Barrie teen runs away from home, parents blame online games

The Parents are morons for "calling his bluff." My advice for them: Don't go to Vegas.

Those people are fools. What the hell a 15 year old kid doing with a Rated M game in the first place?

Or gee, I don't know, maybe it's the parents' fault for not taking their kid seriously? The kid did EXACTLY what he said he would. His parents just didn't believe him. I would say maybe they'll listen next time, but since they're blaming their bad parenting on pedophiles, organized crime (because, you know, the mafia wants your 15 year old kid for his mad COD 4 skills), and internet gambling (hey, at least that's a new one) instead of the fact that they're, oh, dumbfucks, I seriously doubt they'll learn anything. The reason your kid ran away is you. NOTHING else. Deal. I mean, my god, I'd run away too. His parents look like assholes.

"It could be organized crime or someone involved in Internet gambling. Pedophiles can stalk kids through these games,"

Or it could be that he RAN AWAY! It's the parents fault, not a Video Game. Hopefully he is okay.

you know it's parents like this couple are the reason we have shows like dr phil it blows me away to think that since he ran away the father thinks oh there's organized crime influenced on xbox live are you kidding me any 15 yr old kid that is so obsessed over a game that he runs away is a lost cause anyways ,you know millions die every year in cars but do we blame chevy or ford for their influence to drive NO because it just sounds stupid to ,the people quick to blame an online game service that millions use are the ones at fault for not watching over their child and setting a little discipline

and I'm sorry but why should I be sympathetic for couple that had their kid run away over a video game when peoples children die everyday from horrible diseases and shootings but yah I should be sympathetic for these two after they pushed their kid away and then blamed an online community I'm sorry I'm not lashing out just stating the obvious

man! i have to play CoD4!

if my family tried to take pilotwings from me when i was 15, i would of done the same.

Worthless parents, worthless kid, I am 13 years old, I like to play video games as well, from Halo to World of Warcraft. My parents are very much like them, blaming everything on video games, Insisting that I'm addicted to it as if it were a drug.
I know the difference between addiction and just simply wanting to have fun. This kid is addicted, running away from life just because of a simple video game being taken away.

I hope the kid dies along his journey alone, and I hope the parents lose all their children because of their parenting.

I'm not gonna criticize the parents or game industry or anything like that. I'm just gonna say that I play xbox live and I usually chat with some of the gamers. I meet lots of people but I met an 11 year old boy. I looked at his profile and his games shocked me. GTA IV, Saints Row, Leisure Larry. I mean, where are his parents? How do you let such a young child into such types of games at such an early stage. This kid has probably been exposed to all kinds of things in this game. In games that glorify sex and violence. It really disturbs as to what children are seeing these days. Sometimes, my younger cousins say things to me that I could never even think about when I was their age. They know so much nowadays. I'm not saying that games are bad or anything. What I'm saying is that parents should learn to protect their children from these kinds of games. I'm very very current. I know lots of technology, games, computers and everything like that. So I'd like to tell parents that think that learning about game ratings, computers, tech and shit like that is not important, IT IS!!! Tech informed parents are likely to know how to protect their children from these things. I don't know but I have an idea whereby, game makers create consoles that are only children friendly such as they don't contain intenet connections like xbox live, ps network etc. The console also works with only games rated E, T etc. Think of it as a type of bundle like those ones for ps3 and 360 like 60 gb, elite, 80 gb etc. You understand? That way, exposure is reduced because no matter how much parental control you put on most of these current systems, most parents are not tech-informed. Most of them don't have the time to set it up or don't even know how. The kids just beg for the system and the parent buys it to make the child happy. Games are also not the problems but other factors. When the kid is a teen, he's also facing lots of other things worse than games like girls, peer pressure, school, looks etc. Those other factors could also play in their lives. It's up to the parents to educate children before they are exposed to all those things. Teach them about the opposite sex when they are younger. I'm not saying they should be graphic but tell teach them how to control their feelings, teach them right from wrong such as what you see in video games, stays in the video game. People don't run around jacking cars and shooting rocket launchers at random helicopters. When I got my xbox, not 360. My parents warned me about meeting people online. I should always stay away from that. They told me the consequences and taught me about real life. Now, I can fend for myself because I know right from wrong. Therefore, parents should work towards that. Instead of blaming your problems on industries, tv and stuff like that, show them the right path and when it's time for them to choose, they'll more than likely do the right thing. Remember: Give a child a fish, and he won't be hungry till dinner. Give a child a fishing rod and he'll never be hungry again.

That poor kid. The father should be criminally charged in my opinion, parents get in trouble for a lot more minor things than that.

Brandon's parents now fear that he has been "lured by gamers" through the Xbox Live gaming service, "It could be organized crime or someone involved in Internet gambling. Pedophiles can stalk kids through these games," Brandon's father told The Star.

What a ****ing moron, ORGANIZED CRIME and luring and stalking? He didn't disappear against his or their own will, they sent him off

:(
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/11/05/crisp-body.html

@Shawn Ryan:

"Last I saw, there wasn't a manual for raising a kid. "

Incorrect

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=parenting&x=0&y=0

Explore over 1,990 products tagged parenting by customers

See what the community is talking about in the parenting discussion forum(http://www.amazon.com/tag/parenting/forum).

There is plenty of information out there on how to be an effective parent. If you choose not to use that information, that is your problem, and your failure as a parent.

This is a tragedy, this can happened to any family, you cannot really blame the game,or the parent this is the new way, but the parents are left alone to deal with this new society, the school system isn't adequate for our children who are much more advanced that in the past. Most of our children are bore in the classroom. they don't get the motivation need it to stimulate their brain this is the reason they turned to games to feed their needs, youths know too much compared to the previous generation they growing up with the new technologies, they need more attention and our school system isn't adjusting to the needs of our children, they are left in a corner and labeled, they don't fit in and no one look at fixing this situation, Our government should start to make the board of education responsable to educate our children, The children wouldn't leave the classroom if the program were at their level, they play games for hours because of the pleasure they get to advance to the next level, at school they repeat the same program for years. where is the stimulation for those young smart children. they are still learning the same way our grand parents learned, the time is changing the education should follow. our children should be eager to learn not to run away from school.
My deepest sympathy to the family.

Half these comments are hilarious. It's the KID'S fault. He may not be an adult, but he was 15. He should have had some brains in his head and thought about running away from home over a friggen game system. He ended up being found dead due to exposure, so no "scary internet people" to blame.

I feel sorry for the parent's because they lost their son, and because their son is going to go down in history as a moron.

too bad his parents will never see him again. He was found dead near orillia. What the hell, why would his dad help him run away and than say xbox's fault. Now we can learn from their mistakes.

Fuck. What were the parents thinking?

What was more safe?... for their son to be at HOME with THEM, enjoying his hobby of playing video games... or going out in the woods & DIEING?

Fuck. What idiots.

And to the whole argument that video gaming was becoming an "excessive" thing for Crip... BULL-shit.... what kind of argument is that?

There are so many kids out there playing soccer non-stop, or building boats & go-karts... and there are many who are always painting pictures, or reading books...

THEY ARE ALL HOBBIES, and gaming for Brandon was a hobby. It makes no difference whether it was a game or a skipping rope. The situation should have been treated as it would have been with everything else. And ina good bargaining manner too. He wasn't 10 years old, you can't just order them around like slaves at 15-16... at that age they have responsibilities to be taught to them, thats why you bargain with them & give them a fair go... treat them with respect as they would for you!

And to anyone who claims his father was using reverse psychology by telling him to pack his bags & call his bluff... piss off. What if Brandon was using reverse psychology in doing so?

He's the father. The older one & should used his HEAD!... but instead they have a son who passed away because they couldn't put their ego's to the side & realize their son wasn't 8 years old anymore.

_______________________
JaseH.

This is very sad thing for a parent. Disobedience to parents will always lead to harm for a child. Parents may need to consider a payday loan to cover for their teenagers. Raiding the pantry, and then the gadgets like cell phones, Internet, mp3 players, and new wardrobe like pants that don't stay up, and driving them around is an expensive proposition for parents. Then they eat their own weight in microwave burritos. Getting them all their "wants" can add up quick – should we get a payday loan to cover for them? Or should they be taught the value of their own hard work to get their needs and wants fulfilled? I read an article that taught me how to teach them to shovel snow to earn their own money. For other ideas on raising teens, or just a sympathetic voice, go to the payday loan blog.