Should I allow my child to play first person shooting games?

I think that the decision should be left up to the parents. There is so much inappropriate content for children to become desensitized when they are young and suggestible between racy movies with nudity, foul language, violence, offensive music, or television shows and, of course, violent video games. Many parents have a challenging time teaching their children right from wrong.

There is so much exposure to material that can negatively affect children that it is almost impossible for a parent to keep up. Shooting games are no exception. You must monitor your children to make sure that these items are not too heavily influenced them. It is also essential to limit your child's exposure to anything questionable; however, if your child has their heart set on something, the parents must consider everything and decide.

Shooting games can make kids think that guns are cool, and it is okay to use them. Sit with your child and make it clear to them that guns are not toys, and if misused, they can hurt people. If they want to play a shooting game, it should only be done under a parent's supervision and their time should be limited.

It is inevitable that a child will want to play a video game. Their parents may play it, and they will have friends at school that will play them, which will lead them to desire to play the games. When it comes to shooting games, those should be played with caution.

I believe only teenagers should be able to play them because teenagers are old enough to know the difference between shooting in a game and shooting in reality. Younger children that play may think it is acceptable to shoot someone, for they are still learning. If you do allow your child to play, no matter the age, the amount of time played should be regulated.

We live in a “gaming” world now and parents are now faced with the responsibility of teaching our kids discernment about what games to play and what to avoid.

Let me first say, opinions on this subject will vary greatly. We’re just going to tell you the facts: a brief description, and then blurbs about “what parents should know about…” violence, language, sexual content, and spiritual content. Then the parent can make an informed decision.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we should give in to our kids every desire. If my son’s friends all watched the Hangover movies, it doesn’t mean that we should consider letting him watch it just because “everyone else is.” But there are certain times in our journey as a parent where we’ll need to address certain desires more than others.