Unpopular opinion: talking to my neighbor's kid made me rethink my whole stance on video game violence

I was at a cookout last Saturday and this 14 year old kid from next door was telling me about playing Call of Duty with his dad. I was about to go on my usual rant about how desensitized kids are getting but then he said something that stopped me cold. He said the game actually helped him and his dad talk about real stuff like why war is messed up and how scared soldiers must feel. I grew up with my parents banning anything with blood so I always assumed violent games rot your brain. But this kid was more thoughtful about conflict than half the adults I know. Made me wonder if the problem isn't the games themselves but whether parents actually bother to talk through it with their kids. Has anyone else had a conversation that totally flipped your view on this topic?

2 comments

2 Comments

paigem452d ago

Agree. Bad parenting is the real problem.

the_kevin2d ago

Totally agree on the bad parenting thing. I've seen it firsthand with my neighbor's kid. The parents let him run wild with no consequences, and the kid is a nightmare at school. You've gotta set boundaries early and stick to them. Consistency is key, not just yelling when you're mad. I always tell new parents, start setting rules at home before the school has to do it for you. It's hard work but it pays off big time.