Nothing wrong with being out of line with popular opinion. Just because an opinion is popular doesn't mean it's right.
The more people out of line with popular opinion the better, because then I feel more normal lol.
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Nothing wrong with being out of line with popular opinion. Just because an opinion is popular doesn't mean it's right.
The more people out of line with popular opinion the better, because then I feel more normal lol.
I agree completely with Zazou. I wouldn't worry about going against the grain.
My boys who are 3 and 5 have seen tmnt the original movies, Star Wars most. Oh and narnia. But not the others. They are not frightened as we speak about how movies are pretend etc. we don't like them watching super real violence. But fantasy is ok! I would think we are different to the norm allowing them to watch stuff so young! I think it's a personal decision and shouldn't be taken lightly.:
I think it's fine for you to be very thorough before deciding whether or not a movie is appropriate - I myself love the imdb parents guide :) My kids suffer from anxiety disorders and sleep issues so I'm very aware of everything they watch and read - if I'm not I know it will come back to bite me. Also I feel that you're only young once. When the innocence is gone there's no getting it back. Instead of half understanding and watching something as a younger child I prefer if my boys wait until they can fully appreciate the story and morals when they are a bit older.
I'm interested to know what other people do with regard to other kids who are visiting. Would you just go by age and relevant rating G or PG, etc? Do you ask the visiting child's parent? Just interested as my 7 year old went visiting and watched an M rated movie and I was less than impressed but I have been told I'm very strict with what the boys watch. Im interested to know what do others do?
I'm the first to admit I'm fairly lax with what my kids watch. They love vampires, warewolves, etc. But if other kids are over we either stick to the rating guidelines or I have an agreement from the other parents about the movie. I wouldn't put an M rating on for visiting kids without discussing the movie choice first.
I ask the other parent, or stick to G ratings, or PG for upper primary/Tweens. Our school always sent home a note asking parent permission to show PG films (primary). Now same goes @ high school, they advise parents if any content from m-rated films will be shown (and usually just excerpts from the tamer parts since its a catholic school LOL).
My girls wouldn't be able to watch any of them. They are scared by kids movies. Not even just because of 'baddies' but even if there is too much suspense, LOL. So I'm not sure if my view is shaped by how they are or if I already felt this way, but I don't see me letting them watch anything like that for a long time yet. I just don't feel any real need too though. We don't watch a lot of movies anyway and I figure we have plenty of time for all that. I would prefer them to be as carefree as they can and not have to worry about the 'baddies' in the world for a while yet. I don't see any need for them to be seeing violence when they're so young. But then again, that's just who they are. If they see something they worry about if the baddies can get to our house, and what if they can, and what will happen to us, lol, whereas other kids wouldn't even think about it.
Our school did the same this year Mary Dean. They all brought home notes asking if they were allowed to watch PG movies. I'm not phased on my kids watching movies at other peoples houses, but what does bother me is when they go to someone else's house and have played video games above their age levels. Video games bother me more because of the higher interaction.
I hear you in the video games. We have a similar policy here. And we have to sign forms too for movies at school.
I would never show an M rated movie while caring for someone else's child. My kids haven't seen M, so it's not really an issue. They have plenty of years yet to be exposed to adult content....
Good point about the video games.
Here's another question then: what about novels? For those with older children, do you of would you restrict them from reading certain texts at any given age?
I'm guilty of telling DD she couldn't read the twilight books until she was a bit older. There's a bit of a rule of thumb in teenage Y/A fiction that the age of the protagonist is around the story's target age, plus I had read all of them & knew where the story was going. I just didn't think an 11 year old needed that in her head just because the movie had come out & "everyone" was reading it.
I used to hold if you can read the book, you can read the book. That's what I did and I was reading adult novels in my tweens. Didn't hurt me any (or did it?).
Now? Liebling can read anything while he lives with me on the provision that we discuss the book afterwards. We recently had a discussion about a boy "rescuing" a group of girls who blatantly could rescue themselves from the picture - they weren't even asking for help at the time, they were just getting on with it and rescuing themselves. WRT Twilight, I was discussing this with a group of 12yo children recently. I maintained werewolves were cooler than vampires, and another adult asked if that is the case when I consider Twilight. The 12yos soon went off Edward when I did the voice and said "Your blood makes me so hungry and I'll creep in your room while you sleep and stare at you" with my best freaky-eye face.
Yeah I dunno about that I'm sure my DD could read Fifty Shades of Grey but doesn't mean she should.
I think discussions are good though. Be it about any novel or movie or show.
I think books in some cases can be a lot more full on than movies. Especially those that invoke certain emotions. Especially about emotions that are way above a child's capacity to understand. Especially adult emotions.
But that's just me. And apparently I'm a little weird. Just look at how I think ;)
Oh, Rouge, like I'd have that tat in the house. Many 14-15yos are reading it, though, and not discussing it with people. I teach sex ed and happily branch off to healthy relationships when girls ask about things in small groups. Cos no-one else is: they don't tell parents they read it and few other adults would not freak out about it.
That's not surprising. And I know. I was being cute :P
I had so many friends that read V. Andrews as a kid. We even had it in the school library. That stuff was messed up.
And on the other hand girls were reading sweet valley high and god are you there it's me Margaret.
I never did read V Andrews back when everyone else was, but I recently googled the plot lines and my reaction was.... WTF??! Lol. Which kind of proves the value of waiting until your critical faculties have kicked in before consuming this stuff.
Exactly.
With regards to Twilight I read the books then previewed the movies before letting my DD watch them and I will not let her read the books yet as I feel they are a lot more in depth & explicit than the movies.
Her & I often have movie nights & I'm comfortable letting her watch M movies as long as she's with me, she's not to watch them alone as I will turn the movie off if it's to explicit. Any thing a bit adult in the movie is discussed either at the time or used as an opener for a conversation down the track. M15 movies are a no no as there's more drug use, foul language & overly sexual themes. But a lot of old M15 movies would now come under the current M banner so I'm happy for her to watch those ones.
If she has friends staying over I always check with the other parent as to what they feel is appropriate to watch as everyone is different.