Appropriate Video Games.... What is a Non-gamer To Do?

I have never been one to pay attention to video games, apps, or the like. Never! I'm just not interested. When the kids ran into problems on their DS or Wii, and Daddy wasn't around, they'd just have to figure it out or give it up - my rationale being that if I wanted that headache, I would have taken on the Atari when my brother had one!

So, you may understand my predicament now: I have no first hand experience on which to approve - or disapprove - of the games the children request for their various electronics. Last night for example, Toad and I were at EB Games... now thankfully, the staff was quite helpful, and unlike me, the gentleman behind the counter seems to have first-hand experience with just about every game there. So, we discussed the age of my child, the game in question, compared it to movies I was familiar with and I was able to make a decision (we did buy it).

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But, it got me thinking - this is only going to come up more and more. Therefore, when I read this article on PBS Kids' parent section (great resource in itself) I was delighted to find this site: www.commonsensemedia.org. On it, you can scroll through reviews based on age level, or type in the name of the game you have questions about. There, I discovered that the "crude humour" listed on the game's rating was due to ... ahem... fart jokes, and not sexually inappropriate material as I had feared (note here that the EB Games fellow had indicated the same!).....

Is it a substitute for your own judgement, research and other considerations? ..... No. Obviously. But it is a start, or even a second opinion!