Rules about age limits for games are confusing...society seems off!
Rules about age limits for games are confusing...society seems off!
It feels like someone is speaking in a way a young person would. Rules are supposed to be broken sometimes, but not completely. Telling no can actually help teach control. Kids don’t know what’s right or wrong, so giving them choices doesn’t really work. Who would want to say no when they’re faced with something tempting before they even grasp the risks?
It seems like you've shared some personal reflections and observations. Let me rephrase them in a clearer way.
You're acknowledging your past behavior during your teenage years, mentioning how you accessed various media and games, especially during breaks after school. You appreciated the strategy involved and noted that you haven't raised a child yourself but have read about parenting topics.
You're expressing frustration about the lack of clear rules in your childhood environment and how societal norms can shape behavior. You also highlight the challenges in understanding the situation in your region, where laws and cultural expectations differ significantly.
Your message emphasizes the importance of avoiding exposing children to such content and warns against letting them experience a world that feels disconnected from their reality.
I gifted GTAV to my brother as a present after he bought an Xbox one recently. I was shocked to notice my 13-year-old niece playing it the other day during a visit, and she just rolled her shoulders, saying she hadn’t played it much, but definitely not something I’d let my kids touch.
Violence is not acceptable for children. Ignore any opinions from USK&Co.
Well, I wasn't just talking about that one title, because by the time you have kids, Rockstar could be in trouble, and I'm not talking about a distant future. Maybe GTA 5 isn't it, but there are horror titles too, plus lots of other styles... A game can be restricted to 18+ simply because it contains violence or explicit content. If you asked me if your child should play Skyrim, the response might differ, but imagine them adding mods and textures—then it really crosses into another age range. And not every game labeled 18+ is actually that strict. Honestly, I don't fully understand what the long-term effects might be. Could playing violent games early lead to bad behavior later, or is it more about psychological impact that shows up in adulthood? I don’t have a psychology background (I’m more into tech and coding), so I’m not sure. You might want me to find a study or article on this topic if you need one for your thoughts. No pressure to write an essay here—just to help you think it through.
I grew up with the PS3 at 16, so we were pretty close to playing games then. For my kids, I plan to look into the games first, knowing they’ll probably play them at their friends’ houses. That’s what happened when I was younger and didn’t have games ready for me. Regarding R-rated titles, I don’t recommend them—once kids are old enough, they can handle whatever they want. Right now, my cousin is 13 and plays GTA 5 and other R-rated games. He’s started acting out, using a lot of swearing, and his parents can’t seem to keep up. Kids today seem to get things too easily; they just cry and demand what they want. It’s disappointing, especially for such a sensitive generation. They’re easily upset over small things. Also, about my cousin—he wanted an iPhone 7, so his parents gave him the 6s. He began crying, screaming, and swearing, which really shows how some games can impact young minds.
Does this really show his involvement with GTA V is the main reason behind that action? It seems like a typical example of correlation not proving causation. We might just be seeing the opposite—his actions could be driving his interest in media like GTA V instead of the other way around. The game features a lot of casual and informal language, but I don’t think it explicitly tells viewers to challenge authority or disobey parents. Perhaps I’m overinterpreting, but it looks like many assumptions need to be considered for this to hold. It’s possible that teaching children about media influences can be effective, but it doesn’t seem enough just from the presence of certain words.
As a child I really enjoyed playing GTA San Andreas mainly for the driving experience, loved navigating between towns, and even now the aspect of driving remains my favorite part of the game. I always preferred the driving over other elements like combat or language. It’s disappointing when people blame games for lack of parental guidance or other problems; it would have been sad if I couldn’t play it back then just because of content restrictions, since none of those things appealed to me at all.
He was once a typical child. Until he started playing those games with his friends. He sometimes acted out, but it was clear. His parents discovered he was spending time with the wrong people, maybe because of their influence. It seems his behavior got worse as a result. I hope he understands the impact of his actions on them. Honestly, I try to stay away from their issues and keep personal matters private online, just in case it gets me into trouble.
Everyone reacts differently to the same things, so it really comes down to upbringing and external influences. I had a lot of mature material from a young age, which might have helped shape my maturity in certain areas.