The issues with material - games, books, films, etc. - that contain violent elements, particularly violence without consequence - include desensitisation and also a reduced ability in children to be emotionally and mentally aware of a difference between fantasy and reality.
There was a study done in 2012 at the University of Bern (Switzerland) which concluded the following:
❝Children aged 3 to 8 years old and adults were tested on a reality–fantasy distinction task. They had to judge whether particular entities were real or fantastical, and response times were collected. We further manipulated whether the entity is a specific character or a generic fantastical entity. The results indicate that children, unlike adults, show a tendency to err by judging fantastical entities as real (response bias toward reality). All children were significantly slower when categorizing fantastical stimuli compared with real stimuli.❞
There is - in my mind - no doubt that providing a loving, stable, encouraging, intellectually stimulating and properly parented environment (clear boundaries, non-violent, no mixed messages, no toxic situation of violence or drugs or alcohol) will provide a child with the best environment in which to flourish.
This just means that we as adults must be mindful of those things, including not tacitly or explicitly expecting a child to be able to differentiate between fantasy and reality. Age-appropriate games are likely to be stimulating in the best way, but I am worried about the ongoing effect of sexually explicit and violent material that's available to children.
Sexualising a child is so very wrong. Because the stuff is out there, readily accessible, parents cannot afford to be parenting in a hands-off way. They've got to be on the ball, aware of all of the apps that kids can use, and not slip into a comfortable "My child would never do that" state of mind. Parenting today is more difficult than ever before, I suspect.
I do believe in stimulating children's imaginations in a productive / good way. Reading from a young age is one of the greatest benefits. Never stop a child from reading. Let him or her read widely and richly, with children's books, fantasy, fairy tales, mysteries, adventures, literature, poetry, non-fiction.
I vividly - very vividly - recall being a bit of a brat on my... I think it was my sixth birthday (or at any rate, between 6th and 8th). I had requested Barchester Towers as my present, and this was passed on to friends of my parents. Then came the gift-wrapped present, book-shaped, and my heart was beating with excitement. I unwrapped it, and... it was an ABRIDGED version, suitable for children. I stomped my feet and sobbed "I want the WHOLE BOOK, not a baby version." I'm mortified in retrospect; how ungrateful I was! I just cannot remember whether I threw the scene at the party in front of the gift-givers, or whether I saved it up for home. (I hope it was at home.)
I am adamantly against restricting children's vocabularies, and I entirely agree with Tolkien on the subject of age-appropriate vocabulary. Pffffft.
