What Should A Parent Do If The Only Gift Teen Wants Is A Shooting Game?

[Black_Jaque]

Just in case there are some who still think the Atari 2600 is the epitomy of graphics - there are shooting games and there are gory shooting games.

We have lots of toy guns, guns that shoot nerf darts, guns that shoot rubber bands. We set up little army men and whatnot and have shooting galleries (note that my use of the term “we” is very deliberate). We also have .22s, shotguns, skeetthrowers, and an assortment of other guns. At a very young age, my son would have a ball pulling the string on the clay pigeon thrower - then heckling me if I missed. It became a competition, and for a while he truly believed that when I missed he “out-threw” me somehow. Now he does some of the shooting.

On the other hand, there ARE shooting video games that are verboten in my house. Some because they have vulgar content, indecent nudity, shooting cops etc. Others because they seem to encourage the bloodletting, they encourage a sort of pleasure in someone else’s pain. A virtual savagery, brutality.

By the way, if you want to see something neat, take a pop can and fill it with water, then shoot it with a .22 hollow point. I stress the use of a hollow-point bullet. The results are quite dramatic and can rival the satisfaction of a computer simulated explosion.

 

[Donna_P]

sparkle:

fRIENDS:

What should we parents do if THE only thing one of our teens wants is a shooting game, when we’ve said “no more shooting games in the home”??? He says he wants nothing else for X-mas–and I really don’t know what to do or how to handle the situation. Have bought him some other stuff, What would you all suggest? Know he’ll be very disappointed, and my gut feeling is so what? Christmas does not mean the rules of the house go to pot.

Since you are the parents, you set the rules - perhaps your son is just trying to push you (just like every kid on the planet!) My husband and I had a hard situation in that my brother wanted us to pick up Grand Theft Auto( My husband works part time at Target and so gets a discount) for his youner son (who has had many anger issues due to Fetal Alcohal Sindrome and ADHD etc) Knowing my brother - I went to my sister in law and explained just how raunchy and horrible this game is and said that we cannot in all good conscience get this game. Hopefully she’ll put her foot down…How does this help you? No pun intended, but you have to stick to your guns. Since he’s pushing the issue - he gets nothing. Or you could donate the same amount of the game to a Pro Life clinic in his name?

You might want to pose the question to Dr. Ray Guarendi. He’s great and has 10 children (all adopted and many ages). I find him very good (He’s catholic too!)

God BLess!
Donna

 

[katybird]

What does your husband want? Consult him, then “Do whatever he tells you.”

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

I cant believe so many parents here jump to the extreme end of “my house my rules”…be happy with what ya got…or I’ll take everything away… YIKES! Have you people forgotten what its like to be kids? On CHRISTMAS? I can literally FEEL the authoritarian goosestepping thru my monitor…

Dear poster…

The games you described do sound TOO intense for him…maybe try sitting down and while telling him that if he wishes to compromise with some of the ideas I gave you he can pick some of those choices and you would be happy to do that instead…
let him know he can now make a CHOICE…instead of him having what he wants or nothing…he can choose what you offer or have nothing… at least you will have attempted a happy medium…

The last thing I’d wanna do to my kids on Christmas is act like a stormtrooping Grinch…ie…my way or the highway…wipe that frown off your face or you’ll really have something to be unhappy about…etc…geez…we aint dealing with drug addiction here…

… there’s always compromise without compromising your rules…

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

katybird:

What does your husband want? Consult him, then “Do whatever he tells you.”

I really dont get the “do whatever he tells you” statement…

Is her husband supposed to be the final word on child rearing wisdom?

What if her husband says not only does he think those games of death and destruction are great for the boy…what if he says. she should also pick up that JFK assassination game? Sorry, this is a MUTUAL parental discussion here…I dont buy into that husband always has the final word stuff… and I am VERY MALE who has been married and dealt with kids.

 

[sparkle]

Faithful 2 Rome:

I really dont get the “do whatever he tells you” statement…
Is her husband supposed to be the final word on child rearing wisdom?
What if her husband says not only does he think those games of death and destruction are great for the boy…what if he says. she should also pick up that JFK assassination game? Sorry, this is a MUTUAL parental discussion here…I dont buy into that husband always has the final word stuff… and I am VERY MALE who has been married and dealt with kids.

hahahahaha Love your response!!!

You’re absolutely right too!!!