gun related computer games and your kids???

[SmileDocHill]

At what age do you feel it is appropriate to have your kids play computer games that involve guns? This obviously is a much broader and deeper subject than what it appears on the surface because it depends on the type of game, maturity verses age of the child involved, how much supervision comes with the game etc.
I'm basically going to vent a bunch of philosophical concepts I've been wrestling with and trying to form a position on to give you a glimpse into what I'm thinking, then I'm interested in what your thoughts are on the matter.

When I was a kid "playing guns" or "good guys and bad guys" was a common occurrence. Some of my fondest memories were going to my cousins house and playing guns because they were farmers and the number of barns, buildings, silos, tractors and other things gave us countless places to hide.
How does that differ from playing some version of shooting people on a computer?

I emotionally get the concept that "things are different now" and things that were not problematic for my upbringing might possibly be problematic for kids of today. Has anyone thought through this aspect of it enough to explain it to me. (I feel the difference the generation makes but I cannot explain it) This is compounded in my case by not only a generational difference but also because I was raised in a rural environment and now I'm raising my kids in a suburban environment.

OK, I'm fascinated by human psychology so I could go on forever, I'm more interested in your thoughts.

Please discuss......

 

[DragonGunner]

I can relate to playing "war" with guns as a kid growing up. I haven't a clue on how old a child should be before being allowed to play the new "tech" stuff. I have 2 sons that are grown now, I made it a point to tell them that stuff on tv wasn't real...like tv shoot outs...they were amazed....yeah kids will believe unless you tell them....I showed them how they did stunts to make them real but that they were actors an were ok. I did this so they would know what reality an fantasy was.....slowly as they grew they played the sega, playstation....an in fact they still do!!! I don't have the patience for it myself hardly anymore, but they sure do....I usually blow up, they stay nice an calm...lol. I don't think it has negatively affected them, I don't think playing war as a kid did me harm either. They both hold down a job, smart enough not to waste money on drugs, smokes an bars so guess playing all those hours might of kept them out of trouble.
Just teach them what reality is even at a young age.

 

[NYFelon]

My son is nine. I allow him to play some games which involve guns, or simulated combat roles. I use the game ratings system as a generic guide, then do my own research into the material aspects of the game. If I find that the game is of a maturity factor inappropriate for his age group, he does not get the game. Recently, using his own money, he preordered a game called "Rage" which is a first person zombie shooter. I find the fictitious content of the game acceptable, as it is unlikely to replicate any situation he could realistically come across. Also, the majority of the M rating is for "blood and gore", namely that the zombies explode when killed. Again, this is so fantastically unrealistic I feel it represents no ill to his young mind. Conversely, He is not allowed to play first person shooters which portray actual combat and human death as a goal or a means to "victory." Perhaps it's too strong, but I think it's a fair set of rules, and I will of course relax them as he grows older. No amount of "But Joey/Billy/Mikey has it..." will change my approach either.

Heck, I actually forbid him from pointing his toy guns at living things. Well, except me and the neighbor kids. They occasionally play Nerf Wars with foam dart guns. But mostly I set him up targets down a hallway, or in the backyard to shoot at. The lessons I learned as a child should be passed on in my book.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I have let my kids(16 and 14) play those games for years. Games are not real and if those things are done in real life someone will be dead, they get that. I think most of these imagined problems of games rotting kids minds truly comes from lack of parenting.

 

[littletommy]

My kids all play the CoD games, zombie games, you name it. They (my youngest is 12) also go to the range with me regularly, and are familiar with many different pistols, bolt rifles and AKs. My 12 year old loves shooting the .44 mag, and my 14 year old loves the AKs. My 16 year old has a few Mosins of his own. I don't mind them playing the games because they know what a real firearm is capable of.

 

[YETB]

I've been a computer gamer since DOOM -

Once I had kids (2 boys) - I never felt compelled to live the "do as I say - not as a I do" role model parenting style.

Both of my kids have played FPS and Top down strategy games since they were small.

I do draw the line at games I wouldn't personally play - nothing that glorifies crime and violence as a scoring system.

War and war sim - (CoD, Battefield etc) are what we play together - and what we host as LAN parties in my basement with a bunch of friends and I think we all turned out OK.