Video games at school

[sandandsea]

Ds (6) is allowed to play games in the iPad or computer at aftercare for 30 minutes late in the afternoon. I noticed he was playing a shooting game (very cartoonish and he said “it’s fiction mom!”) the other day and now of course he loves it and wants it at home. So I look it up and it’s rated 12+ and is a first person shooting game where you shoot bad guys and zombies and other stuff. We told Ds he can’t play it at home. I emailed the aftercare director saying I thought it may be inappropriate in that setting (k-2nd grade and at school) due to the rating but understand if they’re okay with it but wanted to bring it to his attention. Please tell me I’m not a crazy parent and I did the right thing.

[sandandsea]

Of course Ds will hate me if they delete it from the school iPads. I’m never telling him I emailed the teacher.

[twinmomma]

I don't think it's appropriate for it to be in a school setting. I think it's good that you emailed.

[k3am]

Regardless of the game's content, something rated for age 12+ is not appropriate for his age range. Considering it's a formal afterschool program, they should know better.

[sandandsea]

I’m pretty sure an older kid downloaded it as the iPads were used by older kids over the summer so I’m guessing the teachers didn’t know. One of the other moms would lose her mind if she had found it. I don’t want to be that mom. 😊

ETA. Ds said it’s only on one iPad (so he tries to get that one of course) so my guess is that it slipped through the cracks.

[librarychica]

Aug 21, 2018 9:47:43 GMT -5 sandandsea said:

I’m pretty sure an older kid downloaded it as the iPads were used by older kids over the summer so I’m guessing the teachers didn’t know. One of the other moms would lose her mind if she had found it. I don’t want to be that mom.

They need to lock that down. I think you are more than reasonable.

[rere]

Our school if very rigid about ratings on movies and video games at school. They do not allow any student to use or see anything that is rated above their age, as it should be. They need to remove it now that they know.

[erbear]

I would have a huge problem with that. I don't let my kids play first person shooter games and I'd be doubly pissed that they were playing them in school. Technology use in school should be educational only. Go play outside, kids.

[sandandsea]

Aug 21, 2018 9:52:19 GMT -5 erbear said:

I would have a huge problem with that. I don't let my kids play first person shooter games and I'd be doubly pissed that they were playing them in school. Technology use in school should be educational only. Go play outside, kids.

They get 30 minutes of screen time from 5-5:30. They have two outdoor play session after school too so I don’t mind the screen time as Ds is at school from 7-5:45 daily.

[waverly]

I think it is good that you emailed. I personally prefer they don't play any games at school due to the addictiveness of gaming. Because then they want to play it at home, and then the apps have in app purchases. It's just annoying. And then add in the age range, and it's a definite nope for me.

Our aftercare just emailed and said that students can only go on websites for school work with their laptops. The school provides laptops in 3rd grade that kids can take home. No Youtube etc.

[2chatter]

DS isn’t even allowed to sit by a boy before school because he plays first person shooter games and DS isn’t even allowed to watch.

He told me this morning that he had to tell the morning gym teacher that he needed to move. When asked why DS apparently said my parents are trying to limit my exposure to guns. I am sure that went over very very well with the mostly conservative teaching staff.

[sdlaura]

I love his answer 2chatter!

[186momx]

DD can sign up for tablet time at aftercare but it is limited to 10 minute slots. But the kids can bring their own tablets/phones and use them pretty much whenever they want. I've seen way too many kids glued to screens this summer. For before/after they do homework club, an hour of outside time each day, crafts, etc. so I know screens isn't the main focus.
DD played a couple IPAD math games last year and we could play them at home but I choose not to as they just got DD frustrated and she wanted my help all the time. I do know DD gets upsets that she isn't as good at games as her classmate but then I remind her of all the fun stuff she does instead of sitting in front of a screen.

[sunbutter]

You are not crazy. There should be NO video games at aftercare. (My kid does play video games at home).

[sandandsea]

Issue resolved. It was an oversight and they were unaware. All games with guns, violence, etc are not allowed. Don’t tell my son I was the tattle.

[k3am]

sandandsea, it was obviously Jacob's mom.

[sandandsea]

Aug 21, 2018 17:33:25 GMT -5 k3am said:

sandandsea, it was obviously Jacob's mom.

Absolutely!

[akafred]

Glad it was resolved!

FWIW it didn’t seem likely that a public school would have a shooting game on their iPads. Even a private school. I don’t think you overreacted because, if nothing else, it sends mixed messages to the kids. Gun play at school (even with fingers or sticks) is often a zero tolerance issue.

I don’t know this game. I’m ok with the first person aspects of Minecraft, which is swords not guns. Beyond that, not so much. Thankfully Fortnight hasn’t made it to her circle yet. But I did want to point out that there is no such thing as a game actually rated 12+. Game ratings are E for everyone (no violence or only very mild cartoon violence like Mario Kart where they throw turtles at each other but no one dies), E 10+ which can have some cartoon violence like most of the Mario Brothers games, Teen(13+) includes some violence and minimal blood, and Mature (17+) is anything lewd or violent. So there is no age limit, 10 years, 13 years, and 17 years officially. Then there are websites like Common Sense Media which give their own suggested age limits and 12+ is one of theirs. I do find them to be pretty conservative. I don’t check games much but definitely on movies. For example they rate Hotel Transylvania for age 8+ and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix age 12+. Just for what that is worth.

[2chatter]

akafred I think she means in the App Store/device ratings it’s 12+.

No one in our house has Fortnite either. I don’t get the number of “anti gun” parents that have caved on that one, either. “Everyone is playing” isn’t enough for me but I’m in a decided minority.

[sandandsea]

Aug 22, 2018 10:32:51 GMT -5 2chatter said:

akafred I think she means in the App Store/device ratings it’s 12+.

No one in our house has Fortnite either. I don’t get the number of “anti gun” parents that have caved on that one, either. “Everyone is playing” isn’t enough for me but I’m in a decided minority.

Yep. It was the App Store rating. Thankfully we are still in the Minecraft years, not fortnite. I’m sure we will have that battle soon enough.

[mommyatty]

Darn that Jacob’s mom! What a tattle tell!

I’m glad they handled it the way it should have been handled.