Is it safe for children? What age groups should come?

    While most events at conventions are for general audiences of all ages, there may be a few Adult-themed or oriented events (we designate these at A-Kon® by calling them "Adult" such as our Hentai Video Room). This may be due to skimpy costumes that tend to be worn, or language or themes. Conventions that have such events take care to keep minors (those under 18 in Texas) from attending these events so you don't have to worry about your teenager sneaking in if you are not with him or her. There are many more events, however, that are great for all ages and we get a wide-range of attendees - from babies to grandparents.

What about role-play & other gaming? Is it safe to let my child play?

    Several games have had negative press over the years, one of the most infamous being Dungeons & Dragons. Only you know your child and his or her level of maturity. While there are a few that can become obsessive about games (or anything else for that matter), it is definitely the rare exception rather than the rule. Unfortunately, these rare exceptions get the attention from the press rather than the millions of gamers that have gone on to become authors, artists, actors or just regular people. If you are concerned, we suggest you sit in with your child and watch the games he or she plays. If they begin showing signs of being unable to separate fantasy from reality, you should be concerned. Otherwise, it is all in good fun and just a game - as long as they realize that and it doesn't consume their lives or cause them to ignore the important things such as their grades or family, we feel you don't have to worry. As gamers ourselves, we've seen both types and we tend to shy away from those types.

Tags: gaming, kids, safety