What a Christmas

E

Echelon79

CAGiversary!
This is my first post here, but I just needed to share the sheer joy of this christmas. I grew up on the original Nintendo, and I remember being 8 or 10 years old and just writing out this long list of video games that I wanted for Christmas, and instead getting socks and thermals and... bleh.. not video games. And I always appreciated everything my parents got me, but I always wished for THAT Christmas, the Christmas where my parents decided to just shop off of my list.

Well, my wife and I decided to be those parents this year. We realize that the kids are getting older, and while my youngest, my daughter is happy with Polly Pockets and Zhu Zhu pets and Littlest Pet shop, the boys aren't really asking for Gi Joes, or Star Wars 5 1/2's anymore. They are wanting more games.

And this year, instead of just picking up a ton of little $5 or $7 dollar games, we decided to shop just on what the kids circled in Toys'r'us' biggest book. And my god, not only is it going to be a great christmas for them, but for me, the parent who hasn't bought himself a game in years, it is HEAVEN.

Between the two boys, 10, 8 and the youngest my daughter who is 6, this is the haul this year mostly using this weeks Toysrus Buy one, get $20 off:

360
Band Hero
Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit
CoD:MW2
Borderlands
Left for Dead 2
Halo 3 :ODST
Prototype
Assasin's Creed 2
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed ( This is secretly for me, $10 at Toys'r'us I couldnt pass it up.}

We are getting a Nintendo Wii from one of the Inlaws, so we picked up:
Nerf Strike Elite
Super Mario Brothers wii
HSM3: DANCE ( for my daughter)
Wii Fit! Plus

and for the DS
Kingdom Hearts 358/2

And the kids will be getting me a 12 months live subscription, and I cannot help but think I am forgetting one. But I'll tell you what, I am super excited for this Christmas! Are you guys planning on a spending spree for you or your children?
 
[quote name='Nathan_Sama']So you got M rated games for your kids or for you?[/QUOTE]


yeah i was gonna say some of those games arent for kids especially kids that young unless you bought those for yourself.
 
[quote name='Nathan_Sama']So you got M rated games for your kids or for you?[/QUOTE]
Jesus. I played "M rated games" when I was kid and also watched R rated films, it didn't make me a psychopath. It depends on the kid, if they're mature enough to handle the game's or film's content. I think he knows what HIS kids can handle. Not every 10 year old is at the same maturity level.
 
[quote name='MisterModest']Jesus. I played "M rated games" when I was kid and also watched R rated films, it didn't make me a psychopath. It depends on the kid, if they're mature enough to handle the game's or film's content. I think he knows what HIS kids can handle. Not every 10 year old is at the same maturity level.[/QUOTE]

I understand that, been there and done that myself. However, no matter how much the kids can take, i still don't want them to be around a game that drops the F-bomb every few seconds. It's not about turning psychopath, it's about self respect and self well being. F-bombs from a 10 or 8 years old's mouth is not cute. I don't get the teens now a day, it seems like every sentence they spoke have to have shit and fuck. For every words they don't know, they substitute with shit and fuck. If the dirty words coming from frustration, it's understandable. But man, everyday conversation?
 
i'm not spending spree'ing this year. I just paid off the last credit card in sept. from that adventure ( people got custom made jewelry they wanted from littman's/barclay, GC to best buy, car audio stuff-wich i got to instal, feeling the crap there-) 5 string electric bass ect ect) dropped close to 3k on my family. this year it's 50-75 doller GC and thats it. Not trying to be stingy, but I also dun want to be paying my cards off again (with a truck payment at 358 a month to boot). Next year I'm splurging on myself! I want a Kimber Aegis Pro II :)
 
Same here, few toys/games here and there, not going to spend more than $300 this year. I know i still have a job, but no raises and i need to help out family members not so fortunate.

Speaking of car maintenance, it's expensive man... Inspection, registration, insurance, gas, oil change. I just had the braking pads changed, $200 :( (which is reasonable comparing to what others are paying).
 
[quote name='Serpentor']Seriously, from the list, it's all about you, not your kids. What a Christmas for you.[/QUOTE]

You know I wish this was true. But when you put a Toys'rus Biggest Book in front of a kid and ask them to circle what he wants, and they circle, AC2, COD:MW2, Borderlands, Brutal Legend, ODST, LFD2, Protype, etc etc because they have already played them at their fathers ( I am the step father) because their father lets them play whatever they want, it becomes hard to justify buying them crap that they don't want and wont play. I agree serpentor there is nothing like going to your mother in laws Bday party and your step son is playing COD:WAW with his uncle and starts yelling " Burn P***Y BURN" because his dad was saying it. This at least allows us to again monitor them and let them know what is appropriate and what is not.

And again, I can't justify not buying them anything just because of that either. Better to be able to set limits and monitor what they do while in my own house and teaching them right from wrong and why said game is rated mature, hoping that maybe they will learn and limit themselves when they are at their fathers house and plopped in fron of that PS3 or 360 and allowed to play for 10 hours straight.

I can play half of those games with them co-op, and the kids already play rockband and guitar hero by themselves.

In the meantime, the kids also got the nerf toys they wanted, and the Halo megablocks scorpion tank, and the Ucreate games and animation studio.

We got lucky this year and are actually in a situation where we can afford to do this for the kids, for the first time in years. Normally we need to rely on gift giving programs from Salvation Army and the like just to make christmas happen.
 
Who wants to be the OP overpaid on almost all that stuff.

When I was around 8, the most violent thing I got to play was Tekken; I agree that probably half those titles are too much for kids under 12
 
Wow, alot of pricks around here. Op, I don't have kids yet but you can bet I'm going to be spoiling them all the time because when I'm old they are going to have to change my diapers and resist the urge to kill me off for the life insurance. I bet your kids are going to be happy as hell!
 
[quote name='Nathan_Sama']So you got M rated games for your kids or for you?[/QUOTE]


that is awesome, wish my parents were like that when i was a kid, but back then there was no such things as ratings
 
its not about being bitter at all its about responsibility. Im all for kids not playing mature rated games because of the backlash that comes around when some kid out there does something stupid and then they turn around and lay blame on the games.

just recently there was an incident where kids had some kick a ginger day and kick some redheaded kid and a few places are already blaming south park for it.

not to say the op's stepkids will do something like this but its those kinds of things that kids do these days that make it hard for responsible gamers to get those kinds of games to play as well as getting game companies to take the risk by making them.

imo thats why some of the other posters are saying its bad to do. the gaming industry has had a target on its back for years now and its only going to get worse over the years.

that said i give props to the op for doing something cool for his step kids but im still a firm believer in age appropriate anything mainly because of those cases where a kid does shit and turns around and everyone blames everything but the kid.
 
But those are the type of things that kids do all the time, the problem is that the media blows everything out of proportion because negative news is all just about anyone wants to watch.

There are studies out there that suggest that video games do affect children, and their are studies out there that say they don't. That is never going to change. And no offense, but I think it is really strange myself to hear someone say they will only buy age restricted titles for their kids because they are worried about the backlash that video games get if one person decides to do something stupid.

As for over spending, I used the Toysrus b1 get 20 off for the majority of purchases, bought GH world tour used from amazon to get the set of instruments and bought band hero seperate. Getting ODST either at target or amazon on BF. Bottom line is, I glady paid an extra 5 dollars or so to avoid having to run to 50 different places on black friday.
 
Well since the subject is brought up, what do you think are the worst games this hoiday season for children under 15, content wise? The worst I had seen in the past year or so was Army of Two.
 
Didn't know you're a step OP... That does complicate things by a lot, lol. Being a step is a lot of work. Now that i understand a little better, kudos to you OP.

For the record, i wasn't being a prick, just that a lot of games on the list are too much for 10 and 8 years old. Well, game contents are one thing, but most importantly, i think the "mature" people playing attitude counts more. I laughed at the OP's comment on "burn P**sy burn." Not because it's funny, but because it's so true. I hate guests do that (i don't invite them for the 2nd time). I forbid foul languages when playing games. Of course, i do curse silently when no one is around... Anyhow, as you can see, there are a lot of indirect side effects from playing games. Kids learn from the people they look up to, so please think twice about "burn p***sy burn" comments in front of them.
 
It's really tough to say what sort of effects mature/violent video games will have on young kids today. Sure I grew up in the 80's and was able to watch R-rated movies with my parents(only forced to cover my eyes when nudity was shown but no problem when a a chest burster launched out of a guys stomach). Video games were still relatively new and not particularly graphic. Today, games are nearly interactive movies with a mind boggling realism. That said I know a friend of mine who has a 7 year old daughter that mostly plays teen titles like Ratchet and Clank plus Jak & Daxter(which I don't see any issues with that). Personally, I think that younger kids should not play mature titles. If a parent decides that a kid can play an M-rated title then TAKE RESPONSIBILITY if little johnny sprays his classmates with an AK-47. DO NOT USE VIDEO GAMES AS A SCAPEGOAT FOR POOR PARENTING!!! *end rant*.
 
I believe the problem when children from western countries play mature games there tends to be problems that are not addressed. This is the main reason in the cases that companies such as Rockstar and a few other companies are being blamed for the tragedy that happens because a child/teen is killing their classmates. Parents should take responsibility for their children. As your friend does with his children, he exercised what he allows his children to play. Most people know that the Jak & Daxter and Rachett & Clank series are not real and for fun. However, a game such as Dead Space or Grand Theft Auto and/or Resident Evil should be played by some one who is probably about 16 or older because the content is complex and difficult for a child to understand.

Other than violent games, there are other things that are bad such as television in the US is basically geared towards violence and anything that relates to sex or non-sexual nudity is abhorred. This is because of the US puritan heritage. Also because most of the Christian sects are high in this country while other countries in the world are generally are more secular than the US although we have so many other problems such as murder (ranging 12,000 per year on average). Good topic, video developers should not be punished for something that is not their fault.
 
[quote name='MisterModest']Jesus. I played "M rated games" when I was kid and also watched R rated films, it didn't make me a psychopath. It depends on the kid, if they're mature enough to handle the game's or film's content. I think he knows what HIS kids can handle. Not every 10 year old is at the same maturity level.[/QUOTE]


I agree to a point. M rated games are not intended for, or made for, children. IT is ultimately the parents individual discretion to decide what there kids should or shouldn't play. If the OP is making an informed decision based upon the game contents then that is there purgative as parents. If they are buying with out first playing it or knowing the graphic nature of the content, Then that person is just another parent out there making it harder and harder for all us other gamers.

BTW I am a parent and a gamer. My kids wont play a game if i haven't played it first or have read/watched reviews
 
Oh gawd. Xmas stories already showing up and its not even Thanksgiving.

I'm not even going to comment on the adult buying mature video games for his children to play, or the 12 month Live subscription. Oh wait, I just did.
 
[quote name='Serpentor']Didn't know you're a step OP... That does complicate things by a lot, lol. Being a step is a lot of work. Now that i understand a little better, kudos to you OP.

For the record, i wasn't being a prick, just that a lot of games on the list are too much for 10 and 8 years old. Well, game contents are one thing, but most importantly, i think the "mature" people playing attitude counts more. I laughed at the OP's comment on "burn P**sy burn." Not because it's funny, but because it's so true. I hate guests do that (i don't invite them for the 2nd time). I forbid foul languages when playing games. Of course, i do curse silently when no one is around... Anyhow, as you can see, there are a lot of indirect side effects from playing games. Kids learn from the people they look up to, so please think twice about "burn p***sy burn" comments in front of them.[/QUOTE]

We he originally heard that coming out of his fathers mouth. And it was brought up and addressed, and he was punished accordingly. Granted, hearing his father say that might have made him think it was "ok", but he learned his lesson.

Our kids are home schooled so they aren't really around that kind of behavior from other kids, so at times it becomes kind of complicated. He doesn't see other kids getting punished at school because of behavior or foul language, so barring us drilling it into him, he didn't know the ramifications of it.

As far as Xbo xlive, I have had live on an off over the passed 3 years, but I don't see anything wrong with getting myself a sub for christmas.
 
I've been playing GTA games since l was like 8 or 9...and for the most part I can say that I am a pretty normal individual...
 
Well I can tell from this thread there will be a lot of said gamer children in the future. Who didn't play Doom and Mortal Kombat when they were in elementary school?
 
Enjoy your Xmas with the boys OP, you have some fantasic games on that list. Screw the naysayers they either don't have kids or are just bitter people who think they know better than everyone else.
 
[quote name='Echelon79']You know I wish this was true. But when you put a Toys'rus Biggest Book in front of a kid and ask them to circle what he wants, and they circle, AC2, COD:MW2, Borderlands, Brutal Legend, ODST, LFD2, Protype, etc etc because they have already played them at their fathers ( I am the step father) because their father lets them play whatever they want, it becomes hard to justify buying them crap that they don't want and wont play. I agree serpentor there is nothing like going to your mother in laws Bday party and your step son is playing COD:WAW with his uncle and starts yelling " Burn P***Y BURN" because his dad was saying it. This at least allows us to again monitor them and let them know what is appropriate and what is not.

And again, I can't justify not buying them anything just because of that either. Better to be able to set limits and monitor what they do while in my own house and teaching them right from wrong and why said game is rated mature, hoping that maybe they will learn and limit themselves when they are at their fathers house and plopped in fron of that PS3 or 360 and allowed to play for 10 hours straight.

I can play half of those games with them co-op, and the kids already play rockband and guitar hero by themselves.

In the meantime, the kids also got the nerf toys they wanted, and the Halo megablocks scorpion tank, and the Ucreate games and animation studio.

We got lucky this year and are actually in a situation where we can afford to do this for the kids, for the first time in years. Normally we need to rely on gift giving programs from Salvation Army and the like just to make christmas happen.[/QUOTE]

Not trying to be a jerk, but if you normally have to rely on programs like that (sal army) then you might want to consider giving them some things and conserving the rest. Don't spend outside a budget, you shouldn't give kids everything they circle because they don't understand the context of your situation. Not trying to be preachy but when I read that you normally need help to provide Christmas I didn't understand why you would go so far overboard.
 
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