Got up this morning to my youngest saying/asking the following.........mom you know it's my birthday on the 21st...........my reply yes son..........well please please can I have my present early.....can I have COD2 it comes out today.....mom please ...........This is a soon to be 6year old asking for a cert 18 game.........I know the guide is there for a reason but ive monitored  my sons playing previous COD.Ive sat down explained all about wars meaning of them etc....... as you see a lot of it on the news about our men/women fighting for our country,they know it is a game they are playing but do also understand real fighting goes off in the world we live in. What are your personal thoughts with kids and gaming and educating them on the world we live in today?                                                                                                                                                                             

My son has been playing these sorts of games since he was about 11 and it hasnt made him violent in any way at all.  He knows its not real.  Itchy and Scratchy on the Simpsons is probably more graphic than some of these games!!!!!                                                                                                                                                                             

Seems to me it's the teens that seem to get the 'copy' bug..The younger end seem to enjoy the action, noise, feel of power even but at the end of the day it's a game...Just monitor it and don't let a game take over his social skills..                                                                                                                                                                             

I agree with old red... just monitor them well.  My boy has just been accepted onto the computer graphics and games design course he wanted to do at college and I'm really pleased for him so that's a positive outcome of his gaming years!   Oh yes, he's 16 and still plays games such as Pokemon as well as COD too.....!                                                                                                                                                                             

Cheers for replies.........it's seems to of brought my 3 sons closer together as it's pulled them together in winning matches by watching each others back  even all thier mates join together for private war games and chat........I monitor them closely as in same room as them.........sends me dizzy with screen spinning here there every where they even said for me to have a go join in