Shoot Em’ Up Games and 3 Year-Olds

By Contributing Author, Heather Shweich of 2 Sleeping Babies

Photo by TBC PHOTO www.tbcphoto.com

Boys will be boys.

Even if you refuse to give them weapons, they’ll eventually wind up biting their crackers or sandwiches into the shape of a gun.

Boys will be boys.

This past month has been interesting. On two different occasions Aedyn has been around older boys, early teenagers. Not a big deal, I’ve been nearby, but they were keeping an eye on him.

Unfortunately boys in their early teens don’t really think a thing about changing from Guitar Hero to Halo-something (how many of those are out now?) while sitting next to a 3 year-old. And I didn’t know it was an option until I walked around the corner and saw my son with eyes as big as dinner plates.

Now Aedyn is no stranger to violence, we are avid Star Wars fans and he has most of the movies memorized. We also let him watch other shows and movies with us that are not violence free.

But this took it to a whole new level.

Neither I or my husband have an issue with first-person shooter games per se. We do think that the context is important and that our boys have guidance and a good foundation in what’s important and acceptable/ethical/moral.  At 3 years-old Aedyn just doesn’t have that.

I know we’ll be at the point all too soon where he will be asking to play and buy FPS games, but for now…I’m just trying to gauge exactly what he saw and how he understood it. So far he hasn’t said anything. So I guess we’ll see.

When will you let your boy(s) watch or play FPS games? Is it an option in your house?

About the Author:  Heather Schweich is the mom of 2 precocious little boys, Aedyn (almost 3) and Jaron (just turned 1). She loves chasing them all over the place and walking the line between letting them be boys and  keeping them from killing themselves. In between their adventures (read: when they’re asleep) you can find her blogging and maybe reacquainting herself with a too long neglected sewing machine or crochet hooks.  Check out her blog 2SleepingBabies.