post did that, but just to be a bit boring...

My DS13 is a dealer of sorts, he is able to get all manner of things through trades on Craigslist and Ebay. When he was 10 he started the ball rolling with a trade involving his PSP...slowly he managed to get an X-box and a brand new $1000 computer.
Its hard without knowing him to understand, but he is like Authur Daley!

As part of these trades he sometimes gets the vile games. I know he plays them too, but sometimes he will just pop them back in another trade.

I think they are a bloody waste of time, but I also understand it is very much part of his 'street culture' and I'd prefer he knew about them, than was green.

That is at 13 though, they no way he would have been able to have them before 12.

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/01/2012 23:39

I do think 13 is a slightly different matter. I still think you have to be VERY careful but a teenager is a very different matter to an 8 year old. Your 13 year old sounds a little advanced for his age anyway Grin.

Also, people keep saying it is about knowing the difference between reality and fantasy. That is not my issue with them. I know most 8 year-olds know that this is a game. I think that it is bad for their attention. I think that it is teaching them that violence (even in this limited arena) is good and entertaining. I remember being horrified at RL events like South Africa and Central American wars. Will they be as shocked as we were? Will they be motivated to change things? Or will warlike violence be so much part of their lexicon that they don't have the same reaction to it.

Feminine · 30/01/2012 23:44

Its funny Mrs but I totally agree with you.

If I said violence was banned in this house, I guess you would laugh now.

Its as if these games are a by -product of DS and his hobby.

I have to reiterate though, I will never buy them Grin