Language Barrier
My son is currently eight years old. I’ve lightly introduced him to tabletop gaming, including D&D. Mostly one-on-one with my wife occasionally being a guest player. I haven’t introduced him to gaming with a larger group, and it will likely be some time before I let him play with my friends. Even if he’s not a needy spotlight hog or actively disruptive to the plans of the party, his presence will modify the behaviour of the players at the table. As much as I’d love to involve him in the table—if only so he’s not being ignored on game days— he might interfere with the fun of everyone else.
Woah, a male character. O.O
In my house, “eight years old” means “ready of for R-rated films”, so if kids are playing RPGs here, it means that they are ready for the deep-end. Plus, I don’t like to deny the pure catharsis of RPGs, as fantasy is great outlet for a people’s darker impulses, including children. But that is how I do things.
You’re a much more liberal parent than me. But only *just*. Counting down the days until I can break out the cool R-rated movies like Alien and Terminator.
Actually I don’t have kids. I was raised that way, and I act that way round my younger relatives. Also, growing-up in my old neighborhood there was the expectation that children by the age of 7 were required to watch scary movies to “toughen you up” and to help brake us of our nightmares. The scariness of it all goes away once the main character fights back and wins (or when we realize how creep-looking some of the costumes were).
Oh, and Aliens was my first theatrical R-rated movie! I have fond memories of getting cheeped-out by it and enjoying every minute of it. =D