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I've had a couple of 30 min sessions of Halo with my 8yo lad and he loves it, in fact we both have a right giggle on the sofa. I can't rid myself of the feeling that I'm being a terrible Father though, despite playing shooting games when I was his age they were a lot less realistic graphics wise.
Before it gets mentioned, he spends a lot of the rest of his spare time walking on Dartmoor, cycling, playing football, swimming etc.
I play it with my 12 year old daughter. Gets a bit sweary at times, but nothing worse than I blurt out.
Isn't Halo rated for much older kids? Via my sons school, I heard of a school over Cheshire way who said they're be reporting parents to social services if their (primary school) kids came into school talking about playing computer games which were age inappropriate.
hope there'll be some common sense applied by social services/the school there DBW. 8yo playing an 18 game fair enough complain away but lynch mob for a 10yo playing a 12 game?
Considering the body counts you could rock up in the likes of operation wolf...
Nah I think you are being histerical. We played shooters very young, I was 9 when this came out and didn't turn in to a psychotic killer! 😆
well we're a bit messed up as a society, play a game where you kill thousands of people there's no problem, up until a character says "shit" then the age ratings board flip out. Same with movies. Death and destruction is not an issue but naughty words....Considering the body counts you could rock up in the likes of operation wolf...
depends on the child, if you think he's mature enough, Halo isn't a game that makes me say "Really? At that age?" in the same way that perhaps COD would.
If you're playing with him, and controlling access to the console, and it's something that you both enjoy as "one amongst many" things that you do together, as opposed to "the only" thing he does by himself, then I can't see the issue.
Whether it's games or films, personally I use the certificates as guidance and then make my own decisions - there's been '18' films I've let my kids watch when there have been other '12's that I haven't. Same with games.
Happy to justify on a case-by-case basis if Social Services want to pop round to discuss this.
I play 18 games with my 9 yr old daughter. It's a game, she knows it's not real, plus she'll self censor if it gets a bit scary, be it games or films. I'll let her watch stuff with bad language, films/games/tv etc as she knows what's right and wrong to say and she certainly wouldn't swear around us. I'll only really draw the line at sexual content as she's too young for that yet.
Whether it's games or films, personally I use the certificates as guidance
That's exactly what it is.
hope there'll be some common sense applied by social services/the school there DBW.
Who knows... I think there'd been an example of a 6 year old telling all his mates about GTA V and popping hookers with miniguns etc.
I'll only really draw the line at sexual content as she's too young for that yet.
But running amok with various weaponry killing people is cool? Thinking back to when I was 9, we'd done sex education at school but I can't remember weapons training 😉
So you never played armies as a kid?
Just got out of a 7 hour meeting (deep joy) and thank you for your replies. Trying not to be self-justifying but my lad sees it as a bit of a laugh and I really enjoy him roaring with laughter whenever I let him get one over on me.
That's decided - keep playing but monitor as we would anything else that's possibly contentious.
I'd personally only allow it in your company, My lad is 10 and he's a fugging nightmare with games - GTA V is banned, Minecraft is allowed and it seems pretty well regulated in terms of the 'online world' but other games are a nightmare, I tell him to no go online, but temptation gets the better of him, I take it away for a week, he complains, says he won't do it again, but a punishment is a punishment - a week go by, he lasts an hour and he's online again chatting to who knows who, hearing language he shouldn't hear - it seems the players get so frustrated that they can't really do much to each other over and above shouting abuse it goes turbo immediately, the worst kinds of swear words, the most racist, sexist, homophobic rants I've ever heard.
hear - it seems the players get so frustrated that they can't really do much to each other over and above shouting abuse it goes turbo immediately, the worst kinds of swear words, the most racist, sexist, homophobic rants I've ever heard.
If it's constantly happening, just stop him playing, permanently.
Halo should be fine, as long as you're playing with him, in moderation.
TBH, you seem to spend half your time waiting in server lobbies after every match, so the main danger is extreme boredom.
I'll only really draw the line at sexual content as she's too young for that yet.
But running amok with various weaponry killing people is cool? Thinking back to when I was 9, we'd done sex education at school but I can't remember weapons training
Thinking back to when I was nine, we'd all be running round the woods with toy guns, or a stick vaguely shaped like a gun, simulating warfare. If we'd been simulating sex with each other, I think that might have been a problem.
P-Jay you should be able to add a parental control so he can only chat with friends.
I should add I don't let him go online, it's just the two of us.
Building castles in the sky?
In the 70's we played war games all day long, toys were usually some kind of weapon thing, toy soldiers, action man, Cowboys & Indians etc. Similar s@£t, different format - probably a bit healthier cos it was all played out in the playground/ local woods
I should add I don't let him go online, it's just the two of us.
Yup, me too. Not looking forward to her wanting to go online and the associated 'policing'.
How about portal as an alternative?
I still think you should pack in playing computer games once you become an adult ,they are for kids after all !
I think it very much depends on the child. Some are clearly well adjusted and reasonable whereas others can be a lot more unreasonable (trying to think of a better term there!). I wonder if there should be a similar rule to the one about letting kids stay at home alone - there is no age limit, it's down to whether the child is capable of looking after themselves and staying safe.
As a teacher of 7/8yos I'm under no illusion that some of them play games that they probably shouldn't. Some we know about and blurt it out showing off. Others are probably don't think it's much of a deal.
I have one boy who clearly shouldn't be playing Call of Duty and Halo. He often uses expletives and racist language... The justification from parents? It's the hip hop videos he watches on YouTube!
How about portal as an alternative?
Awesome game but having played two player with my Wife it is quite clear that I don't have the temperement to cope when, 'YOU'VE SHOT PORTAL IN A RIDICULOUS DIRECTION, OH I GIVE UP, PUT STRICTLY ON INSTEAD'.