11 year old playing 18 video games at sleepover

[Pupsiecola]

I'm sure this has come up before. DS will play age appropriate games on the Kindle/computer. He's seen 12 films if we've seen them or read about them on imdb. He's seen a couple of 15 films (James Bond). He's never seen an 18 film or played an 18 game.

He's come back from a sleepover and he's played a violent 18 game with his friend and his friend's dad. I'm really bloody cross. How dare another parent make this choice?! Of course DS doesn't really get what the problem is and thinks this dad is so cool. We are not killjoys. But I really think that allowing an 11 year old, let alone someone else's child, to play for at least 2 hours last night and again this morning is unacceptable. I don't know whether to say sth to these parents or just let it go and not let him go there again.

AIBU

[lemonpuffbiscuit]

It wasn't an accusing text, it was factual and putting the responsibility with DS

[Pupsiecola]

She has replied and seems to be fine. I'm not sure what happened with the FB thing. Thanks so much for all the posts.

[lemonpuffbiscuit]

I suspect she unfriended you in a silly strop but thought things through or saw your post on MN

[NoBloodyMore]

You can turn graphic content off inmost of the COD games, DS has one that DP played with the graphic content off to check it was ok before he was allowed it.

[Stillwishihadabs]

I know exactly how you feel. Ds is 10 and I feel like we are the only parents who don't allow 18 games.I have worked in child protection and exposure to thesee games have been implicated in some awful situations (2 y6 boys reacting porngraphic scenes). Other parents have openly told me they think I am over reacting and won't respect our rules when ds is in their house so he doesn't go there anymore :(.
I just don't think they have enough maturity to divorce it from reality at that age.

[Alsoflamingo]

Stillwishihad, I feel for you and am in full agreement. I am a school governor and have done lots of training in this area and you are so right when you talk about how children can end up replicating some of the behaviour they see on these games. Clearly won't happen in the majority of cases, but the points is they lack the maturity to process any of this stuff so it is damaging, confusing and potentially dangerous.