fucking play station

[FlatOnTheHill]

DS glued to the poxy thing. He is 15 a good boy. Does go out and see mates so sociable. Does not bring me amy trouble. Studies hard at school. Somim very lucky. But when he is on that thing, I call it 'the machine'. He plays GTA with mates and all you can hear is him shouting out ya mother fucker" or fucking get ouuut my way or oi you ya silly prick etc etc.

I have spoken to my friends about this and work colleagues and they say their sons are the same
Would point out does not act like this when not on play station.
AIBU in wanting to launch the fucking thing out the window or accidentally on purpose cut the wires. He has been on GTA for about a year. Drives me nuts. And when I go flying in his bedroom to tell him off he goes mad shouting at me. As I said only behaves like this when on that poxy 'machine'

films and games*

We don't have a big games console but my 11 year old does have a ps vita. We buy 12 rating only but I do find it a real pain that there seems to be a big gap for good games at that age. Its either lego games or a huge jump to 16 or 18 ratings. I do wish there were more games appropriate for the 11-16 age range.

OP

I'd be tempted to ask him to play it on mute, and see if that affects his own language. The characters in GTA swear prolifically - one shouts motherfucker every few minutes, for example. I'd imagine that normalises it and it's easier to then start shouting it himself.

Infact they swear so much that even with the setting that "lessens" the swearing, which I'm quite sure most gamers don't activate, the in-laws wouldn't let us play it around them - and I'm 25!

If muting it makes a difference to his language, perhaps that's a compromise.

A lot of authoritarian types on this thread, dressing up their control freakery as parental concern.

What an absolutely pointless thread.

I won't even bother to offer my opinion.

Sheesh. Most people drink, not everyone becomes an alcoholic. For a kid, the question is, are they OVERLY INVESTED in the game? Games are 18+ for a reason, to prevent a random kid becoming OVERLY INVESTED in what can become an addictive experience because kids want new experiences- part of growing up. Little kids can become as addicted to XYZ as an adult even without understanding they are addicted. Go on holiday, Friday night to Monday morning, WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY (is this even possible today?). Does your kid seem BORED to death? No problem. Does your kid seem ANGRY? Possible problem. Is your kid ENRAGED or DEPRESSED? Problem.

I think it depends on whether you are a game player yourself, or not. We have never had any type of console as neither DH or myself play. I do remember playing the Nintendo Mario/kid Icarus back in the 80's? Now I feel like one of those old dears who doesn't know how to set the timer for record on the VCR.

I too have flexibility in ratings. My 12 year old plays a particular 15 game his dad bought.
He wouldn't be playing that game though.
And if he swore as the OP describes he wouldn't be playing it at all.

I'm very happy in my control freakery thanks. Like I said, that's what being a parent is about :)

There's been recent studies to show that violent video games do not harm dc or fuck them up.

Basically if your dc is going to become a serial killer playing gta or cod won't sway it either way. The one thing that fucks dc up where they start hurting animals and feel no remorse before moving onto humans is being loved as dc or not.

I'd just let him get on with it op, he's almost 16. I was living on my own the day after my 16th birthday so could do or say what I wanted. If it's only excitement when he's playing a game and not actually him I'd be meh about it. He sounds quite a nice lad.

A lot of authoritarian types on this thread, dressing up their control freakery as parental concern

You say potato...

LordBrightside the OP asked for advice on the internet because she is fed up with her son's behaviour during and after playing an 18 rated game. Seriously, are you really surprised at the responses?

My ds played GTA at 15. He's a perfectly lovely rounded individual now, doing an MA and applying for a PhD.

It had no effect on his personality/behaviour/academic performance, and he used to swear like mad when playing it.

He sounds like a nice normal kid to me. Don't sweat the small stuff.

For those who think parenting is about control freakery, good luck with that in the long term.

You can't be a control freak with teenagers who are nearly adults. They will resent you for it and look forward to the day that they can get away from you.

Orangesanddemons , we have had the opposite experience with DSS. He played from the same age, at his Mum's house as we are luddites , and attributes his failed GCSEs to his game playing.

Orange that's great your ds is doing so well, however it doesn't negate from the fact it was poor parenting on your behalf.

You give young teens adult games and then are shocked when they swear and act like adults?
Fgs, whose fault is his behaviour then? And lots of kids play them is not a sensible answer.

And for the record loads of kids have GTA that are under 18
What's that got to do with the price of fish??

They (whoever they are) don't seem to have a problem with it and you do...
No way on God's green earth would I allow an under 18 near that piece of shit.

Ah, this reminds of when I was a student and working at Game. GTA Vice City had just been released, and the number of parents buying it for very young kids was shocking. We were instructed to remind them that it was an 18 rated game, and to warn them of the content. Some just shrugged, others were horrified.

My favourite was the mother who looked confused and said, "I thought the age rating was difficulty, it's just racing cars, isn't it?"

I explained that the player character is a criminal, and about the murder, theft, drug dealing, prostitution, gang violence, organised crime and strong language. She looked at me, looked at her 8-year old son, and said to him, "Timothy! You told me it was a racing game!"

Timothy ended up not getting Vice City that day.

By all means, allow your kids to play 18 rated titles if you feel they're suitable - games ratings tend to be harsher than their movie equivalents. I played Mortal Kombat as a young teen, and had watched the Terminator, Alien and Predator movies before then.

That said, graphics are much more realistic now - I'll probably be a lot stricter in that respect than my own parents were, and I say that as a massive gamer (I make games for a living!).

Just be aware of what the games actually are, and don't try and fool yourself that any kids are playing GTA just for the racing.

Since when has a 14 year old been "nearly an adult", LordBrightside?

I have two teens that like to game. They are both doing well at school and have outside interests. They are 15 and 14 and do have GTA but don't play it much, it was a bit of a flash in the pan tbh. They don't swear when on with friends and we don't tolerate bad language generally. They are reluctant to come off and it would be their activity of choice but they do come off when asked and are not aggressive. DS 2 in particular likes games with historical interest and it has sparked an interest in loads of things including choosing to do a project in school on Alexander the great rather that footballers or celebrities like most of the rest of his class. OP if the game is affecting his personality to that extent you may need to remove it for a while at least.

LordBrightside I agree. Very school maam types on this website.

FloggingMolly, if a 14 year old is nearly 15, they are only a year away from being able to marry, live alone, pay taxes and join the military. In Scotland they even get to vote at 16.

Telling a 14 or 15 year old what video games they can't play is counter productive and is more likely to cause trouble than avert it.

TaliZorah, you can see them a mile off. It's about asserting themselves and their perceived power, nothing more. They think people will believe it's all coming from a place of concern for their children.