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Original poster

Six year old son playing Halo with his brother - right or wrong?

55 replies

AugustMoon · 02/10/2013 19:33

I don't want him to play it, it's rated 16. "D"H is sitting there now with them playing it and telling DS2 he will let him play it when I'm not here, the only reason it is rated 16 is because it is played online (and he's not playing it online so it's ok) and that I'm an idiot.
For context I have called him irresponsible.

OP posts:
makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 13:55

Hey you know what the first computer was built for? It was built for entertainment so without games you might not have a computer.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 13:58

Gaming problem? Your like acting your talking about bugs also I earn money through playing games like those competitively.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:03

I have to call your husband out though if he hasn't assured it isn't real and it is fake. Just make cards called pixel time and they can get up to two hours of time on technology and they get it for good school grades or doing chores or etc.

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VoodooHexDoll · 03/10/2013 14:04

It is classed as abuse to show a child games or dvds they are underaged for.

We have a 4yo son and we have an xbox. We let him play the lego games batman and indianna jones. He loves superheros and fighting. He likes spiderman and avangers and watches the cartoons. Im unsure if its right or not as he does not have nightmears and hopefull understands its not real.

I think we forget how innocent children are. They might not understand the words or be able to express what they feel and might not get the fine detail of the social intention in most dvds or games but they will rember what they have seem abd put it into context later on and you might not be able to see it happening.

I do not want my child seeing adult contence because he is not an adult and does not process it in the same way an adult would. Its so easy for them to misinturpte what they see before you even relise what they are thinking or doing.

Why would you want a six year old to learn to shoot mosters/people? Why is protecting their innocence not a high pirority to you?

I think you are fighting between yourselves and not looking at it from the point of view of the six year old.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:11

I remember when it was 1999 I had a n64 they let me play blast core on it did I become a rampant killer and started shooting up schools and not interacting with others no. It depends on the persons mental stability.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:12

My parents knew it was a bad game but they knew I was stable.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:13

I was popular in school because I had a n64 with pokemon stadium.

VoodooHexDoll · 03/10/2013 14:16

No it depends on the parenting.

Im the youngest of 4 with a 16 year age gap so i got to watch hudson hawk at 8 and horror film and had nightmears because of poor parenting and neglect. Its easy to put the younger child to bed then let the older child play age ok games/dvds its not rocket science but it needs the parents to think about the kids and to give a shit frankly.

titchy · 03/10/2013 14:18

makingparentsrealise - I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say - your posts are very poorly worded.

But just because you (and thousands of other kids) played violent games/saw violent films etc and didn't become a gun-toting killer doesn't actually make it OK.

I'm sure the majority of 6 year olds who are exposed to porn vidoes do not go out a rape people, but I hope you'd agree that doesn't therefore make it OK for kids to view that sort of material.

To the OP's dh - it's pretty poor of you to let them play this, and to justify it by saying it's how you 'bond' with your kids. There are plenty of child-centred ways you can play with them - don't drag them into your adult-centred play time.

But both of you need to agree sharpish not to argue or get snippy at each other in front of your kids. Suggest Relate or similar....

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:19

That too.

VoodooHexDoll · 03/10/2013 14:19

The govenment give parents age rating to help make it easier for parents to make the right choice. The guildlines are there to be used and to protect children because they are children not adults and they need parents to protect them and make the right chose.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:22

If you don't like it then it's your opinion hell if you list sensible reasons why you think games are bad I might even agree to some of them.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:25

They are children but if they know what it is and how to react to them. Also the point of horror movies are to make you afraid and have nightmares because its kinda fun.

VoodooHexDoll · 03/10/2013 14:25

Also by making the hard calls and enforceing them you show your children that you love them and make them feel more stable, care for and protected.

I have and never will thank my parents for letting me watch adult themed films and tv because as an adult i can see it was wrong.

As parents we will be accountable to our children when they are adults so op husband its not us that you need to justify this to but your adult son when he calls you on it.

MurderOfBanshees · 03/10/2013 14:26

It's not appropriate for a 6 year old, no way at all.

makingparentsrealise · 03/10/2013 14:29

Okay just remove it from them and get them a more child friendly console like a 3ds.

cupcake78 · 04/10/2013 06:37

Buy them a book! I take it the 6 yr old can't read fluently yet but can play on a computer console. Instead of spending so much time arguing and playing computer games read to your children, have family dinners together go for walks.

Yes my judgy pants are that high they'll strangle me!

makingparentsrealise · 05/10/2013 12:48

I remember when I had my Gameboy Advanced my friends played with me on it and I took it to school my reading skill is great I can read any word in the dictionary and spell it.

stringornothing · 05/10/2013 13:21

Nothing wrong with playing computer games as a family on the cold dark autumn evenings. But there are loads of good age appropriate games you could play together that have suitable content for children and offer an entertaining challenge for the adults. Just like curling up on the sofa together with some popcorn to watch a DVD is a good way to bond - you just need to pick Star Wars rather than Alien.

However I agree that parents having an uncontrolled row in front of them will damage children far more than playing Halo.

LumpySpacePrincessOhMyGlob · 05/10/2013 13:30

Other issues aside you are definitely not being unreasonable, it's a completely unsuitable game for a 6 year old.

makingparentsrealise · 06/10/2013 16:03

I agree with you Lumpy but if the child is stable and knows its all fake they can play it.

makingparentsrealise · 06/10/2013 16:06

I have seen idiot parents who believe everything on the news and parents who give their children bad games at young age without caring.

BazilGin · 06/10/2013 20:49

I think letting a 6 year old play it is idiotic. I am a gamer myself, my DH is in the industry, both agree that it's very irresponsible. He is 6, ffs! I played it myself, wouldn't let a primary school child play it. IDIOTIC decision.

makingparentsrealise · 07/10/2013 01:59

I agree its a idiotic decision but if they are stable they can play it.

Lostinspace1 · 07/10/2013 04:24

I think it's idiotic to assume your kid 'is stable' enough to play it. How can you make that judgment? You aren't going to be immediately aware of the impact it will have on them.

Regarding horror films - my mum used to let me at 8 yrs watch things like 'Nightmare on Elmstreet' etc because I had an older brother. It screwed up my sleeping for years. She obviously 'assumed' I was capable of watching it.