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Original poster

Year 5 (9 and 10 year olds) and Call of Duty

82 replies

ksld · 15/01/2014 13:41

DS is very keen to play Call of Duty or a similar game who's name I forget as 'everyone' at school plays them. He has been bullied a lot at school for being babyish and this is the latest 'target'.

I had assumed it was one or two kids with older teenage brothers who were playing this type of game as they are 18 rated. However I went to a school event with DS and discovered it really isn't 1 or 2, of the 12 children there 10 of them definitely played this game. (1 I am not sure as was v quiet, and DS doesn't.)

I have been trying to work out ways for DS to fit in more at school to make his life easier, but I am not going to relent on this as I do not think these games are suitable for him. But I understand how difficult it is for him trying to fit in instead of being picked on, and now this game has become the main topic of conversation (presumably lots of them got it/a console for Christmas hence the obsession now) and he can't join in.

I have had a look at the website for the people who classify games, but wonder if anyone can point me to any articles about the effects of playing these games on small developing brains so I can show DS to show him why I feel as I do?

Also can you tell me are we really in the minority everywhere with not letting DS play these, or is it just our school? And if your similar age children do play these sort of games - could you tell me why you think they are ok? (Genuine question not being snarky!)

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 16/01/2014 20:56

Forgot to say, the ones that do play 18 games are the ones who don't seem to fit in. One in DS class plays COD and is distinctly odd.

A boy in DDs class has been playing COD since he was 5.

WhenWhyWhere · 16/01/2014 20:57

I try not to, I really do but I am judging.... Sad Shock

littleredsquirrel · 16/01/2014 21:15

I am happy to judge. It's appalling that younger children are allowed to play these games. Their parents should be ashamed of themselves.

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PeteCampbellsRecedingHairline · 16/01/2014 21:19

Year 6 parent here. DS1 isn't allowed 18's but we are the minority here. Some have GTA.

He is allowed 15s now which I bitterly regret agreeing to but spends most of his time on Minecraft or YouTube.

Nerfmother · 16/01/2014 21:21

Well I've explained why so feel free to judge me. Here's the facts: ds has aspergers and OCD. He's already different. He can't play out with his mates, go into town with them, hang out at the park. I have said no time and time again. He doesn't have a phone, access to the internet unsupervised.
But parenting him is very hard. He doesn't sleep til very late. He has meltdowns, he has difficulties that are exhausting. I have four children and I'm tired often.
So yes, I have fallen down here. It's a small detail in a bigger picture.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 16/01/2014 21:23

NO No No NoNO No No NoNO No No NoNO No No NoNO No No NoNO No No NoNO No No No under no circumstances would my son be allowed to play these games. he is going to be 10 in April.

His friend has call of duty and I have an agreement with his mum that she has it downstairs with her whilst my son is there otherwise he won't be allowed to come round again.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 16/01/2014 21:27

Nerf got to ask a genuine question.
Whilst you have all those issues with him do you really think that giving him access to adult, violent content will help with his meltdowns and your difficulty in parenting him?

InsanityandBeyond · 16/01/2014 21:47

DSs are 11. Only just playing 12 games and watching 12 movies. Parents who allow DC, under at least 16, to play 18 games are lazy, neglectful arseholes IMO. I have told my DSs I don't want their amazing, blossoming minds fucked up with graphic scenes of violence and they have accepted that Grin.

ouryve · 16/01/2014 21:56

Nerf - DS1 has ASD and ADHD and has violent meltdowns. TBH, I see that as all the more reason to restrict the type of games he has access to. Bashing heavily pixellated cuboid wolves is quite enough, thanks.

CouthyMow · 16/01/2014 22:06

Um, no! I won't let almost 12yo, Y7 DS1 play this. It's rated 18 for a reason. And no, I don't give a flying fuck whether his friends all play it (some do, some don't, some WERE playing it in Y5. I may have pulled a catsbumface at that information, when two boys mums were arguing the case for MY DS1 to play a game rated a full eight years above his age at the time...)

CouthyMow · 16/01/2014 22:12

He's happy with Ratchet and Clank games. Rated 12 - which he got for Christmas, a couple of months short of his 12th birthday. He's also still partial to a bit of Singstar and Skylanders still.

Nerfmother · 16/01/2014 22:12

Meltdowns came way before call of duty tbh (finally have in at Xmas). I am explaining how we have ended up allowing him this. I'm not saying poor autistic ds and expecting everyone to back off and say oh well that's fine, I know it's something I didn't want.
He hasn't been aggressive for some time now, meltdowns are directed at himself currently and verbal.
I just think there is sometimes more thought behind this than just lax parenting. The discussion with dh went on and on.

Nerfmother · 16/01/2014 22:16

Never, sorry, missed a bit of your question. I don't think 'all those issues' are temporary.
For me, it was a decision I made because it allowed him to fit in for a while. It relieves one bit of not fitting in for him. So currently has more advantages than disadvantages.
He plays minecraft, board games etc. it's not hours on end doing this.

cece · 16/01/2014 22:20

Y6 teacher here. I was shocked that 4 of the boys in my class were given COD as a Christmas present this year.

DumSpiroSpero · 16/01/2014 22:22

There is a reason these games have age ratings.

We have had issues with kids being influenced by playing them at our school.

If the head had reason to believe your DS was playing these at home and it was affecting your sons behaviour at school she would be calling you in for a chat.

If this is what your DS is wanting to fit in with at primary God help him once he's a teenager.

willyoulistentome · 16/01/2014 22:23

My 10 yo y6 son has the fifa football games. Minecraft, he likes the Olympic games wii thing he had. I have to keep him of games as much as possible, as he has trouble stopping when it's time to come off. (AS meltdowns)
No way on earth he v will be allowed anything with an 18 rating . ... I'd like to say while he lives under my roof. .. but realistically not until he's 18....If we can hold off that long.

notso · 16/01/2014 22:24

I wouldn't let dS1 aged 9 in yr 5. He says a couple of his friend play COD and GTA, the ones he mention have older brothers.
I can notice a difference in his manner and mood when he has been on certain games and I don't like it.

bisjo · 16/01/2014 22:33

Ds is year 5 aged 9. He's never played COD and I don't know any of his friends who do. They all seem to be obsessed with Minecraft. When he was in year 4 he had a friend in year 3 who played GTA. He came over with his own computer and ds asked if he could also have GTA on his computer. I thought it was a mistake but when I asked the boy's mother she said she thought playing GTA at age 7 was fine Hmm.

littleredsquirrel · 16/01/2014 22:53

Nerf I am not knowledgeable about aspergers at all but if he has been allowed to play it to fit in could you not now possibly lose it? He can then say he has it and can talk enough about it to fit in but he's not further exposed to such a horribly violent game.

Nerfmother · 16/01/2014 22:57

Yes could do, especially as he will lose interest as the lure of minecraft calls from the background.
Im a bit Hmm that others on the thread have also confessed to letting their 11 year olds have a 16 rated game and it's only me getting the shit parent type comments! I don't think I can explain anymore, and I don't think I have been saying its super fantastic either. Not sure what else I can add now, but yes, not a bad suggestion.

littleredsquirrel · 16/01/2014 23:12

I am anti as you can tell from my comments but I suspect you have just been one of the only brave ones to comment on the thread and there are for more who have lurked and not commented and whose children also play it. Certainly on previous identical threads about the same game far more have confessed.

Picturesinthefirelight · 16/01/2014 23:25

My ds also has Aspergers & it's a reason why I am even stricter in not allowing these games. The obsession with minecraft is bad enough & allowing these games would lead to more meltdowns.

BelleateSebastian · 16/01/2014 23:28

I am in the same position as OP, y5 ds 'all his friends play it'. I took ds to the game shop and asked one of the staff what would be a good substitute, he reccomended a 'Batman' game which is still a 12 or a 15, but he assured me that it was ok, he was shocked at y5 children playing COD, GTA or Halo, he said even he found them a little disturbing!

So DS is happy as he has an 'older' game but Im assured its not going to corrupt him!

Nerfmother · 16/01/2014 23:28

The minecraft thing is weird. It seems like an online version of Lego with added chickens.

Picturesinthefirelight · 16/01/2014 23:30

& pigs- ds is obsessed with the pigs. He won't eat pork now & even checks sweets for gelatine.

Game tried to sell me an Xbox that came with Halo even though I told them it was for a 9 year old.