Are kids old enough to be playing adult games?
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22 Comments
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0
bcbrownboy
The poor 12-year-old who ran over and killed Peter Lenz. He will be haunted by this probably his whole life. I don't think young kids should be allowed to do this. And I think Lenz's parents should be charged with criminal child neglect.
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Frungy
Kiki has it almost right, except for the "can't" bit. Parents are obligated to protect their children whether they like it or not.
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kokorocloud
Good article. I try to imagine what my thought process was when I was kid, and there was a lot of "Why can't I do this? I think I'm old enough, my parents are just jerks". 10 years later I can see why my parents said 'no' to a lot of things. Granted I wasn't asking to be in motorcycle races or sail around the world, but the principle still stands really. Parents don't know how to say 'no' anymore. If they do, they're seen as holding a kid back from their dreams or something, when a lot of times that is completely not the case. Or they're the ones who encourage their kids to do all sorts of things that they're probably not equipped to handle at that age, and that is just as wrong.
I like the line about parents not having to be a kid's best friend-- I have friends who are young parents, and they all tend to feel that way about their kids. It's not surprising when these kids feel like they can pretty much get away with anything. A parent and a friend are two different things. People need to learn the difference, find the balance. Save the best friends for when they're older.
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goddog
Adults play kids games all the time, so why not? I see lots of dudes playing games on the train coming home from work.
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kokorocloud
goddog-- I don't think you can really compare Super Mario to sailing alone in a boat across the world, haha.
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Junnama
Is monopoly an adult game??
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Judderman
kids should be able to explore and have some adventure to build character and ready them for a tougher time in life like when they leave home and have to fend for themselves.parents can and should control what type and how extreme these experiences are.they`re called kids for a reason!no-one would want their kids to be faced with a very adult and grown-up situation like death,life-threatening situations,stress etc.. kids are just not cut out for that.Its why theres an age limit for buying alcohol and cigarettes and why theres an age of consent for sex.im not trying to generalise here, but the vast majority of kids do not know whats best for them.Adults with more experience in life are there to impose rules and boundaries in order to protect them from getting hurt whether physically or emotionally.
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MistWizard
I took a lot of risks my parents would not have liked when I was a kid and a teen. I don't regret any of them, even the ones I would not even dare do now. So, I resent the people who are very very quick to declare that kids and teens have no idea what is good for them. For the most part, they do. Its just that adults are chickens and overly attached to life despite the fact they barely live it. They young face death more courageously than the old.
About the only thing they should be stopped from doing is that which risks the lives of others. But even then, a judgement call is required. My judgement says no military service.
Solo around the world? Hey, its their life.
You know what the difference between an adult facing death and a kid is? The kid does not know what he faces is so often isn't scared on his own, but the adult "thinks" he does, and scares himself, and the kids out of their wits. And adults do seek to make children as chicken as themselves.
Most amazing of all is how adults are so darned sure they are right about every little thing. The young people in this article will die one day, having done things adults only dreamed of and having enjoyed their lives when it could be enjoyed most. Most adults yearn for retirement, and when they get there they find they can't do anyting exciting because neither their body nor mind can handle it.
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randomenigma
This article is not at all what I expected when I read the title.
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Zenny11
Same here, I expected an article about kids playing adult rated PC or console games.
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Judderman
****@mistwizard
First of all,i am writing these comments as a parent of two small kids.it is a natural paternal instinct to protect their young.im not trying to say that all parents know everything and should go against what their kids want to do.Like the psychologist in the article rightly pointed out,competence and maturity in kids need to be looked at in deciding if your kids will be able to do some of these things like sailing solo,climbing everest etc..
If you the parent have taught your kids well and you know your kids well enough to trust them to do it,then by all means let them.Obviously its the parents funding all these feats..dont think many 13 year olds have enough in their piggy bank to get a yacht and provisions to sail solo around the world!
So what i mean is the parents are responsible for getting the kids to the point where they are able to accomplish these amazing things.Each parent will hopefully have weighed up the risks while at the same time supporting their kids in what they want to do.Its difficult to find the balance in each situation ...between holding back someone from reaching full potential or protecting them from going too far too fast into dangerous situations.
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glycol57
One should be careful of blanket statements about "kids". Some ARE "little adults", some are idiots who can't be trusted to tie their own shoe.
When it comes to young people doing something "dangerous" the first line of authority is those who know them best, their parents. Government can also step in sometimes, but procedures should be provided for a case-by-case evaluation - is THIS young person suited for the activity in question - instead of just taking the easy, lazy, path of a one-size-fits-all policy.
The last girl who attempted a world-round cruise was sharp, tough, extremely capable and level-headed. In crisis she did the right things. It would have been ridiculous to deny her the chance to so something extraordinary. The next girl however ... who knows ? Somebody should check into her character and capabilities before just sending her off to sea, but "she's only 13" or whatever should not be cause enough to deny her.
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MistWizard
Instincts kind of scare me. Thankfully, not all parents are driven by them. Even so, I am always happy to let parents raise their kids as they want, so long as the resist the instinct to presume to raise the kids of others too.
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jianadaren
What age definitively defines a kid? Likewise, an adult?
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fishy
good question. because i wouldn't be talking to my 9-year-old child like i would be talking to a 17-year-old child.
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fishy
should be like Are high school kids old enough to be playing adult games? or Are kindergarteners old enough to be... Like jianadaren said, what age definitively defines kids?
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jason6
everybody wants to be the next Shaun White.
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bdiego
Is chess an adult game? How about riding a bike? What kind of an article is this?
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Icewind007
If you try to force a kid to be a kid until they are legally considered and adult, don't wonder why they are suddenly having trouble working it out in the adult world once they hit that magical age of adulthood.
The learning experience should be gradual, not sudden. Everyone learns at their own pace so don't keep your kid in a shell, lest they retreat when finally faced with an adult decision.
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