Moms out there, I have a question

M

Maximus

Cathlete
On ABC news last night they were talking about this video game (or whatever they're called these days), I think it was called Grand Theft Auto. Evidently software savvy kids can access pornography in this game. (OK I guess my theme for the week is porn LOL) Apparently this has angered lots & lots of parents out there.

So my question is, why is it OK for kids to play games where they're using virtual automatic weapons, killing & maiming people, beating them to a bloody pulp, but not where there's sex? Why is violence OK, but sex not?
 
I'm a Mom and my answer to that would be "beats me". I have no clue why people let their kids play age-inappropriate games or watch movies that are beyond their age group. Call me over-protective, but my little girl doesn't need to see that kind of crap. I'd be happy if she never had to see it, but she sure doesn't need to see it in games that are supposed to be fun.

And the sex in GTA is generally with prostitutes. You can also beat them and pimp them. It's really a shame that there is trash like this out there.
 
I have no idea either. I know the game you are talking about but we don't have it. My boys are 3,8,&10 and I don't let them play the killing games or the ones where you beat someone to a bloody pulp.
 
Well, they just need to add sex, too...lol. Seriously though, I think our society is conditioned to believe that violent type games are just socially acceptable on some level. Not with everyone, but a good mass of people, obviously, b/c they sell.

People think, oh, I can let my kid just take his aggression out on a video game instead of people or things. Duh...yeah, not a great idea if you're letting a video game, and a poor one at that, teach your kid frustration tolerance. You don't hear people saying, I'll just let my kid make "rounds" on the block to release some pent up energy. This is just not socially acceptable. That's the way we work. Not a real exusable answer but it's about societal trends and supply & demand as well, you know? Personally, I don't want my son playing any games that mimic horrible behaviors. So, the short of it is, I agree with you.

"you miss 100% of the shots you never take"

Debbie
 
My DH's nephew is 11 or 12. He's been playing Grand Theft Auto since the first one came out! He has all of them now. DH and I have no idea why his mom and dad allow this. ESPECIALLY when they are rated MATURE!!! My DH has them all so I know how bad they are. I would NEVER let my preteen child play this type of game! But...to each his own I guess. It's not my place to say anything so I keep my mouth shut. x(
 
Yeah, whatever happened to good old fashioned Pac-Man or Frogger, although now that I think about it, it was pretty gruesome that the frog would get run over by the cars and actually make a splatting sound.

Seriously though, I have to agree. My daughter is only 18 months and I am actually afraid of what she will be surrounded with by the time she becomes a teenager. I hope that DH and I will be able to guide her and give her good morals when it comes to her choices in life. But there's a lot of things out there making it more and more difficult for us to teach her what is right and what is wrong.

Katie
 
Well, I agree in theory that games such as this aren't the best entertainment, but as the mother of a 14 year old boy, I will tell you that games like this are pretty insiduous in the culture. In other words, even if you don't own it, one of his friends probably does, etc.

I am really careful about what my kids watch/play, but my EX isn't and I have had to let that go. (I can't control what they do over there.) But he does actually play the games with them so there is some built-in level of control there.

Where I draw the line are the online games - I think it is way too risky that your kid will end up talking to some freaky, crazy person out there on the Internet. We argue about this all of the time. I told him when he is old enough to pay the monthly fees, we'll talk. Luckily he is too cheap to give up his allowance on this. lol

Cheers,
Marie
 
One thing I would like to mention here (I'm not a parent but it's pertinent) is that Grand Theft Auto is rated Mature 18+. Kids aren't supposed to be able to buy it. And parents who are actually PARENTING should not buy it for their kids based on this rating.

My XSO has the game. I've seen every possible scenario in it (usually against my will, who wants to watch someone play a video game?) It is meant for adults, not kids, and says so on the packaging.

Just my .02, for what it's worth.

Lunacat
 
Porn is very different from sex. More people are addicted to porn than anything else. It is a business that makes BILLIONS. The reason why so many parents are against their kids seeing it is probably because they have been affected by it.

A father won't want his son having any part of it because of his own feelings of guilt and shame. A mother won't want her son having any part of it because she and her marriage has probably been hurt because of it. And then there is the good old fashioned hypocracy. People are against it becasue they do it. How many people do you know who go around shooting cops and maiming people and stealing and dealing drugs? Me niether. So it must be okay, I guess. That reasoning is beyond me. The name alone has made DH and I steer clear of it.

just my $.02
Missy
 
I consider myself to be a strict mom. Even my kids will tell you this. But my son has this video game and yes it is violent,but I only see him playing this game. There are children who play these violent games and go out and re-enact them. Well my opinion is that those kids aren't wrapped too tight to begin with. Something is wrong with them mentally from the get go. When we get a bloody and scary movie our children watch this. Sex is also in some movies, but we have educated them about sex. Yes maybe they shouldn't show sex or violence in movies,but its out there.

I am very strict on my kids in certain areas, but what goes on tv and video games are the least of our worries in the world.


This IMO.



kim
 
Do you guys remember the old "Road Runner and the Coyote" cartoons? The Three Stooges? Talk about violence!!!
 
We're a society that was founded by the Puritans and we still have a lot of hang up about sex - even after the 60's. For heaven's sake - a woman can parade around completely nude and get an R rating, but if a man is naked in a frontal view, it's X rated. I don't get that. I have friends who will not go to a gym because they are too embarrassed to see other naked females in the locker room.

Violence on the other hand has always been accepted as part of this world. Nature herself is very violent, and until only about 100 years ago, things like public hangings and corpses displayed on forte walls as a deterent to others were common place.

Just a few thoughts.
 
I have to say Those Games are not allowed in my home ... I do have an 11 year old stepson that lives with his mom . Well she buys him all those games . He sometimes brings them to my house . I figure shes trying to cuz a riff . Anyhow These Games are not for kids !! Or even adults ! I hate to say it but if nobody does anything for this child he will end up in prison . Not just because of the games but his hole home life !! I say " They Learn from Shows Like Seasamee Street " Wouldnt they learn from Those games too ?"
 
I got this off a GTA San Andreas cheat site:

"To start the pimping mission, enter a broadway (low-rider vehicle) and press R3. Drive the prostitutes to their destinations for big cash. After the tenth "trick" prostitutes PAY you rather than you paying them"

Is this really something you want your kids doing?
 
What? There's porn in GTA? My bf and I own one of those games, but evidently I haven't played it enough to find the porn. lol

Honestly, I doubt that anyone who plays the game takes it seriously. I certainly don't. When you play a game like that, it's a totally separate world from the one we're living in. It doesn't make me (or any other sane person) think of all women as prostitutes or anything like that. It's just a fictional, game environment. It's a little more realistic than Frogger, lol, but I don't think anyone could confuse it with reality. JMO!

On the other hand, sex and violence are obvious ways to sensationalize and sell the game. There are definitely a lot of games I enjoy more than GTA.

Besides, the more you tell kids they can't play a game, the more they want to play it.

Why is violence more acceptable than sex? Because sex makes people feel more uncomfortable. (Case in point: How to bring up to your dogsitter that you know she ordered on-demand porn. Yikes! If she had ordered some violent, action movie, it might not be so hard to bring up!)

Regarding why women can be completely naked on screen and men can't...I once saw an interview with Jack Valenti - the (former?) head of the MPAA. He was asked this question and his answer was that women were nicer to look at. He actually said that!!!!! :eek: I was like, for who?!? So the real answer to that question is because some jackass made it that way!
 
Shelly ,You are so right . My stepson actually had the cops at my house (About 3 years ago),And the social services due to his talking at school . Ummm Talking about Hookers , Cocain Deals ,Money,Stories about porn .How he thinks its cool in the game how when the cops bust you you can control the guy and have him kick the $hit out of the cop .. I could go on and on ...I'm telling you these games are not good at all . This child is a real problem ,got kicked out of school in second grade ...More then once . Like I said before He's got a bad home life, And these games dont help !!! .He hates it when he's on his weekend visits and I WONT let him play them .(His Mother sends the games with him !!!).Its really un believable to me !!! I Love him but I so pray his mom doesnt send him to live with us ,when he starts getting in real big trouble ... Oh Heaven help me..... Oh and when the social workers came to my house ,well its a long story but they decided he and his mom and step dad needed consoling , Well she refused and that was the end of that ... Til The next time x( x( .. But aside from all this hes in trouble all the time at school .and in the nieghborhood . They also said it seemed apparent I was the only direction this child has !!!! I so wish sometimes I wasnt ... Ok now I'm babbling . Dont let your kids play these games .
PS .Keep in mind he was 8 years old when they investigated ...Also his moms been letting him play theses M rated games since he was 3 he started out with "Double O 7 " back then !!!!!
 
my dh is currently facinated with this game. i find it sort of disturbing. The language and missions are certainly not appropriate for children, but i don't understand why adults would find in entertaining eitherx( i dont think the sex aspect is any worse than the violence though. dh likes the music. it gets on my nerves!


jes:-(
 
Saraseth,

On the world news last evening they reported that the producer of Grand Theft Auto, who lives in Holland, has provided an enhancement via a website to be added to the game where sex acts can be programmed in. Evidentely the enhancement is being provided free of charge.

By doing it this way, the game can be sold with a rating that's acceptable in the U.S. and the enhancement added later thereby making the game X rated after it's sold.

I think it's awful.
 
No way, my DSs and DD (7,5,2) play Game Cube. I only let them buy/rent "E" rated games. I agree with all of you, there is no reason for a child to be playing these games. My DH has on occasion let my son rent a "T" game and he never heard the end of it. I think he thought I was a little over the top. He didn't get it, but I wouldn't back down. Hey, the Pac Man game on Game Cube is pretty cool. It's in 3D. I play that game and others with my kids. We get four controls going at once with Mario Kart Double Dash. Now that's pure, clean fun, and age appropriate.

Once you start playing, it's kinda addicting. Just like this forum.;-)

Dallas
 
My oldest is 12. All I had to do is tell DH that there was sex in it and he said NO WAY. The little 8 year old across the street has ALL of them and my son gets mad at me because I won't let the kid bring them over.
 
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