DS(14) and age 18 games are we doing the right thing?

[WorrySighWorrySigh]

DS(14) is not allowed PEGI 18 games. No debate, no discussion. He is allowed age 16 games.

Are we wrong? DS says his friends tease him for not having age 18 games.

Yes you are and they ALL say the same thing

Our 13 yo does not get to play 18 games, Or 15/16 games. I am hideously evil, apparently, but thems is the rules in this house.

I dont let him watch 18 movies, so why would I let him play 18 games?

I think its unfair to just say no without discussion tbh. My ds is 11 and I go online and research games he wants to play and films, I ask in games shops about what is involved, I look for footage on youtube, and then I decide from my own view what he can do. Its been a no for 18 ratings so far but at least I can say no for x, y and z reasons rather than no because someone else says so.

When I was 14 all of my friends had everything I ever wanted and they used to bully me, they used to go out all night, be given hundreds of pounds a week, never have to do chores.......or so I used to say anyway, I soon got over it and learn lying gets you nowhere

He is currently curled up on the sofa looking like a whipped puppy. I dont feel very right.

My 14yo does not play 18 games. He is the only 14yo he has ever met who doesn't spend their evenings and weekends doing nothing but playing COD. I am some insane overprotective mother, apparently.

He does have a 15 game though. It's very cool, apparently. It involves killing chickens.

I think you ae doing the right thing. Plenty of time for those games later.

I got round this issue by not having consoles full stop. You could ask him if he'd prefer my rules?

Our rule of thumb is age of child plus 2/3 years. But we decide on a game by game basis- my partner is our personal censor for our 14 year olds and he doesn't always go strictly with the official guidelines. Are you into games or do you know anyone trustworthy who is?

Any teenager worth their salt will respond to any meaningful rule firmly enforced with the whipped puppy sulk! Don't conclude you aqre in the wrong just because of that.:)

^ This.

Mine are adults now, hold your ground.

remember how when he was 14 months and wanted to eat everything he saw, and you were mean and stopped him?
Same thing really.

DS's sister's boyfriend (tenuous links inc!) is a keen gamer and also supports the 'no' vote.

LynetteScavo can you tell me more about this chicken killing game please?

DS is very much into Battlefield games. The games he wants to play contain depictions of torture in the build up section. He isnt old enough to deal with that kind of thing. There is no brain bleach. Once you have seen something depicted you cant pretend you didnt see it.

I read out all your replies to DS. I'm afraid the whipped puppy is still sniflling on the sofa!

worry

if ds ister game b/f is saying no then i would listen as suspect he knows better what the game contains .At 14 i was not keen on 18 games at 16 now i allow but he is older and ,mature enough to deal with

whats the game ill go ask ds1 19 and ds2 16 both gamers see what they say?

You know the daft thing? He wants to join the army. If he gets his wish he will be training for real in a couple of year's time!

I'd leave him to sulk now, you've made your decision, he doesn't need any more attention for it.

TheHumancatapult - the whipped puppy said 'Call of Duty - Black Ops 2'

I would be interested to know what your DSs think thank you.

Sounds about right to me. I did the same thing and my, now older, DC's survived. (And they still love me [busmile] )
I will never allow the really ugly nasty games like Grand Theft Auto in the house.

You are doing the right thing ds (14) has a couple of 15s and to be honest I am not too keen but dh sanctioned them. Absolutely no 18s.

Of course he says all his friends play COD and dh and I 'treat him like he is 4' or a new one 'like he has special needs'

My ds, aged 8, wanted Assassins Creed for Christmas... As a classmate plays it

I am getting my revenge by making him watch Countryfile (my sofa, my rules).

Do any experts/teenagers you have in your families know why GTA is considered so bad - from real experience and not from what I can google?

So "bad" that it gets an 18 I mean.

My DN aged 5 got an xbox and three 18 rated games for his birthday. I shit you not, my family were thrilled, me and DH thought it was a mistake but nope they were intended for him.

IMDB is a good reference for video games as well as films.