I’ve been having some ethical-parental qualms about the xbox. I never would have bought an xbox or nintendo or wii for the kids myself, but since Egon paid his own money, and collaborated with Nick and John, I can’t say no to it. But I think I can have some maternal authority over what games are played.
I instinctively don’t like/approve of first person shooter games. These, however, are the most favorite types of games for the pre-teen male youth market. Egon has recently been agitating to let him get Halo2, which is a first-person shooter game, but the shootees are aliens, not humans. I am on the fence. So last night, Egon laid out a strategic campaign of persuasion.
I was in the bathroom (where there is never any peace; if it isn’t a kid standing in the hallway asking me something, it is Mr. P desperate to join me in the tiled sanctuary – he becomes quite agitated if there is a closed door between him and me) when Egon came up the stairs, very red in the face and nervously laughing. Shara, right behind him, said “He wants to ask you something but he’s having a nervous breakdown.” After a few anxious seconds, Egon managed to blurt out: “Can I get Halo2?” I replied that I didn’t know the game enough, to which he said: “Come downstairs, I can show you.”
He’d looked up the game on Wikipedia and left the entry on the computer monitor to let me read. Which I did. And then did a search for “Halo2 game reviews” which led me to Common Sense Media, an interactive ranking site for parents. The review there indicated that Halo2 was suitable for 16 years old and up. “Rats,” said Egon. “Compare it to Oblivion!” So I did, and found that Oblivion is much less violent and disturbing. “That’s really helping your case, Egon,” offered Shara.
I then tried to explain my thinking on this issue: “I don’t think it is a good idea to be entertained by using weapons. Guns and weapons shouldn’t be part of play.”
Shara gave me a look, and said: “Mom, have you seen the front porch?”
The front porch (as well as the basement, garage, Egon’s room) is full of homemade weaponry – swords, scythes, flails, axes, basic bashing sticks, etc. I think I may have lost the moral upper hand.
If you sit the average child in the middle of a room with absolutely no toys, he’ll eventually start walking his two fingers around and they’ll interact with each other, “How do you do? I’m fine. How are you?”
Then they’ll start wrestling.
Or he may start “shooting” targets around the room with his thumb & finger gun.
This is a big reason why zero tolerance towards violence in schools is not necessarily a good thing. As well as catching small boys playing Cops & Robbers or Cowboys & Indians with their finger guns, you also catch Honor Roll students who have their K-Mart uniform in the car with a box cutter in their pocket, or you catch the Boy Scout who has his uniform with his pocket knife on his belt.
Rather than just saying “No” you do what you’ve been doing, research the game, and make an informed decision as to whether or not a game or activity is appropriate.
I for one want your son to be fully versed in how to kill and destroy aliens. One day, when they come to collect and eat us, we’ll need his cool and steady hands to save us all.
Long live Egon!
Forkboy, I had not considered how Egon’s gaming might parlay into protection of Earth against invading hordes. I am going to go get him a phaser right away!
A wise decision. I keep mine (as well as a communicator and tricorder) under the bed…just in case.
I just keep a towel under my bed, because you should always know where your towel is.
I keep an attack cat under my bed. Actually, I don’t so much keep him there as am unable to get him out…