Do you let your children play violent computer games?

I'm concerned about the amount of time young people spend in front of a pc anyway, let alone whether they're playing violent computer games or not. I'm not that keen on playing pc games but I have tried a couple of the violent ones. I think as an adult it's not always easy to judge these things - it's difficult to see things from a child's point of view because .. well because we're grown up! So I can say I found them pretty tiresome and a bit silly but then I'm not ten years old. See.. I think about things like Dr Who. I remember as a child being scared witless at some of the episodes of Dr Who and I vividly remember the ones that scared me the most. I saw a repeat of a couple of them on satellite tv a few years ago and they just were SO not scary and not at all how I remembered them. That's what I mean about looking at things with an adult perspective. It's probably not justified to blame violent computer games alone for some of the worst behaviour and attitudes displayed by children nowadays, but I think they are a contributory factor. I think the internet in general is not a good place for children to be spending much of their time - I look at some of the stuff on sites like YouTube and it worries me that children can be exposed to that and think it's ok or acceptable. I think a lack of good parenting combined with exposure to some of the more dubious things around like violent games and the more unsavoury aspects of the internet, is resulting in children growing up with a warped and anti-social set of values and attitudes. That's not good news for society in general and I do think it's an issue that should be taken seriously.

Video games have guidance ratings, clearly marked on the cases and games. While I don't like some of the more violent and nasty games, it really should be down to the parents to monitor these games more closely.

i would strongly recommend you not to allow small children to get much involved in these violent games because such violent games are going to affect there growth and thoughts negatively

my mother let me play all the games that i wanted, and yes i i played many violent games because i never liked the "peace full" ones and she also let me watch the movies i wanted... i think it is like this every parent should allow its kid to explore games and TV for the whole specter (also violent) but with supervision. denying the game can also have some bad consequences. my mother let me play that games because she saw that they do not change my behavior and that i accept them just as a way to spend free time and do not switch real life with this fictional one. she saw that i was not obsessed with them and when she said i have to stop playing for the day i stopped (ok some begging was involved). i was not anxious to play them if i could not. i did not play the game in real life and it never accrued to me that i would copy cat something from the game (well other than wanting to do magic but that's another thing'). since i liked that kind of games and played them a lot i learned English really fast and did not have problems with it as my schoolmates had. so a good thing from games hehe and sadly or not violent games offer greater knowledge of English language. To conclude: I think it is OK for children to play such games as long as their parents have enough time to monitor their reactions, behavior. It is not the game that makes a person do the act game just gives them an idea how to do the act. And if you allow your child to play it and observe him/her you have a greater chance to recognize if he has a tendency to be a bully or something or he gets nervous, bad temper etc. and can help him on time.

Nope to that. But my husband will disagree with me a little bit. After all, he was the one who introduced the popular Counterstrike to our 4 year old son! When I discovered the two of them playing the game, I was disappointed with my husband. Because it was a game of violence and bloodshed. I even discovered my son playing a character who was so bent on gunning down an enemy!!! Now, I am a little strict when it comes to the type of computer games my son has to play. Thankfully, he's very excited with his Barney pc game and Dora the Explorer. Not only is he learning but he won't be exposed to unnecessary display of violence.

hello i would never ever let my children play violent computer games it is evil

When they where little no I never did and today they are not into them at all they do not like them The way they look at it is that there is enough Violence is the real world

I discovered this type of game playing around the same time as myy daughters. I was in my late forties their children were infants. I know my daughters did the puzzle type of games, which I think they are called first person shooter. I was also into these. The violent aspect of the games is well balanced I feel with other aspects like storyline, graphics and puzzle solving. We played these games as a grown up family, even ringing each other if we were stuck...lol. But I know a lot of parents who use these machines as babysitters for their kids, much like the tv was used prior to these games arriving on the scene. I know of lots of re teens that have their own tv, phone, game console and computer all set up in their room with practically total privacy. I think it's disgraceful.