Microsoft offers reward for missing boy

The dad should have talked about the worsening behavior, instead of just taking the game away. 1.Talk @.Maybe limit the game time 3.Take it easy, Kids dont respond to "alphaism" and will become defiant

See Comment 11

See #12

See #12

Our boys play video games OCCASIONALLY. Most of the time they are busy actually playing real sports with real kids instead of pretending to play them through a video game. Football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer - our kids are active and healthy.

Parents should do their kids a favor and take their games away more often - get them off their butts and out into the fresh air.

I pray this little guy comes home safe.

this isn't really a reply to anything said, but a comment... the article said that he was playing the game online. i have parental blocks on my computer to keep my teen from being able to go to mature games, and i refuse to buy them for him even though he is a jr in high school because as i've told him, there is nothing to glamourize about violence, why advocate it by playing games that try to make it seem like a "kick" when such atrocities actually do occur in real life. but even with parental blocks, my son learned how to bypass our internet server to get to the games through internet explorer.....thank goodness for history searches on computers, which allowed me to discover this, and not only take care of locking the computer, but take care of him trying that stunt again. so i commend his father for taking the xbox away, even though that was not where he was playing the game, it was a start. and i pray his son returns home safe and sound.

BRANDON,,, Go home, Your parents really love you, they are trying to help you survive this world today, Something you cannot do by yourself, no matter how much you think you can, Family is the most treasured thing a Man, or Woman can have, Few have it today, don't throw yours away, Please go home or at least call them so they can come get you .....

the kid is a spoiled brat... when he gets home they better ground him for causing everyone to worry and give him his xbox back in a year !!

I agree that this article makes it sound like this kids father did something wrong. Not only did he make the correct move, but when the boy gets home, God willing safe and sound, after he hugs him and tells him how much he loves him and glad he is that he is home...he should then ground him for the rest of his life! Otherwise, he will threaten to run away every time he gets punished or doesn't get his way. My son ran away once, for four days. I was lucky enough to know where he was. While he was gone I packed up every thing he owned except a week's worth of clothing and his bed. I moved those clothes and bed to the small guest room. When he came home and went up to his ultra-cool attic room with full bath and it was empty he came down a lot less cocky and asked why his room was empty. I told him it was because he moved out four days ago. Now that he was back he would receive the basics a parent is required to give a child, shelter, clothing, food, medical care and education. He was going to have to earn back all of the privileges of being my son that the threw away in an effort to manipulate me, such as, his skate boards, fender guitar and amp, video games, the remainder (weeks worth) of ultra cool skate clothes and shoes, stereo, cd's, etc. etc. We've had some really tough times, he is ADHD and Bipolar, but he has not walked out that door again without permission. This dad is being the parent he should be if his son can't find proper balance and perspective playing these games.

i agree with you 100%

Thank God his father thinks enough of him to take a stand, as removing the xbox and game. Parents have to have guidelines and rules for children so they have a chance to grow up to be responsible adults.

it's not that he was forced to stop playing.. here's what i think.. first of all, as a 25 year old who grew up with video games being a huge part of my life as well as everyone else in my age group.. i can relate to this kid for being upset.. i useto skip school now and then to play my favorite game.. i was about his age too.. but there's definitely some underlying issues here.. it's the parents responsibility ALWAYS to pay attention to what their child is playing, who they are playing with, and if its having a positive or negative affect on thier kid.
in this case, my best guess would be there are most likely family issues.. parents divorced, or something traumatic, also i can assume that the father didnt have much control over this poor child, through lack of discipline which is partly the fathers fault.
it should've never got to the point to take away what means the most to your child.. my dad did this to me once and let me tell you... had i not been scared of him and him having me very well disciplined, i would've ran off too.. add to this story that the kids most likely from school that he was playing the game with online were probably the reason why he changed so much.. a video game can be good or bad depending on what it is..
sidenote: call of duty 4 is a shooting game but also employs in depth strategy and hand/eye co-ordination, its like chess but with guns in other words.. not like other Gang themed games out on the market that could have a negitive impact on a young person.. this game is completely neutral.
So This kid was so involved in this game.. it becomes your main hobby, and when you are doing something you love.. you easily lose focus on things you dont love, schoolwork being one..
bottom line is this.. as a parent, take more time to make sure your kid goes to school every day and if they love to play video games.. sit down with them and see what they're playing.. who they're playing with and make a sound decision on if it's a good idea or not.
Kudos to the father for realizing this change when he started playing the game.. but again its most likely some new friends he's made at school that he plays the game with that have installed this change.. missing for 2 weeks, well he has to be somewhere. just hope hes safe at someones house playing more call of duty and being a little thug rather then haven committed suicide for having nothing to live for..

it's not that he was forced to stop playing.. here's what i think.. first of all, as a 25 year old who grew up with video games being a huge part of my life as well as everyone else in my age group.. i can relate to this kid for being upset.. i useto skip school now and then to play my favorite game.. i was about his age too.. but there's definitely some underlying issues here.. it's the parents responsibility ALWAYS to pay attention to what their child is playing, who they are playing with, and if its having a positive or negative affect on thier kid.
in this case, my best guess would be there are most likely family issues.. parents divorced, or something traumatic, also i can assume that the father didnt have much control over this poor child, through lack of discipline which is partly the fathers fault.
it should've never got to the point to take away what means the most to your child.. my dad did this to me once and let me tell you... had i not been scared of him and him having me very well disciplined, i would've ran off too.. add to this story that the kids most likely from school that he was playing the game with online were probably the reason why he changed so much.. a video game can be good or bad depending on what it is..
sidenote: call of duty 4 is a shooting game but also employs in depth strategy and hand/eye co-ordination, its like chess but with guns in other words.. not like other Gang themed games out on the market that could have a negitive impact on a young person.. this game is completely neutral.
So This kid was so involved in this game.. it becomes your main hobby, and when you are doing something you love.. you easily lose focus on things you dont love, schoolwork being one..
bottom line is this.. as a parent, take more time to make sure your kid goes to school every day and if they love to play video games.. sit down with them and see what they're playing.. who they're playing with and make a sound decision on if it's a good idea or not.
Kudos to the father for realizing this change when he started playing the game.. but again its most likely some new friends he's made at school that he plays the game with that have installed this change.. missing for 2 weeks, well he has to be somewhere. just hope hes safe at someones house playing more call of duty and being a little thug rather then haven committed suicide for having nothing to live for..

I agree with this post. As a parent of a pre-teen and a younger child (both boys), I can see how his father got upset. I'm sure, as the story doesn't say, that the father tried other options before taking the Xbox away. Sad to say, I can imagine how the child got that game.... kids have friends who are older or their friend's have parents who don't care and buy the stuff for their kids and friends (They are the parents who want to be the child's friend over being a parent). Kids are sneaky- no matter how good the child has been or is. That's part of the rusht hey get. I pray for the family and that they find the child very very soon, safe and sound. Once they find him, they need to get him to counseling and keep the Xbox for now.

I agree, Mscott. This kid should NOT have been playing with an M-rated game. My husband and oldest son, who is 21, play this game online but my 10 year old is forbidden. I only let him play age appropriate games, not even the ones that say "T".Poor kid...I hope he's ok and is brought back home soon.