Parents who are Gamers

Senshi_of_Vision · Post by **Senshi_of_Vision** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:14 pm

I just got finished reading another list off AOL news. It was about 7 video games that are good and 7 that are bad for kids. It got me thinking im a mother now and though my son is only 2 as an avid gamer myself he will one day be exposed to my hobby. I read some of the comments from the people who disagreed with the article and while some I agreed with others made me nervous. You can always tell the type of level a person will devote over real life to gaming compared to those who enjoy video games but understand there is life outside the 3D and Graphics world. In fact that was a problem in my life my ex had issues with rather dealing with games all the time and having reality take a back seat. I still do not think that he should be used for all guys who like to game. Yet the news and some members of society would like to lump all gamers parents and none into that mold and it bothers me.

The comments for and against pretty much were the same all leaning completely one way. Pro gamers who argue that there is nothing wrong with violent games though did not really defend that very young kids should not play. Then you had the ones who preached about society going down hell and a handbasket because a game where you shoot up aliens and it bugs me. There are plenty of responsible men and women who are parents that enjoy games. And when my son is old enough and wishes to he can game as well, the only standards I will try to set is the level of violence at his age level. I dont think he should be playing games like GTA or Halo at 5-12, but once he becomes a teen (at least after 16) and since I plan to raise him to know right from wrong and reality from fantasy I do not see the problem with him playing games as long as its legal for him to.

I just wonder how others feel about this subject. I dont like that parents who happen to like to game are subject to being labeled bad and that their kids are going to end up violent. Ive been gaming since the good old days of Atari my first game was donkey kong and popeye. Ive had several consoles as a kid including Nintendo and personal problems asside Ive never gone on any rampages and im pretty mild mannered as are the other gamers I know. I just get tired of seeing how Games and not bad parenting and social influences are constantly blamed for kids growing up wrong.

yoshmaster5 · Post by **yoshmaster5** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:19 pm

My dad loves First-Person shooters. They're his way to calm down usually... and this is partly how I was introduced to Video games.

*remembers when self was 4, and with my sister, watching my Dad play Doom, Doom 2, Quake, etc...*

Good times. XD

Post by **Tiff** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:12 pm

If parents who are gamers are bad, then Joe and I are in trouble, it seems. =P

The key is choosing age-appropriate games for your child, point blank. And when you feel up to playing your rated M games, wait till the kid is asleep or out of the house. It isn't appropriate to fire up God of War (a very violent, bloody, and nipple-revealing game) in front of 5 year old Timmy, but it's certainly not a bad thing for him to own his own DS and play games that are appropriate for him.

Queen Of Hearts · Post by **Queen Of Hearts** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:12 pm

My little brother is 6, and he playes T rated games. However, as far as the T-rating goes, the game just has Violence. Marvel Ultimate Alliance is is favorite game, and he plays it for 2 hours on week days, and as long as he wants on weekends. It has no blood, language and drugs. Just you have to beet up the bad guy. Personally, it didn't need the T rating. When my relatives see the rating on the box, the criticize my parents for buying him such a game, when , in reality, the played the whole game before giving to him.

Games in moderation are fine. Not ever gamer parent pays no attention to their children, or what their children play.

And, parents who don't pay attention to ratings aren't always gamer parents.