Do you let your kids play M-rated games?

No. My oldest is only 11, so my kids are years away from being allowed to play those games. I also don’t let them watch PG-13 movies, unless I’ve watched them first and know what to expect. I’m so mean that way. :P

I don’t even let them play G-rated games.

No. Much like @MissAusten I don’t allow them to watch certain movies, either, unless I have given them the once over, myself.

My mom lets me play them. She buys me beer too.

@jp

No question hacking. :P

No.

They play 7-rated games. My eldest is six years old.

I’m probably going to be flamed for this, but I honestly don’t mind (if I had kids) my kids playing M-rated games. (maybe not with 7 years, but with 9–10)

It’s all in the way you’re raised. If you’re never there for your child, never teaching him whats right and whats wrong, he has high chances of being a delinquent. I was watching violent movies, playing M-rated games for as long as I can remember, and so have all my friends, and look how well I turned out!

Don’t drink (occasional beer on celebrations, sue me), don’t smoke, don’t fight, and I’ve watched horror movies with what, 10 years? Even earlier. On the other hand, I have a friend who wasn’t raised properly, played all the same games, and he’s a delinquent.

So yeah. If you’re a bad parent, it doesn’t matter if your kid plays M-rated games or not. But it’s all about culture I guess. Where I live, you’re considered a freak if you didn’t play GrandTheftAuto by the age 8.

@Written I don’t think that my stepsons will be bad citizens as a result of playing games inappropriate for children their age. I just don’t think they need to be exposed to excessive violence, sex, nudity, or foul language until they are older.

@TheOnlyNeffie: No matter how much you’re there for them, they’re still going to see and hear all those things. It’s a part of life. I know I did, and it didn’t change me for the worse.

@Written of course they will. But the excessive exposure under my watch can be limited. I was a kid once, too.. and not all that long ago. I was the one going around telling my friends were babies came from in kindergarten, and I learned the “worst” words from my friends. I’m not so naive as to think that I am keeping my kids in a perfect bubble by not allowing them to play these games. But I can also think of 100 other more productive, educational, and fun activities for a 10 year old to engage in instead of stealing digital cars, picking up hookers, and shooting at people.

I don’t see anything wrong with doing everything I can to limit their exposure to such things until they are more mature.

@TheOnlyNeffie: There’s nothing wrong, but, how old are you? Let’s say, 25–35. Things change in a few years. The other day, I saw some kids cursing at each other (even I don’t use that kind of language) and then started to fight. They’re like, 8 or 9. When I was that age, I literally never said a bad word. Things change.

So, you’re saying that if the environment in which children are living in 10 years says that it is socially acceptable in some rings to let your 10 year old watch a pornographic film, I should do that?

I don’t think my kids are mature enough to handle that kind of content. I’m not really worried about how “cool” that makes them look when someone asks them if they’ve played the latest version Resident Evil. You might feel differently about it when you are the one getting up in the middle of the night because your child is having nightmares about something they’ve seen on TV or in a video game.

The last – and only – time my son saw me play Battlefield: Bad Company 2, he started crying.

Why would I want to expose him to that again?

When he finds it for himself, and is in a position to process the unreality of of violent FPS games, I’ll let him play. Until then, Mario is plenty fun. In fact, it’s usually better fun.

@Written: your sample for your hypothesis that M-rated games are OK is n=1. However, you include your friend who’s delinquent in your post, so ~n=1 (”~” = not). Therefore, your only dataset does not support your opinion.

I think the important thing is to have a discussion with the child about why you feel the content is inappropriate, rather than issuing an ultimatum.

@Hobbes

We’re parents. Ultimatums are our tool of instruction. They are not mature enough yet to decide for themselves, and a line must be provided so that once they get to the decision age [teens], they can choose properly.

When you are a parent, you are raising a citizen – not a friend.

I think that regardless of the situation, ultimatums are a last resort. I’m not saying that children should be allowed to do whatever they want, I’m saying that when a child wants to do something you disagree with, it’s generally best to enter into a dialogue about it rather than issue orders. Of course, there are situations where this is impossible. If a child wants to run in front of a car, there’s no time to talk to them about it – you have to stop them. But most times, I think it is entirely possible to speak to them respectfully about the issue at hand. If they don’t want to talk to you, so be it, but in my experience children respond to being treated as though they matter.

The highest rating my son (he’s 8) is allowed to play is Teen and it’s not all teen games, only ones I approve of. He probably could handle some M rated games, but I want him to stay a kid as long as possible. No reason to make him grow up faster than he needs to, he’ll get enough of adult life when he gets older!

@Hobbes I agree. I tell my kids exactly why they can’t play certain games or watch certain movies, or even why they can’t eat certain foods. No is still no, and giving them the courtesy of an answer doesn’t turn “no” into “maybe” or “yes.” I have been known to throw out the “because I said so” from time to time, but overall I try to avoid it.

@squirbel I think if a kid is old enough to ask “Why not?” they are old enough to deserve an appropriate answer. Not a negotiation or a discussion, but a valid, simple reason. If my five year old wants to go to McDonald’s for dinner, why just say a flat no when I can also take the time to tell him it’s not good for him? He’s certainly capable of understanding the difference between junk food and healthy food. It’s really not any different from movies, video games, or other things.

@Written I think you have a good point about parenting being a “total package” and that kids being allowed to play violent video games probably won’t be crucial difference between a “good” life and a “bad” life. I was allowed to do all kinds of things as a kid that I wouldn’t let my kids do, and I think I turned out OK. My opinion on how I turned out may be slightly biased. We all tend to view parenting as something that can hinge on one decision, like whether or not to breastfeed, whether or not to spank, whether or not to have two parents work full time…when there is much more to it and no one right or wrong decision. You may not have been affected by playing those video games any more than I was affected by playing guns all day with my friends or reading my mom’s romance novels in grade school, but that doesn’t mean parents should dismiss their concerns and let their kids be exposed to things they may not feel the kids are ready for.

@MissAusten I agree. I never said that an ultimatum has to go without an explanation. You just don’t budge. They can learn from the reason – just saying no doesn’t provide a good foundation for decision making later on [teens].

I was referring to people who negotiate with their children.

I think one should also genuinely listen to the child’s response to your explanation. I think that as in any interaction with another human, they may have a perspective you haven’t considered. I do think on some issues, you need to hold your ground, but you shouldn’t get so caught up in “not budging” that you shut yourself off from other possibilities.

I don’t have any kids. All the same, I disapprove of people buying M-rated games for them.

Just some commentary on the subject: As a kid who grew up playing those games and watching gore-movies, I’ve never blown up any buildings, hijacked any vehicles, shot up any schools, performed any drive-bys, or taken any serious drugs, nor have I ever had the urge. My parents taught me the difference between reality and virtual reality fairly on and I’m guessing it may have had something to do with that lesson that I haven’t turned into a possessed monster as a result of playing video games.

I would even go as far to argue that in comparison to some of the kids I’ve graduated with (most of which have committed at least one of the acts I’ve listed), I was probably far better off playing video games all day than hanging out with the ones who didn’t.

I forgot to mention, since I’m like, a decade or so from having kids, I probably (or obviously) have a different opinion, all of that could (and probably will) change when I do have kids. :)

My 14-year-old has been playing M-rated games for years now, but only because we’ve taught him the differences between right and wrong, games and real life. He’s a great kid with a good head on his shoulders and is a straight A student who’s all about science, computers, and programming. A shining example of how playing violent video games has absolutely nothing to do with turning a child into a crazed mass murderer or serial killer.