18 Rated Video games

[Alice in Underland]

Was in my local Blockbuster and the man in front of me was renting a new version of Grand Theft Auto (r18) for a boy who looked about 9 or 10.
The woman next to me made a comment about the rating for this violent game.
Together we spoke to the man..."You do know this is an 18 rating don't you. You shouldn't be getting it for this boy".
He shrugged and said Ït's for me". It obviously WASN'T since the guy behind the counter was quizzing the boy about which of the different add-ons the boy wanted for the game.

So dad and son went off to spend Saturday night killing people.
The child was identifiable by his Min*********on rugby club shirt ( will be identifiable to people in Gloucestershire)......shame on his father.

Share my rage folks !

Fortunately my kids, 12 and 13, think people who play violent video games are sad losers who have nothing else interesting to do in their lives

[scarlett]

You were brave.

There's no telling some people and he was probably right when he said it was for him...I expect they will both play it like best friends rather then father and son. Probably both crack open a beer too.

[Looking for help]

I have to say I have bought 18+ games for my children with them standing beside me and they have been clearly for them, and to be honest if I had made the decision to do it the last thing I would have been totally pleased about would have been someone in the queue telling me off. Lots of 14 year old boys look 10, and frankly I decided a long time ago that no licensing board would decide what's right for my children, I would. If he is staying at home playing along with his dad, that's a whole lot better than smoking and drinking on a street corner, and it is doubtful that there is a direct link between Grand Theft Auto/COD and lifetime of brutal killing or outrageous behaviour.

I recently watched a horror movie with my husband and two daughters who are 18 and 19, it was given a 15 rating. My husband and older daughter had to leave part way through, and the other one and I sat through to the end, absolutely terrified and had nightmares after (sorry can't remember the name of the film). I was shocked that this had not been given an 18 certificate. I also had a hilarious experience in a supermarket buying a bottle of wine at a self service checkout. My daughter who was then 17 said in a really loud voice 'But mum, they'll think you're buying it for me!', at which point the 10 year old assistant jumped out of her dwam and nearly didn't approve my purchase. I would have been very annoyed if this young person was going to tell me what I could or couldn't buy In point of fact it was for me , but it wasn't her business.

I think it is very easy to judge people, but frankly buying a shooting game for the xbox is really not worth getting that bothered about, in my opinion. When my oldest was wanting these games I refused, but he was playing them anyway at friends' houses, once I realised this, and also realised that none of them had turned into serial killers, I got over myself and relented - maybe not at 10, but definitely younger than 18.

[pheasantchick]

if parents allow children to play 18 games in their homes, then thats their decision. However, I think the issue is that the video shop openly loaned it to an under-age child.

[poiuyt]

The OP states that... ''Was in my local Blockbuster and the man in front of me was renting...'' which implies that the man was holding the game.

Besides there is worse horror shown on the news channels every day, just a passing warning given.

We should resist all attempts to suck us into this downward slide of active participants of the nanny state syndrome...we are responsible for own actions and therefore consequences of...

[Marylou]

This is really difficult...I absolutely hate these kind of games, and DS knows I do, so we have nothing higher than a 15 in the house (despite the fact that he's only 10! ) - of course, I know he plays them when he goes round to his friends' houses, but short of banning him from seeing certain people there's really not much I can do. I don't like them in the living room as that's effectively the space for everyone in the family, but on the other hand I wouldn't want him holed up in his room playing them, either. I've noticed that he gets more stroppy after playing a game like this, so am trying very hard to draw boundaries. I'm finding not being too heavy-handed seems to be working for the time being - DS has just switched his attention to skateboarding games which, though they can look rather painful, are more acceptable in my view!

LFH - your story about the checkout reminded me of an occasion when DH was at a well-known supermarket that claims to help in every little way. He was accompanied by a 17-year-old male friend of DD, not sure why - I think he was giving him a lift somewhere and was picking up some shopping on the way which in this case included some beer. The checkout girl asked if it was for the boy, who quick as a flash responded "Nah - I'm more of a cider man meself."

[Looking for help]

"Nah - I'm more of a cider man meself."

That was a good answer

I don't like the games either, but I don't think that's the point here. I think the OP is making a point that it is ok to walk up to a complete stranger and make a judgement about their parenting skills and I think that's wrong. I may have an opinion about someone based on what they appear to be doing, but I can't imagine intervening unless the child was at risk of injury. It sounds like the man was giving his child a treat, not the OPs kind of treat, but a treat none the less

[SEP18]

Sorry but this sounds like a "Troll" posting to me.

[Looking for help]

Eh....

[Sally-Anne]

Sorry but this sounds like a "Troll" posting to me.

Alice in Underland has made 4 fewer posts than your own 86 posts. She also joined a few months before you.

I think we can rule out "Troll" and take this seriously.