Hwo often should kids be allowed to play computer games? Which games are the most “acceptable”?
Are there any games I should watch out for?
My kid keeps asking for the game Halo, it is rated M but he says he has played it at friend's houses. Is it really all that bad?
He is 13.
Well, it depends on how much you think is acceptable. I suggest at most an hour a day.
On the games part, I think Halo is ok. There's no almost no violence in it and has a pretty good storyline. I've played it before and it's pretty good. One thing to watch out for is the time, since most kids tend to continue on playing after the time period.
Watch out for games that contain extreme violence (it should say so on the back) and you should be fine.
There are ESRB ratings on most games. Ch for ChildHood, E for Everyone, E10+ for Everyone ages ten and up, T for Teen, M for Mature, and Ao for Adults only. There is also another rating called RP for Pating Pending, you should let you child play this at your own risk. If you are conserned, read the discriptors on the back of the game's case.
My Mom dosent mind me playing M rated games as long as it isnt too bloody, has no sexual themes in it what so ever, and I dont imitate anything off the game (thats how school bullies come to be).
For a 13 year old, I would say, HECK YEA its bad. It got an M because of the mild profanity and sensless violence. I would wait until he's at least 16, at LEAST! Also, watch out for GTA or anything Grand Theft Auto Related. Look at the ratings and don't buy them if they couldn't buy them themselves. Its not your fault if the other parents are warping their childrens minds, but don't let it happen to yours. 13 isn't mature. M doesn't mean Minor, it means MATURE.
Give him the game,it's not as gory as you think,you just shoot aliens which are kinda cute(grunts) but some are not so cute(hunters).It's not half as menacing as games like doom 3 or half life,and besides you don't actually kill people,just some aliens and some disgusting zombies.