Would You Restrict Your Child's Game Library Due To Mature Content?

M

MR.KAZ

Lurker
I'm probably not going to make any friends with my outlook on this topic,but here it goes anyway.If I were a parent or elder in any way like an uncle,I would have to say that with the exception of titles that contain strong sexual content like "Leisure Suit Larry" and other related titles, I wouldn't restrict my children from any store bought video game.The reason being that with respect to the gore and the cursing,kids are destined to learn those things as part of growing up.No matter how strict you are as a parent or guardian,it is inevitable that your young ones are going to pick up on this stuff fast.It's part of life that you can't change.

Godspeed.
Kaz
 
For me it will depend on a age. I know that some kids are mature even at a young age, but I will restrict something like this:
Up to age of 5: E and E10+ only
Age 5-12: E, E10+, T
13-14: Most M games
15: All M games
 
agpickle said:
For me it will depend on a age. I know that some kids are mature even at a young age, but I will restrict something like this:
Up to age of 5: E and E10+ only
Age 5-12: E, E10+, T
13-14: Most M games
15: All M games
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This is basically how I grew up. I'm just now getting into M rated games. I had MGS2 and Red Faction when I was 12ish, but those were my only M rated titles before my mom bought be L4D a few weeks ago. So, I agree with that.
 
Funny. Not just a couple months ago, you made a thread about how developers and retailers should be held more accountable for the affects of violent games on kids, and that we as parents/guardians should do more to prevent them from playing violent games. I, and others, argued the exact point you are trying to make in this thread. You seem to have come to a complete 180 and are now saying you wouldn't restrict them to violent games? Why the change of heart? Secondly, it seems completely contradicting to say you would not restrict them to violence and gore because they will see it anyways, yet you would try to shield them from sexual themes? They are both a part of life and if you are going to accept one, you need to accept the other. IMO.
 
x2 said:
Funny. Not just a couple months ago, you made a thread about how developers and retailers should be held more accountable for the affects of violent games on kids, and that we as parents/guardians should do more to prevent them from playing violent games. I, and others, argued the exact point you are trying to make in this thread. You seem to have come to a complete 180 and are now saying you wouldn't restrict them to violent games? Why the change of heart? Secondly, it seems completely contradicting to say you would not restrict them to violence and gore because they will see it anyways, yet you would try to shield them from sexual themes? They are both a part of life and if you are going to accept one, you need to accept the other. IMO.
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People Change in life x2.
 
x2 said:
You're not giving me much to work with here KAZ! :lol
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I know it seems weird guys.I know that other thread wasn't posted long ago,but some aspects of my life are changing,causing my outlook to change however little.Sometimes in life the smallest thing can completely change your entire perception on life and every thing that goes with it.A good example would be a loved one like your mother or father dying can completely change how you look at the world.It could make you very bitter or it can make you have a stronger outlook on things.

Some people after breaking up with a girl or guy become very bitter and untrusting towards the opposite sex.A mother having a miscarriage and losing her baby may come to hate God for taking her baby.Things like that have an enormous effect on a person.5 years ago my brother moved into an apartment uptown.He made what he thought were some friends and began trusting them.He went to work one day and came home to see these so called friends stealing everything he owned.That experience has made my brother bitter and very cautious when it comes to meeting new people.Things like that.
 
Makes sense. I think the best thing is to just find a good middle ground. Maybe, not be completely restrictive, but at the same time be sensible about what you allow them to see at certain ages. Don't willingly expose your kids to violence just because they are going to see it anyways, ya know?
 
x2 said:
Makes sense. I think the best thing is to just find a good middle ground. Maybe, not be completely restrictive, but at the same time be sensible about what you allow them to see at certain ages. Don't willingly expose your kids to violence just because they are going to see it anyways, ya know?
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I suppose.Why add fuel to the fire right? :)
 
I have a daughter, but she grew up during the Nintendo years. There was no mature content at that point in time, per say. If I had to do it during this present gaming generation, and had small children, I would stick to the age restrictions that are on the label. Even for my self, I would only play games according to the ages of the children I had around me. Just a personal code of ethics that I have for myself. As a parent I would consider that a part of my responsibility. I am glad they have the ratings and I fully support those ratings. And I do not put any responsibility on the gamemakers for raising my kids and their gaming choices. That is what the ratings are for. They are for me as a parent to help me fulfill my duty to be a responsible parent. As far as I'm concerned,they can have whatever they want in a game as long as they have the proper rating on the label. I presently do not seek out mature content in a game for myself and I do not play certain games that have a lot of excessive content that would be considered "mature." ;) It is just not my taste in gaming.
 
retro junkie said:
I have a daughter, but she grew up during the Nintendo years. There was no mature content at that point in time, per say. If I had to do it during this present gaming generation, and had small children, I would stick to the age restrictions that are on the label. Even for my self, I would only play games according to the ages of the children I had around me. Just a personal code of ethics that I have for myself. As a parent I would consider that a part of my responsibility. I am glad they have the ratings and I fully support those ratings. And I do not put any responsibility on the gamemakers for raising my kids and their gaming choices. That is what the ratings are for. They are for me as a parent to help me fulfill my duty to be a responsible parent. As far as I'm concerned,they can have whatever they want in a game as long as they have the proper rating on the label. I presently do not seek out mature content in a game for myself and I do not play certain games that have a lot of excessive content that would be considered "mature." ;) It is just not my taste in gaming.
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Yeah,that makes sense.I'm not a parent so I don't know what it's like to be one,you as a parent do know and I respect that. :)
 
I would allow my child to play any type of game as long as I feel that they are mature enough for it. I played M rated games since I was 6. And my mother was the one to buy these, she even asked me when I first got Metal Gear Solid: "Do you think you are old enough for this?", I told her if she believed I was old enough then I am old enough.
 
I think age should be linked with system generations.

Ages 6-8: NES
8-10: SNES/Sega Gen
10-12: N64/PS1
12-14: PS2/GC/Xbox
15-16: 360/PS3

And access to all the games available to each console. If you think about it, mature games didn't really start to enter the scene until PS1/N64 era (with a few exceptions of course), and they didn't become especially prominent until PS2/GC/Xbox era.

I'd be more concerned with graphical fidelity of the violence being displayed, and not so much the representation of it. Plus I think it's important for kids to understand modern games in the context of older games, when "people" in games didn't actually look like people, and "shooting" an 8 bit character didn't trigger a realistic animation of somebody dieing. The two are the same in that they are completely fictitious representations, but they are not the same in how "real" they appear to be.
 
stealth toilet said:
I think age should be linked with system generations.

Ages 6-8: NES
8-10: SNES/Sega Gen
10-12: N64/PS1
12-14: PS2/GC/Xbox
15-16: 360/PS3

And access to all the games available to each console. If you think about it, mature games didn't really start to enter the scene until PS1/N64 era (with a few exceptions of course), and they didn't become especially prominent until PS2/GC/Xbox era.

I'd be more concerned with graphical fidelity of the violence being displayed, and not so much the representation of it. Plus I think it's important for kids to understand modern games in the context of older games, when "people" in games didn't actually look like people, and "shooting" an 8 bit character didn't trigger a realistic animation of somebody dieing. The two are the same in that they are completely fictitious representations, but they are not the same in how "real" they appear to be.
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I really like this point here actually. :) I think this is probably the best way to introduce and allow gaming for children.
 
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