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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Xbox

63 replies

seahorse38 · 26/05/2014 19:43

Can't fault my hubby as he helps loads with kids and house stuff etc but came into the lounge today to see my 4 and 5 yr old playing call of duty (muted) with him....they didn't have a clue what they were doing and were just laughing at getting the bad guys....opinions please, yes or no?

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HecatePropylaea · 26/05/2014 19:51

Call of Duty is an 18 certificate game (sometimes 16 depending on the game) where people shoot and kill. It is full of death, blood guts and gore.

It's not only what they hear, it's what they see. What do you think? Do you think 4 & 5 year olds should be shooting and killing and seeing people exploding and blood all over the place?

PurplePidjin · 26/05/2014 19:57

Absolutely no fucking way.

If he must insist on playing computer games with them (what's so hard about building a fort out of dining chairs and a blanket? Reading a book? Marching toy soldiers up a castle wall?) why can't he play their games?

fuzzpig · 26/05/2014 20:04

Euwww no YANBU! Jeez :(

gamerchick · 26/05/2014 20:06

He needs more age appropriate games if he wants to play xbox with them.

Fairylea · 26/05/2014 20:08

He's being completely unreasonable. They shouldn't be seeing things like that.

LadyOfLlangollen · 26/05/2014 20:13

Bad and lazy parenting Confused

I dissaprove and have hoiked my bosum accordingly.

There are lots of fab games for kids to play COD is not one of them .

mumteedum · 26/05/2014 20:14

Massive no! Friend taught primary age 5yr olds 'acting' out 18 cert games. One tried strangling another kid. Really bad idea.

deakymom · 26/05/2014 20:14

my husband used to play it with my son in the room he had him faced away from the tv and the gunfire put him to sleep apparently he "had" to keep playing in case he woke up Hmm but after he got mobile no way! (and no now he is five i would have to scrape him off the ceiling!)

Timeforabiscuit · 26/05/2014 20:16

Its all fun and games until the eldest child re-enacts an execution move at nursery.

It is exceedingly poor on your dhs part, if he wants to play games with them try Disney infinity or the harry potter Lego games.??

Topseyt · 26/05/2014 20:17

Not at all suitable for 4 and 5 year olds. I would be having serious words with him. Call of Duty is just too violent for them.

icanneverremember · 26/05/2014 20:19

The only time I've ever allowed my 6 year olds to see that game has been in traing mode where they can fly the helicopters etc. There's no combat and even my husband (who can be a bit insensitive sometimes) agrees that the combat side is way off limits.

Timeforabiscuit · 26/05/2014 20:25

If your dh needs a bit more of a reason.

Young children do not process things in the same way emotionally mature adults do, they can be laughing away one minute and mutely terrorised in the next.

These games are very graphic as well so if your dh is thinking all this is fine idea, he can do the night terror shift. I would bet my last quid they'll be screaming about the bad men shooting as they couldn't process the images at the time.

Original poster
seahorse38 · 26/05/2014 20:42

He does all that and more... he's a fab dad. To them it was just another cartoon like the incredibles (we have disney infinity and they can blow up, shoot and explode stuff on that all the time) I came in and saw it, screen was split and they were just running round aimlessly in circles and nothing happened. I know it's an age appropriate game and hubby won't play it with them or in same room again but am concerned that as a 5 yr old though, they think they're super heroes or something as we only bought disney infinity recently and when he's playing my little boy doesn't really know what he's doing, he picks up the little characters on screen and drop kicks them into the ocean and finds it funny...should i stop him playing fifa football on xbox too?

OP posts:
HecatePropylaea · 26/05/2014 20:48

It's not quite the same is it? Football can be quite rough but I've yet to see gameplay include slitting the throat of the opposition's goalkeeper.

Original poster
seahorse38 · 26/05/2014 20:57

I'm not arguing about the call of duty thing, I totally agree they shouldn't be playing it. Just wondering at age 4 and 5 how much is just like cartoons to them? Son plays football at school and pretty sure he wouldn't drop kick anything apart from a ball so why is it so funny on infinity?

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ICanSeeTheSun · 26/05/2014 21:10

I love GTA, but no way would I play it with kids awake. That the reason it took me so long to complete the game.

I tend to play Minecraft.

Ds has gone skylanders Giants and Swap force, plus disney infinity. Then there is lego the movie game and other child appropriate games.

There is just no need for children to see theses games, there is hundreds of child freedly games.

hubby as he helps loads with kids and house stuff it's not helping it's doing his fair share

FreeSpirit89 · 26/05/2014 21:13

We have a problem at our nursary ATM, where 3 year olds are coming home saying "I gonna slit your throat" due to that game,

Totally unreasonable!!!!

HecatePropylaea · 26/05/2014 21:13

Perhaps because it looks like cartoons and it is clearly in no way real and there's nobody with their innards being ripped out in gory detail?

why is it funny when jerry knocks tom unconscious with a frying pan but it's something you wouldn't want the kids to see on eastenders?

Original poster
seahorse38 · 26/05/2014 21:32

Have no idea what minecraft is but we have Lego games. Only reason we got infinity is it was recommended to us and they do love it but want to play it ALL the time. Have loads of board games, crafts etc and at the moment all they want to do is either cut up the argos catalogue making a xmas list (yep, already) or play infinity.

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ICanSeeTheSun · 26/05/2014 21:35

Minecraft is awesome, it has very mild violence but that can be switched off it you go into peaceful mood.

Original poster
seahorse38 · 26/05/2014 21:47

Infinity just seems to be them using their different powers to blow things up? Nothing constructive or educational at all? They have a limit now of 1/2 hour a day each. Easy parenting obviously but handy for the hour before hubby gets home from work while I'm cooking tea.

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ICanSeeTheSun · 26/05/2014 22:02

Minecraft is about building a world.

You can go on creative mood, then as everything unlocked and you can build what ever you fancy using blocks.

Then there is survival mood in which you have to cut down trees, mine to get coal and iron ect to build things. The first thing you have to do is cut down a tree to get the wood for a crafting table. Then build a house so you are safe at night from creepers, spiders and other creatures.

HomersGirl · 26/05/2014 22:10

Ur husband is a dick and you are a twat for letting him play a gsme like this. This game should be banned. No good can come from a violent game based on war

dementedma · 26/05/2014 22:18

Ds loves Minecraft but only ever plays in creative mode. I do tell him off for shooting the pigs which appear to roam around his village though.
He actually got Call of Duty from a friend and played it tonight but was genuinely frightened at one bit when a soldier or something came up behind him screaming and "killed" him. He knows its a game but said he actually jumped and got " an adrenaline rush and it was scary". He's 12 so I don't think he'll be keeping that game to play. He can stick with building pens for his pigs!!

Original poster
seahorse38 · 26/05/2014 22:27

Thank you for your constructive comments HomersGirl.

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