The Federal Trade Commission released its “secret shopper” survey of the nation’s retailers last week. Many of the top national retailers have followed through and are working to keep M rated video games out of the hands of kids. Parents should be relieved that many retailers will back them up and keep their kids from buying games like Grand Theft Auto.

Don’t forget however that many of these M-rated games are hugely popular with teens and pre-teens. Parents need to be game-savvy and check the ratings before they buy a game. Every video game displays a rating on the box, along with content descriptors. Take a moment, check the rating. If it says M, you’re holding a game that has been rated for people ages 17 and above. The content will contain graphic violence, sex, very crude language, and possibly drug and alcohol usage. These are not games for kids. So be MediaWise® - check out the ratings. Say “no” when you should. Post a comment - what’s your parenting strategy for video games?