OP, you realize that the older kids are allowed to play these games, and that their parents already don't back you up in wanting to keep your younger kid from seeing them.

You *might* be able to ask for a 3 hour moratorium or something, with the idea that you will take the younger kids (any whose parents have SOME SENSE) and do something more age appropriate so the older kids can play their violent games -- maybe pitch it as a compromise.

Alternate ideas: Do you have any money to spend? could you buy off the older kids? Is there some OTHER cool game you could buy them that they may like instead? Give them an early Christmas (or on time Hannukah) present? Something to distract them just for an hour or two?

Could you bring a bunch of laser tag guns and have them play actual games outside? This might show your relatives that you aren't a total kill joy -- (personally I feel that laser tag is a fine game-- much better than something like Call of Duty).

Could you ask that there be some time set aside for your 5 year old and the other younger kids to play their games, first? Then take the littler kids to do something really amazing and fun that even the 8 year olds might like.

Just some ideas.

Offer to host next year.

Anonymous wrote:Mom of a 12 year old here: CALL OF DUTY??? Are you kidding? What the hell is wrong with people? My kid is well-liked and has many friends. I have been to friends' homes and know their parents. None have this game.

OP--I would give the host mom a call and ask when/where this nonsense is going to be played (of course you will NOT use my harsh judgmental language). If this is family, then you should be able to have this kind of conversation.

Thanks. It's family and we've discussed our different parenting views about violent video games before. I was told I am too strict and it's the kids with strict parents who get in the most trouble. Of course, I don't see it as strict. I, like most parents, feel I'm the reasonable one. But I thought I could still make a request for no M games since my kid is FIVE. And he will naturally want to hang out with the other kids, not the boring adults.

Mom of a 12 year old here: CALL OF DUTY??? Are you kidding? What the hell is wrong with people? My kid is well-liked and has many friends. I have been to friends' homes and know their parents. None have this game.

OP--I would give the host mom a call and ask when/where this nonsense is going to be played (of course you will NOT use my harsh judgmental language). If this is family, then you should be able to have this kind of conversation.

Chances are that the family has a gaming TV somewhere in a rec room and that is where the kids will play COD and HALO. Just keep your kid occupied doing something else somewhere else. If anyone says anything to you about it, just say you think he is too young to watch or play M rated games. Don't make judgmental statements like "We don't allow (violent) video games." Whoever the hosts are may require the older kids to keep it to Rock Band or Mario Kart if it means one more kid out from under foot. If it were me and I had a choice between all the kids occupied and out of my hair, I would tell the older kids to keep all video games before dinner to family friendly stuff and tell them to save COD and HALO for after the little kids left or went to bed.

OP here. Thanks for the feedback. It's not my house. I probably shouldn't ask.

I agree that if it's not your house, you're out of luck. If you don't want your child to see it, you're going to have to watch him so that he doesn't go where the video games are being played.

I'll be an outlier and say you are not unreasonable, whether or not it's your house. Those games are inappropriate for all the kids there (if the oldest is only 12) and the other parents don't get to inflict their poor judgment on the whole family at a holiday. Everybody has some "ownership" of family celebrations, it's not like "my house, my rules" when you just have someone over for dinner. In our family, the TV is not on during Thanksgiving except for football, and it's never on in the main room. Doesn't matter whose house it is, nobody expects to walk in and start playing a video game or put on a movie or whatever.

Jesus. 12 year olds play this shit? Expect to see them on the news in a few years.

Sorry you can't control the Xbox.

I too wanted to shield my younger son from this horror.

Now I have three boys.



We do not have an Xbox but I realize now no harm is in the long run.

Younger kids grow up and it is all good in the END.

I agree it depends who is the host. If you are not the host, OP, maybe you could agree to keep your kid occupied for, say, the 2 hours before dinner, if they will agree not to play the violent games after dinner.

Not much you can do if it isn't your house. Is the TV where everyone can see it? Or it in downstairs? If it is, tell your child he can't go downstairs. If it is your house, just say no.

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely.Your house, your rules. Make it clear that they are not happening and don't apologize for it. No teenager has died because he didn't play a video game on Thanksgiving.

OP never said that it is her house. In fact, I read this as you are going to someone else's house. If that is the case, OP, I think you're out of luck. It would be rude and presumptious of you to tell older kids that they can't play video games because your snowflake is there.

I sympathize - I wouldn't want my 5 year old around it either, but I promise one day of it is not going to kill him.

Absolutely.Your house, your rules. Make it clear that they are not happening and don't apologize for it. No teenager has died because he didn't play a video game on Thanksgiving.

We are combining families and significant others in a new way this year for Thanksgiving. A lot of kids will be there, ages 2-12. The older kids have these games and want to play them. I have a younger child (5) and don't want him seeing or playing those games. There is no easy way to keep him separate for the other kids. Am I out of line asking for no "M" games on Thanksgiving while we are there?