to think how can she be so bloody stupid

[cuteboots]

Ok so this women in our office admitted that she lets her 8 year old play on his xbox using games for an 18 year old. She then said he can only play on them for a short lenght of time each day as his behaviour changes! Duhhhhh

I think calling it child abuse generates more heat than light (to quote another MNer). However, if you let your child watch a film that was as violent at that age, it starts to look like child abuse. Scarface at 8, anyone? Porn? Violence is actually more harmful than sex but we get our knickers in a twist about children watching sex but not violence.

child abuse Poor kids who go through child abuse that is a terrible thing to say that watchin/playing a game equates to that

OP - have you tried suggesting the behaviour might be linked to the playing of games that aren't suitable for him?

YANBU.

imnotmymum that is not to say that is is serious abuse. However, it would be considered abusive to let a child watch porn, wouldn't it? Serious torture violence? Serious violence? All these things are a spectrum. It is not to devalue the term 'abuse' to apply it to this kind of thing.

Stealing is a crime, murder is a crime. that is not to say that stealing is as serious as murder.

Just is ridiculous to say my child is abused because sometimes he play assassins creed in between his clarinet lessons, Karate, football, riding , holidays etc etc wow he so abused !

Again, I think calling it child abuse generates more heat than light. However, I presume you would think it was abusive to show him porn. Wouldn't you? Even with all the karate, riding and football in the world. If something is inappropriate for his age, with killing, blood, people stabbing each other... isn't it inappropriate?

I worry more about online CoD than Assassin's Creed though.

Well Assassins creed is th "worst" thing in our gaming collection and other stuff is not allowed. Braveheart I was told is not a good film for 8 year old so I guess I just picked up on that I was a lazy, shit parent because of this and it is the furthest from the truth. I was just trying to say that it depends on child/family etc. However if the woman in question was seeing a difference in behaviour obv should stop the playing of said games.

What a silly silly woman I agree

I think to a certain extent it depends on the child. However, some classifications take this into account (12a) and some don't (18) because the themes, language and depictions are considered too graphic for ANY 8 year old. Someone from the BBFC was interviewed lately and said that the reason 12a was not stronger was that they didn't think any responsible parent would show a 12a to a 6 year old. They are wrong.

Harry Potter ??? That is a 12a ??

Why the surprise, imnotmymum.

Well my DS had read the books before the film, Why the film so bad ??

Books aren't rated like films are, though. I think this is, in part, because the people who get their knickers in a twist about violence and sex in films think books are 'good'. Also, books rely on your imagination, they can't just plonk violent and disturbing images in your brain. There was some pretty borderline stuff in the HP film. 12A does mean that you can decide. If your 8 year old wouldn't be bothered, he wouldn't be bothered. The same does not apply to 15 and 18 classifications.

mmm agree to disagree

You can disagree. I am not saying what is 'right' just that is how the classifications are organised. 12A is designed to have wiggle room. 18 is not. Here. You can disagree with whether you think they are right but that is how the BBFC sees it's classifications. BTW, they are very interesting people and not pearl-clutching Mary Whitehouses.

YANBU

I read an interesting article about research which showed that football computer games cause the most aggression.

Handy to know.

YANBU, some parents are so blinking clueless about the content of computer games. You get some who would never in a million years let their DCs watch the Resident Evil films but would happily buy the games for them. It makes no sense.

YANBU. Aggressive combative games teach young children how to be aggressive and combative.

The world is a beautiful place to a small child. Why introduce ugliness into it so soon?

I seriously feel it won't be long until people should pass some kind of test if they wish to bring another life into the world.

Some people are just so irresponsible and thick as shyte.

What is this country/society coming to?

YADNBU

What YouOld said.

Yes it is a form of child abuse, as parents and adults it is our duty to protect our children until they are able to do so themselves. What is the benefit of children playing at killing or hurting another human. Look at the case with the teenager raping the five year old child, the judge acquited him because he blamed the porn the teen was watching. Why do we think exposure to violence is any different. Parent your children

That is the question that always gets lost. Why? Why would you want your child to play CoD or Resident Evil? Why do you want to give in when their answer seems to always be that all the other kids in my class do? When there are a million fun and informative things online why so people let their children hear the homophobic, racist, sexist bilge that is online FPS games?

Thing is this thread is not reflecting the amount of young kids who play these games. Most here have said these games are not suitable, IRL my child (9 yrs) has loads of classmates who play them, most of those parents prefer to just keep quiet about it. I feel I'm fighting a losing battle, especially when their dad then goes and buys them the very kind of games I'm trying to keep at bay, and these are 12 cert, not 18 or anything.

YANBU.

I just think that there are a billion age-appropriate games, so why are they playing ones with blood and guts and swearing in?

This!

This!