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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if parents really let their year 4 dc play these games?

69 replies

purplehandgang · 26/03/2015 12:53

So ds is cross because I won't let him have call of duty type games. All his friends have them apparently. (He can prove it apparently) One 8 year has access to gta too. Am I being too harsh to refuse.

OP posts:
DawnOfTheDoggers · 26/03/2015 12:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Eebahgum · 26/03/2015 12:57

No you are not being too harsh. But yes, a scary number of parents this age think its ok to let children of this age play 18 rated games. Often children who have emotional, social and behavioural issues - and yet they still insist the games "do no harm".

ouryve · 26/03/2015 12:58

Good grief, no. I wouldn't let my year 6 play them, either.

tippytappywriter · 26/03/2015 12:58

No you're not. IMO they are not suitable for children (as an adult I think the content is pretty gross). Stick to your guns Grin
I happily take on the big bad parent role with my 2 aged 7 and 10.

Skiingmaniac · 26/03/2015 12:59

My year 4 8 year old certainly doesn't! And as a year 4 teacher too I very much doubt more than 1-2 kids per class do!

MirandaWest · 26/03/2015 12:59

My 11 year old in year 6 doesn't. I'm sure others in his class do but he doesn't and isn't about to.

Pantone363 · 26/03/2015 13:01

Going by our school and DCs friends, yes some parents do. Some let them play anything, some only a few games, some are allowed to play but only with the sound muted and some aren't allowed to play anything out of their age range. It's that that unusual outside of MN.

Pantone363 · 26/03/2015 13:01

It's not that

misskatamari · 26/03/2015 13:02

Not too harsh at all! I think it's appalling how many parents let their children play 18 rated games when they are much younger. My DH has gta5 and it is shocking! Disgraceful that kids are allowed to play it by some parents

Titsalinabumsquash · 26/03/2015 13:03

I have a year 5 child and a year 3 child, they most certainly do not play COD or GTA, I don't give a wotsit that other kids in their classes play it, I'm a real stickler for age ratings being adhered too.
My ex let DS2 watch him playing COD at his flat (because clearly that's better than letting him play it Hmm) and DS spent the next week declaring he was joining the army so he could kill people with head shots, he genuinely thought that he would 're spawn' if he was to get shot during a battle in real life too.
Needless to say I went ape shit at my ex and told him that I would prevent further access if I found they'd been viewing or playing it again.

meowth · 26/03/2015 13:04

I was playing resident evil at six, DM hated it, dad thought it was hilarious. It's my all-time favourite game.
CoD isn't gory, really. no blood. and when there is, you can turn the blood off
not too harsh, your house, your rules. i guess it's different to when I was little.

meowth · 26/03/2015 13:05

oh and after DP actually agreeing to this, we wouldn't let our DCs play GTA either. we love it, it's part of our childhood, but it's got worse - i don't want questions about prostitution and drug deals and bank heists at a young age. we'd let maybe a 15 year old play it though.

bumbleymummy · 26/03/2015 13:09

Yanb harsh at all. Some children have access to those games in DS(9) class. The rest of us are a bit Hmm I don't understand people who think it's ok. They are rated for a reason!

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 26/03/2015 13:14

We are big gamers in this house, and there's no way my DD would get to play anything like that. Last year, boys in her class were playing GTA and Call of Duty. She was primary 2................which is age 6 (in scotland). My DD is as keen a gamer as we are, but she plays Little Big Planet and Lego Movie - big difference.

I don't play games in front of her that are rated over her age, and even when she's in bed the sound is down low or I have a headset on. I don't even want her to hear the language and the gun shot!!

GahBuggerit · 26/03/2015 13:18

Gosh Im quite liberal when it comes to ratings - I totally ignore them and use my own judgement - but there is absolutely no way at that age.

Damnautocorrect · 26/03/2015 13:29

I do my own research into ratings. So my 4 year old can play zombies vs plants (think its a 9 or 12) but theres no way in a month of sundays would my children under the age of 16 be playing a game where its acceptable to have sex with a prostitute then kill her!
My OH tried to justify why his sister lets her 7 year old, he soon shut up when i told him the contents.

Paintedpinksapphires · 26/03/2015 13:30

It doesn't matter what other people do, it only matters what you think.

My DS has friends who are allowed to play CoD and GTA but also understands that 'different families have different rules'.

I'm stricter on some things than his friends' parents but more relaxed on others. My kids are well aware that 'Xx's Mum lets them play' doesn't cut it in this house.

kewtogetin · 26/03/2015 13:31

It's shocking what some parents let their children play. We were round at friends recently and my friends son announced proudly that he had just completed COD....he is 6.

MsPoodleLover · 26/03/2015 13:36

No YANBU. These games affect adults never mind children! When my son was about 11 he told me that his friend had GTA so I rang his mother and asked her that if she wanted to invite my son round to play that game should be put away. If she didnt want to do that then my son would not be going round there. She did actually promise to put it away but mentioned that my son had told her that he would rather her not put it on as he was not allowed to play on games like that. He is now almost 22 and I still would not allow that game in my home. If he played on it somewhere else that is his business but not under my roof! Why do I want my son to learn how to beat women up and torture people. He may play on it but not with my blessing, even at 22. Anyway, thank goodness he has grown out of his games consoles and sold them all on ebay! There is an exciting world out there! (His words not mine) The sexist and violent drivel amazes me. Why does not one worry about it, I cant understand it. I used to be a social worker and a lady asked me to visit her as she was concerned that her son was extremely violent towards his siblings. When I arrived he was playing on GTA and COD! She looked at me like I was stupid when I asked her if that was a good idea!

I seriously worry for the future!

BitOutOfPractice · 26/03/2015 13:36

I marched DD2 (12) back into Game last weekend as they had sold her a 16 gam. She is 11 Confused

I was absolutely FURIOUS that they had sold it to her. The manager was mortified

crazykat · 26/03/2015 13:40

You're not being harsh. I love call of duty but no way is my 6 year old playing it, I wait till the dcs are in bed before playing.

However, it is likely that at least one of his friends has it or is allowed to play it. One of my ds's friends got the new grand theft auto for his 6th birthday. I'm not one to wrap my dcs in cotton wool but they won't be playing COD until they're much older.

Misslgl88 · 26/03/2015 13:52

You're definately not being harsh! My OH is a gamer (COD,gta) but only plays it when kids are in bed. Sometimes I'll have a go but I prefer assassins creed which to be fair is no better either Blush

I only know of one boy in DD class (p2 so 6 years old) who plays cod and he has ADHD, I really don't think personally that that helps much! I also know both NDN boys play cod and gta they are only jus yet 12 and that was a few years ago it was mentioned, that is way to young especially for gta!

DD is 6 and she prefers her Nintendo DS and son is only 17 months but he will not be playing those kinds of games in this house until 15 at the very very youngest and OH agrees

MummyPig24 · 26/03/2015 14:04

7yo ds1 plays only age appropriate games like sonic, mario kart, Fifa.

We went to a coffee morning at an aquaintances house and when ds1 asked if he could play with one of their children on a console I said yes without checking. They played COD. I won't be making that mistake again.

sqibble · 26/03/2015 15:08

No Minecraft and Mario Kart at our house.

Original poster
purplehandgang · 26/03/2015 16:06

Thank you. Gladit isn't just me.

OP posts: