Friday, April 18, 2008

The Age Of Innocence Has Gone...


As I came home from work tonight and walked through the door, I could hear the familiar sounds of 'Call Of Duty 4' eminating from the living room. Expecting to see one of my older sons battling the virtual-Russian horde, or wasting the cyber-Arab militia, I was somewhat aghast to see little Ted, my youngest Ginger, sat with his eyes literally watering from squinting into his scope, nerves on edge and hanging on the every word of Captain Price...

But hang on dear readers! Little Ted is only 10! (and a child like soul with no pretensions of approaching adolescence) He likes Dr. Who, Pokemon, Ben 10 and so on... His gaming preference is World Of Warcraft (about four hours a day for the last four months) and the only 360 game he owns is Viva Pinata. He's even got Nintendogs for Christ's sake!




But sure enough, there he was kicking ass like a good'un! He can really play the game and is sweeping through the missions from checkpoint to checkpoint. I guess he's finally growing up!
Lord knows he's been exposed to the game enough. Since Christmas, his brother Mart is on the Xbox, playing online death matches at every opportunity.


I guess the influence of his older siblings has finally filtered through. I'm kind of proud of his gaming ability and his graduation from the world of blood elves and dwarves, to the blood stained alleys of Chernobyl or wherever the fuck Call Of Duty plays out it's campaigns. But it's also a little bit sad too. He's my baby and he's growing up.

What next? Is he going to be pimping ho's in 'GTA4' or popping a cap in the ass of rancid tramps in 'Condemned 2' ? No...

Now you may be wondering as a parent, what my policy is on censorship and age appropriate games etc. Well, my policy is this... My kids grow up in one of the most gun riddled, gang influenced and fucked up areas of the UK. They've all been mugged (the oldest three times.)

Can playing a game warp their sensibilities or brutalise them? Nope! Whilst playing games, they're inside the house where I know they're safe. They're all good kids with good manners who do well at school/college. Their morals and views on life are well rounded and wholesome. They know a game is a game and that the taking of life or exploitaion of women (in real life) is fundamentally wrong. They are anti-racist, vegetarian, anti-war and tolerant of those who are different. The older boys don't drink, smoke or do drugs and have a healthy scepticism of those who do...


The moral code bestowed on them by me and Mrs. K, play a fundamental part in who they are. A game, movie or gangster rap tune, is never going to rock that foundation. So they are allowed access to all of the above. (The two older boys have seen both Eminem and The Sex Pistols live!!)

I say let them enjoy the fruits of the gaming, movie and music industries, if they are comfortable with it. From what I saw today, Ted is very comfortable with COD4 - despite it's socio-political imperialistic leanings! (He was back on World Of Warcraft as soon as I took over the TV to play Half Life and very pleased to be so...)

And he'll always be my baby ;)

16 comments:

The Sports Satirist said...

Only 11 more days until I can have sex with prostitutes in GTA 4. The wait is eating me alive from the inside out.

fatherkrishna said...

I'm sure you can fill your 11 days by going back to ancient Sparta and rocking the world of those Spartan chicks in God Of War...

But what are your opinions on the post dear Funnyman?

Unknown said...

Don't worry Father, my son is going to be 8 in a couple months.. His favs are COD4, R6:Vegas 2, and anything else that has to do with war..

He refuses to play our Wii cause he thinks the games suck... He did kinda like RE: UC tho.

He's into airsoft as well... A;ong with Braveheart being his current favorite movie.

Probably all because I used to draw him monster books when he was little... shame on me.

He still goes to Church and minds his manners or the can of woop ass is broke out.. ;)

The Sports Satirist said...

This blog post reminds me of a similar post that I had on my blog recently. It was about being addicted to video games.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Junlee said...

What a nice post fatherk! :)

He's your baby....awwwwwwwwwww, so the good ole' father is a softie! *chuckles*

I love coming here!

NebachadnezzaR said...

If only all parents were like you, dear Father... :)

When I was a kid I didn't like FPS that much (there weren't so many of them back then, also), but one of my fondest memories with the Saturn is blasting people in Loaded, turning them into pools of blood while hearing their screams. Ah, the memories... :)

The Sports Satirist said...

By the way father, dismiss the comment by Guhn. This person is a real asshole.

fatherkrishna said...

Thanks for the comments dear peeps. Deitrix, I'm glad our fathering skills are in synch...

Junlee! I love having you here!

Funnyman, I'm paying a visit to your most excellent blog ASAP!

BTW, Little Ted thoroughly approved of the post! He loved to here me telling the world that he is growing up...

fatherkrishna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Sports Satirist said...

What is the deal with the double comment father? A computer glitch?

fatherkrishna said...

Must be dear Funnyman... I've just stayed up far too long playing VF5 online and getting my arse kicked by various VF5 experts around the globe...

And I've been drinking... A lot!

Do you own/play VF5?

Let's kick each other's arse over the interweb!

The Sports Satirist said...

Regrettably, I don't own VF 5. I only rented it.

fatherkrishna said...

Well rent it again then so we can play!!!

The Sports Satirist said...

*Facepalm*

Rent a game again, so you can butcher me online.

Unknown said...

LOL^^