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cheeterbo · 02-10-2005, 10:24 AM

wow, i am really impressed with the reaction to my thread. i have yet to allow my son to play and have really been close many times. he really wants to play. i am falling towards the side that 4 is too young, but it will happen soon. he is turning five in april.

i grew up with bb guns and those cork-pop guns. and we would shoot them at each other. we would wear padding and helmets and declare "no head shots" and no one ever got hurt. my father took me at an early age to shoot at the police range and i was a junior marksman in junior high school.

there was no video games or violent tv (except sat. morn cartoons). hell, cable was only 9 channels then. i think it is bullshit to lock-step agree with age limits.

after reading all of everyones posts, i now believe the decision is too be made on an individual basis. after starting this thread, i stared to watch what my kids were viewing on tv. it is real violent. that new boomarang channel shows all the old cartoons i grew up with and man are they violent.

my kids watch the simpson and laugh their asses off! but they don't talk like the simpsons and don't act like them either.

the nickelodean xbox games they play are somewhat violent. instead of a gun they substitute a water hose or a hammer. the characters run around kicking and punching. but my kids don't do that to each other, or to other kids we have over, and they don't do it at school, i have asked their teachers.

both my oldest (girl 6 and boy 4) play tony hawk underground 2. and you know what they like best? creating wicked weird looking characters. it really is a wonderful canvas for expression and experimentation with art. then, after taking 20 minutes or so creating a skater, they race each other, or do the same move over and over and over while laughing hysterically.

now, i understand that they are too young to comprehend the purpose of the game, and in a few short years, that comprehension will breathe and the objectification of women and vandalism will have to be addressed.

basically, i feel that if it is properly supervised, certain children can be allowed to play these games. in fact, probably most children. its when the xbox and tv become the supervisors that damage occurs.

02-10-2005, 10:24 AM	#39 (permalink)
cheeterbo Crazy Location: newyork	wow, i am really impressed with the reaction to my thread. i have yet to allow my son to play and have really been close many times. he really wants to play. i am falling towards the side that 4 is too young, but it will happen soon. he is turning five in april. i grew up with bb guns and those cork-pop guns. and we would shoot them at each other. we would wear padding and helmets and declare "no head shots" and no one ever got hurt. my father took me at an early age to shoot at the police range and i was a junior marksman in junior high school. there was no video games or violent tv (except sat. morn cartoons). hell, cable was only 9 channels then. i think it is bullshit to lock-step agree with age limits. after reading all of everyones posts, i now believe the decision is too be made on an individual basis. after starting this thread, i stared to watch what my kids were viewing on tv. it is real violent. that new boomarang channel shows all the old cartoons i grew up with and man are they violent. my kids watch the simpson and laugh their asses off! but they don't talk like the simpsons and don't act like them either. the nickelodean xbox games they play are somewhat violent. instead of a gun they substitute a water hose or a hammer. the characters run around kicking and punching. but my kids don't do that to each other, or to other kids we have over, and they don't do it at school, i have asked their teachers. both my oldest (girl 6 and boy 4) play tony hawk underground 2. and you know what they like best? creating wicked weird looking characters. it really is a wonderful canvas for expression and experimentation with art. then, after taking 20 minutes or so creating a skater, they race each other, or do the same move over and over and over while laughing hysterically. now, i understand that they are too young to comprehend the purpose of the game, and in a few short years, that comprehension will breathe and the objectification of women and vandalism will have to be addressed. basically, i feel that if it is properly supervised, certain children can be allowed to play these games. in fact, probably most children. its when the xbox and tv become the supervisors that damage occurs.