Halo 4 - Gilbert,AZ

If you go to gaming websites, or store websites, like Game Stop, www.gamestop.com you can read the reviews and ratings of the games.
Or at sites like "Common Sense Media"
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/ to see what is said about any game/movie etc.

At least your son was honest about why he wanted to play with that boy or go to their house.
Then, that other boy, called you. NOT his parents.
And as you said, you do not know anything about that family.
I personally, don't send my kids to other kids/people's homes, if I do not know them.

Now, per myself personally, it sorta "irks" me, when a kid calls me to tell me something or extend an invitation etc,(my kids' friends), and not the parents themselves. I mean, the PARENT should be calling, not the kid. And I am one, that will actually tell the kid "Have your MOM call me... did your Mom say you could call me? Can you put her on the phone? I want to confirm this...." (I have actually done that).
And per a girl that my daughter knows, who is sorta presumptuous and indignant, she once tried to get me to give HER my phone number so she can put it on her cell phone. This girl, is not a kid I trust, nor my daughter and my daughter is not exactly BFF's with this girl... so I told the girl "You are trying to get my phone number, and I will not give it to you nor to put on your cell phone... I will ONLY give it to your Mom. My number, is for the adult to use, not a child. It is a private number..." (this girl, was known for making crank calls to other Moms and saying things without telling her Mom. I knew this).
That is WHY... I do not like, kids calling me nor having my number. I tell the kid, the PARENT or the Mom, has to call me. Or they can put their Mom on the phone.
So going back to your post: you told that boy that you "haven't TALKED to his parents yet, and need to do that first."
You are correct.
That is what I would do. Too.

As far as your son playing Halo, well that is up to you. You are your son's Mom. Most kids that age play it or will be exposed to it. At other homes or their own home. But ultimately, it is up to YOU, and what you determine for your son.
And talk to him about it... as I said, at least he was honest in telling you initially, that that boy had Halo 4 and that's why he wants to go over there.
So keep your son communicating with you... and also convey to him, the why's or why not's, about whatever you decide.
Tell your son, "thanks for being honest with me.... " so that he will tell you things in the future and knows, that he can tell you things without hiding it.

And lastly, you do not know... that boy nor his family or parents. Nor have you talked to his parents yet. That boy, seems to be the only one, that is contacting you. As I said, for myself personally... I do not deal with the child per invitations or play dates or about my kids going to a person's home... unless, the Parent themselves, has called me or made an effort to do it. Or if I know them myself, and they called me.
And I always make it CLEAR to the kid, that the parent/their Mom has to call me. First. And if I don't get a good vibe about things, I answer to the kid that "sorry, we are busy... can't get together..." sort of thing.

Halo 4, is not due to come out until the holidays of 2012 or so.

Has your son played Halo before? Does he even know what it is? He probably hears other kids talking about it???

My Husband has Halo games.
He plays it.
Not my kids.
My kids are 5 and 9 .

4 moms found this helpful

Halo 4 does not come out until December of this year.
My husband and I are huge fans of the series and are counting down the days, so to speak.

Our 7 year old daughter has played lots of Halo, 1-3.
It is difficult, as in it takes strategy, knowing when to take cover and what not.
I would imagine that at 9, it would be fine.

The violence is not gory.
It is very bright, lots of purple and blue, lots of trees, and magical looking settings.
All of the violence is with VERY fake looking weapons, they look more like super soakers.
All of the violence is against aliens, very obviously not human.

That is the reason I let my 7 year old play it, it is on par with power rangers, or Poke-man as far as the level of violence and the fake feel to it.

It is possible it was Halo 3?
Doesn't really matter, the only real difference is that the story got better as games progressed, but at 9, I doubt your kid would pay attention to the story.

In my opinion, it is more than fine.
Now if it was Call of Duty or something, I would say NO!

3 moms found this helpful

Halo 4 - Forward into Dawn isn't out yet. It's release date is 6 Nov 12.

Halo 1 and 2 are "rare" and hard to find. Halo 3 is still active.

So they must be talking about Halo 3. ALL of the Halo games are rated M. For language, violence as well as blood and gore.

My boys play Halo - yes - it can be violent. They are the Army that are fighting aliens that are trying to take over the earth. You have to stop them (the Aliens) from firing the ring to save the earth.

The game I REFUSE to let them play is Saints Row. Oh my God - HORRIBLE. They can't play any game where they shoot innocent people or police - so that rules out Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto and some others.

If this kid has Halo 4 - then his dad must know someone at Microsoft and this would be like a HUGE thing if it got lost or out BEFORE the time. So really? I don't think he has HALO4. Most likely 3.

3 moms found this helpful

Halo 4 isn't out yet.
but here is the commonsensemedia.com review for Halo 3 : ODST
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/halo-3-odst
Halo is a series of M rated first person shooters.
In other words is the person playing shooting.

2 moms found this helpful

Halo 1-3 are rated for 16 year olds so I would guess it's probably the same.

2 moms found this helpful

My son isn't of the age where this would be a problem, but a couple things to think about:

First, even if you say " we don't allow X sort of games", there are a lot of parents out there who say "oh yeah" and then the kids do end up playing the restricted games anyway. (I have a sis with older boys and have heard this on more than one occasion, even with families who supposedly have the same values as hers (Christian homeschool/church friends). Parents do tend to sometimes check-out when the kids have playdates, or older sibs are allowed to play and then the youngers join in...

Second, and just something to think about: It might be good to check in with your son about what else he enjoys doing with this boy. This way, they have a backup plan for the playdate if you feel the game is inappropriate.

2 moms found this helpful

You know MzKitty, it's likely I have an unfair advantage here but....

Of COURSE it's violent!

With that I'd like to say, with what I know about you and your husband as parents, I can personally guarantee that playing Halo (of any number) will not turn any child of yours into a violent predator. He already KNOWS right from wrong, he already KNOWS it's not real life. But now he is NINE, he just wants to go have some fun with his buddies, you know?

I personally will continue to respect your outstanding parenting whatever you decide, but since you ASKED, I think the kid's gonna be just fine, all right?

:)

2 moms found this helpful

Halo 4 has been pointed out. It's not bloody or gory, but you are shooting aliens. It's fantasy version of any other shooting game out there.

As for Call of Duty...all of mine play they game. Including the 5 year old, it's not bloody or gory either but you are shooting the human enemy.

It's your call.

1 mom found this helpful

Just the other day my son was showing me, with regard to the Call of Duty games, what the difference was between playing with the graphics restricted vs. unrestricted. The people you shoot fall down and die. There is fake black-looking blood. Mine is not allowed to play online with strangers.
Call me crazy, but I was SO hesitant about those games....and I don't think it's that big of a deal, really.
We don't have any Halo games.

1 mom found this helpful

I have nothing to say about video games.

I did want to commend you for your parenting!! I have a 15 year old and before she could go to someone's house I want to talk to their parents . . .this last year (we moved to a new area) she went to zero . . . she's mortified to have me talk to their parents :-( I just can't do it, you never know the situation they are getting into. Call me strickt, overboard, crazy - I don't care.

A neighbor boy, 7, told my daughter, also 7 to play this game on-line. During her computer she asked if she could go there, we checked it out . . . it was adults playing some shooting game and live chatting - OMG!!! And the parent of the boy didn't care!!