What age Would you let your son play Call of Duty games for PS3, like Black OPS?(online or off line) Do you follow age ratings on games?

I haven't yet and my oldest son is 13. There are so many other options of no violent games, that I just don't see the point of buying that kind of game.

Games to me are like movies. I do not think either of them are inappropriate for any age.  This stuff about games/movies and shooting rampages are not related to me.  I educate my kids on, it is just a game or movie. Not real life.

I think my boys were in their early teens before they were allowed to play M-rated games. I think that any younger than that, & it's like letting them watch an R-rated Movie. There are many other options & plenty of time for that type of exposure to blood, violence & sexual content, in their later years when they are more mature & capable of handling it. JMHO

We use the ratings as a guideline but the decision as to what they are allowed to play is mostly based on our own personal judgment based on our kids ability to handle the material. Call of duty is a very mature game that is one my don would have to be much older to play.

I can't recall paying any attention to the ratings on movies or video games.

I don't allow those types of games in the house. My son is 14. If he goes to a friends house to play, that's ok because he is only there for a few hours. I really think those kind of games are damaging and wouldn't allow them to play them until about 7th or 8th grade.

Louise- No you can't blame media for the choices people make nor can you stand aside and not teach your child real from fake but you can limit the amount of negative influence they have while they are young and absorbing everything. By exposing them to violence too soon you risk desensitizing them. You can't teach a child violence is wrong and then submerge them in it with out some repercussions. Just like if you went daily to a place that only spoke Spanish-no matter how hard you tried not to- you should pick some of it up- purely from submersion. You may not begin to speak it yourself- but you would understand it. You may be trying to teach them violence isn't right but you are allowing it to become normal and understandable.

OP we use rating systems on games and movies as well as our own judgement.

son is 7 years 8 months old. he's seen a few PG13 movies in theater with us

his game time is very limited and he mostly uses a vintage Nintendo! he does have access to a playstation occasionally and we negotiate the ratings with him

Those kinds of games are not allowed in my home yet. I haven't decided when, but it's possibly never. I really hate those games and the game play makes me nauseous from the movement. If I do allow them, it won't be til 9th grade or so. I don't mind so much if my kids play them outside my home because I can't control it, but they are aware I don' like it and know not to ask for it at home.

We don't play violent video games at all in our house. Even my husband doesn't play them.