AIBU to not let Grand Theft Auto 5 into the house?

[wigglybeezer]

DS1 thinks I am being monumentally unreasonable banning him from playing GTA until after his exams next summer. EVERYBODY else at school is allowed to apparently, but then maybe they do not have the attention span of a gnat and the will power of a wet flannel like DS1.

I think it is simpler to say no outright than have to nag him to revise every weekend.

He claims he is going to punish us by being in a foul huff for the next nine months.

Sigh...potty training was a breeze compared to wrangling teenagers.

It doesn't take that long to complete the basic game - I'm sure we did it in a couple of weeks. Would he accept a compromise of being allowed the game but not playing the mmorpg? Or maybe the mmorpg one day a week?

YANBU at all.

Like too many others I relented and got COD but I have already refused one of DS1s friends being GTA over here and made very clear to DS1 that it's not suitable for him to play and I won't ever be letting it in my house.

That particular game is banned from this house and we're a gaming family. Have you sat and watched him play it OP?

no pearl clutching here either.. but my kids know not to even ask if they can have that particular game and I'm quite generous to what 18+ games they can play.

I know lots of gamers who don't play it due to its content. No pearl clutching here either.

I'd refuse to buy that game for my child, too.

I always said it wouldn't be allowed in the house but didn't get round to having a proper discussion with ds1 about it as he didn't seem interested, he unfortunately downloaded GTA 4 from Steam and started playing it without me knowing, shutting the stable door etc....

In fact DH could have had a job on GTA2 but declined due to the content ( and non family friendly working conditions TBH). A friend is working on the new one and says it is designed to be totally immersive and played for looong stretches.

Scottish exam system, brand new exam system in fact, with lots of small assessment units all year before the main exam. It's not just the time spent playing its the time spent daydreaming about the game in class.

DS has calmed down today and seems to be accepting his fate ATM.

We don't have any of those games either & I have no pearls to clutch but they are unacceptably violent & nasty IMHO & if the over 18s want to waste their time with them thats their option but they are 18 for a reason & should not be bought for younger teens... end of.

OP Your house your rules you know you son. As July is a LONG way away (for a teen) maybe say if he doesn't huff & knuckles down you'll reasses after Christmas?

Sometimes a carrot & stick approach works ok!

it can't be played on the ps3 can it? :(

Yep Loopy GTA is on also PS3. Why?

Another gamer here, one who quite likes the darker/more violent games. Not pearl clutching. It's not a child's game, it's an adult's game. Leave it to the adults.

My kids can have this crap when they are adults, paying their own rent for their own homes.

Your house, your rules.

Yanbu.
My children are younger and want Saints Row as well as GTA. I know they are going to play it at their friends houses but I am not buying a copy.

1. It's an 18 rated, so an instant no-no for me.
2. Not everyone agress with point 1, I know.

3.

Jesus christ fecking mobile app. Why doesn't this crappy forum have a bloody edit or delete function?

1. The online aspect will be released 2 weeks later, so he can't play it straight away anyway (if that sways you at all).
2. If he wants it on PC he's going to have to wait a year or so anyway.

DD is 16 in 3 weeks, she's played GTA since 14 and has yet to turn into a car stealing, drug dealing prostitute murderer. She's exceptionally mature for her age and I made that call knowing my daughter.
I don't understand how 18 they are suddenly going to mature in a puff of smoke into adults who are sensible enough to play games, watch movies etc
I think it depends entirely on the child and their maturity levels and I personally have no issues with her gaming.

I meant the new one, does it only play on ps4?

PS4 isn't even out yet, so no. it plays on PS3.

I've just googled, you're right, it's on ps3. I'm excited now, me and DH really like that series

Yup, Hugless, the teachers are a bit stretched this year, not much time to handhold feckless boys who have not been paying attention all year.

I am feeling strong about my decision today, it has had one positive effect already, he was so angry he refused to watch telly with us , couldn't think of anything else to do so stormed off in a passive aggressive fashion - to do his maths homework, it was quite a performance!

Haha victory!

Did he mutter 'you'll be sorry!'as he stomped off?

My 14 YO DD has GTA as it was given by a relative with a PSP. I had no idea what it was till I had a go one day. Not keen on the prostitutes but other than that and violence it seems 'OK' and like any other 'beat em up'. Of course PSP and old version may be different to the newer games. I think if you ban it you will make him get it in secret and make it more appealing. Maybe allow it in moderation if he studies for a while after school each day. I did that with DDs phone (she was on it all day non stop otherwise) and she got good GCSE results.

Ok apart from the prostitutes and violence?

Well, other than the prostitutes and the snorting cocaine, it's just fine and dandy.