My father got me into video games around age two. His whole life, he never once raised any concern about the content, or how I'd be "affected" by it. He thought games were great, he just didn't play them.
He also never cared if I'd come home late, or even stay overnight unexpectedly at a friend's house without calling. People flip out when I tell them that, like he was completely out of line. When I was older, he told me the reason he was so hands-off was because he knew me well enough to know he didn't have to worry about me. He never kept his guns locked up, for the same reason. Now, that might sound incredibly foolish and naive in most cases, but in my case, he was 100% right, I simply wasn't the type to get in trouble or be reckless, and it felt good to have that kind of trust.
This to me implies that the main factor is communication, understanding and trust between parent and child. Some kids are like I was, and you can show them pretty much anything and they'll be fine. Now, that's obviously not going to be the case for everyone. If your kid sets ants on fire with a magnifying glass, sets small fires around the house, stuff like that, they probably shouldn't be playing GTA, even if they beg.
In most cases, though, I think stuff like Call of Duty or whatever isn't gonna hurt most kids at all. They see worse at the movies. It's the parents' decision, and it's the parents' job to know their child well enough to make the best call. A lot of parents aren't involved enough with their kids to really know what level they're at, or what's appropriate for them, but they should be. If Little Timmy is an Honors student, does all his chores, and wants to unwind before bed with a little CoD, then I say go for it. The kid across the street swinging the cat around by its tail has way bigger problems than video games, and someone should say something.
I wish the poll had a "Yes, if the parents think it's appropriate for them" option. "Parental Supervision" isn't the same thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IndigoErth
An understanding of "age appropriate" used to be a thing and made this easier, what became of that.
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Some of us were just "born old" and acted like adults even when we were kids.
That complicates things.
ProTip: Most adults highly resent being talked down to by a 6-year old. It never stopped me, but it's a thing I noticed early on.
