.

[sha_lyn]

As for "cool" well DS didn't get to watch many movies that most of his friends were able to watch when he was younger. I even got into a huge argument with a friend over Batman when DS was 4. she actually said I was depriving DS of enjoying Batman like we were able to as a kid. HELLO it wasn't the same Batman. So what did we do, we found the old movie and watched it. DS (and his friends)certainly thought it was uncool to not be able to watch what his friends did, or to have to call and get permission to watch a movie at a friends house.

We've been a lot more lenient with DD, for several reasons. Mainly because it is been hard to keep her from being exposed to the "frenzy" with an older brother in the house. I believe it was after the 2nd LOTR that a man came up to DD and commented on how she behaved better than the older kids and some adults in the movie. In one of the LOTR (2nd I think) she did get scared at one point, but she jsut turned around in her seat until the scene was over. She has not had nightmares, behaviour problems, problems imitating inapropriate stff etc.


DS would have ngihtmares when he was younger. My mom really didn't pay much attention to what was on TV when he would be over there. When he was about 6 she let him watch the the horror movie Leprechaun. He had nightmares for weeks if not months.

 

[tidoublegger]

In this house, PG-13 is for 13 and up, and R is for 17 and up. Movies given ratings for a certain reason. I can't tell you how many of my kids friends are watching movies that are too old for them! I think it stinks that parents cave in to their kids requests to watch movies rated older than they are! I don't think that a 10 year old has any business watching a PG-13, or a 15 year old watching an R rated movie. That's just exposing them way to early to age inappropriate material...and for what? So they can do what their friends may or may not be doing??? I think that if parents screened some of this material first, they would find out that maybe it's wiser to wait until their children are the appropriate age the movie is rated for.

 

[piglet too]

I thought about this last night and wanted to share it.

The first time my oldest DS saw any of "Air Force One" was back in September of 2001. Two mornings later I got that early morning phone call, that so many of got on the 11th of September that year, to turn on the TV. My son (and a neighbors boy who I watched until they got off on the bus, year older than DS) happened to be in the room. As I struggled with what I was watching, I also struggled with a way to explain to a second and third grader what had happened. My son, asked me if the people from the plane were like the bad guys in "Air Force One." I was never so happy than at that point to have let him watch an "inappropriate" movie. I told him that they were kinda that, just much more "bad" than the movie guys. Both boys excepted that, and went off to the bus. Later that day, my neighbor actually thanked me for my response, as her son had seen bits and pieces of the movie too. For our sons, having seen a "R" movie made it somewhat easier for them to grasp what had happened. Where else, besides movies, had any of us been exposed to terrorists? That was not a concept that most Americans really knew about, at least not here, on American soil.

 

[Parkhopper]

I am glad to see this thread as we are going through the same issue with our DS who is almost 10. It seems that all of his friends are watching R rated movies. He thinks it is special to watch a PG-13 movie because we only allow him to watch G and PG movies unless we have had a chance to screen the movie and deem it appropriate. I have to admit that my DS does not scare easily and knows not to repeat "inappropriate" words, but I am not at all comfortable with some of the sexual context even in PG-13 movies. We have also talked about not repeating some phrases from a movie which don't technically have "bad words" in them, but are still not what I want to hear coming out of an almost 10 year old's mouth.

Worse than the movies for us, is the pressure to be able to purchase and play the computer/video games that are rated T or even M. NO WAY! And I know that he is playing them at other kid's houses, but I have no control there! Any advice?

Suzi

 

[KarenB]

Suzi-I think the games rated T and M are an even tougher decision. At least the movies, DH and I can go preview them and hopefully enjoy them, but I have no interest what so ever in playing these video games myself!! My DS 16 is now moving towards the "M" rated ones. Ugh!

....as for movie ratings.....how about Anchorman at PG 13. I have heard that there are quite a few sexual references in that one!

Karen

 

[ripleysmom]

I don't let DS 12 watch R rated movies without seeing it first. I let him watch Blazing Saddles ;ast week. I do let him see PG-13 movies but DD is not allowed to watch them. I took DS to see Dodgeball and White Chicks recently and we had a fun time. He is hilarious to watch a movie with.

 

[Galahad]

In this house, PG-13 is for 13 and up, and R is for 17 and up

Same here. DW and I don't really see many (if any) R rated movies either.

 

[NMAmy]

Originally posted by tidoublegger
In this house, PG-13 is for 13 and up, and R is for 17 and up. Movies given ratings for a certain reason. I can't tell you how many of my kids friends are watching movies that are too old for them! I think it stinks that parents cave in to their kids requests to watch movies rated older than they are! I don't think that a 10 year old has any business watching a PG-13, or a 15 year old watching an R rated movie. That's just exposing them way to early to age inappropriate material...and for what? So they can do what their friends may or may not be doing??? I think that if parents screened some of this material first, they would find out that maybe it's wiser to wait until their children are the appropriate age the movie is rated for.

I'm one of "those" moms as well. DD is 13 and, yes, she can watch R rated movies and she's been watching PG 13 films for years. My decision varies from movie to movie and we'll discuss anything I feel is questionable. I'm not "caving in" to my child's request--if it's something she'd really like to see, I watch it first and make the decision. I feel that my child is mature enough to handle these movies--you don't and that's your decision but please don't make a blanket statement that all parents that do this are exposing their children to something inappropriate. This is very subjective and while you may not feel it's appropriate, I might think that a movie opens up different discussions for my child and I.

I would also like to say that I would never let someone else's child watch an R rated movie at my house without checking with her parents first.

 

[fanofmickey]

Our house rules are that no one watches PG-13 movies unless they are 13 or we have previewed and okayed. The same with rated R. Our local movie houses will ask for identification if kids try to purchase tickets to R movies - if parents want the kids to see it, they have to purchase a ticket and stay with kids (they cannot purchase tkts for kids and leave).

I had an extremely proud moment when DD was around 14 (she now 18) - she was at a party with a group of kids who all thought it would be cool to pop in an R rated movie in the VCR. She removed herself from the room where the movie was and went to the kitchen to visit the host's mom. When the mom asked her why she was hanging in the kitchen and not with the kids, she replied that they were watching a rated R movie and she was not allowed to see it, and she did not want to get in trouble and risk not getting to go out for a while. The mom replied that probably no one needed to be seeing that movie and proceeded to remove it from the VCR. I was never so proud of my DD for standing up for our values, and risking not being "cool". I believe if parents have decided that their children are mature enough to see certain movies, then so be it - but no one has the right to show my child a movie that has a rating beyond their age.

 

[Robinrs]

Michael started watching some PG 13s with me this summer. As for Rs, my niece would let her kids, 9 and 15, watch them at her home and he would leave. He was shocked that she allowed them to watch them and chose not to, which I'm glad he limits himself.

Content matters alot. Kids see a lot of unrealistic violence in cartoons and video games so they're somewhat immune to it. Realistic violence is another matter. Michael was bothered by the knife scene in The Village. It was way too real. On the other hand, all of the unrealistic violence in the Manchurian Candidate didn't affect him at all.

I agree it depends on the kid. My son has been around mostly adults all of his life and is a bit too old for his own good!

 

[tidoublegger]

Originally posted by NMAmy
I'm one of "those" moms as well. DD is 13 and, yes, she can watch R rated movies and she's been watching PG 13 films for years. My decision varies from movie to movie and we'll discuss anything I feel is questionable. I'm not "caving in" to my child's request--if it's something she'd really like to see, I watch it first and make the decision. I feel that my child is mature enough to handle these movies--you don't and that's your decision but please don't make a blanket statement that all parents that do this are exposing their children to something inappropriate. This is very subjective and while you may not feel it's appropriate, I might think that a movie opens up different discussions for my child and I.

I would also like to say that I would never let someone else's child watch an R rated movie at my house without checking with her parents first.

It's not a matter of me feeling that my child(ren) is mature or not mature enought to handle these movies...I just feel that a lot of thought goes into why a movie is rated what it is. I think that it's unnecessary to expose children to material that is supposed to be for older age groups when there is plenty of age appropriate material they can be entertained by! They are only young once and I think it's sad to overexpose kids to things that are too mature for them. I do believe that many parents don't even bother to screen this material first and they *are* caving in to their kids requests just because it's easier for them to say yes than to actually put their foot down. What each person does with their own kids is their own decision and I'm not saying my way is the best way, it's just what I wish to do in my home.

 

[Goobergal99]

Being a young and very liberal parent, I know that when the time comes, I will certainely be the cool mom. Why? because I am not comfortable with people in magazines telling me what is suitable for my child, nor am I comfortable with the government dictating to me what my child can view and cannot view in a theater. My mom allowed me to see rated R movies and I didnt grow up to kill anyone nor am I disrespectful to anyone who is non deservant. Bottom line you have to know your child and is you raise them outside of the "box" then they will be mature enough to understand what is acceptable and what isn't. Overbearing parents produce two types of adults: sheltered or destructive ones!

 

[Goobergal99]

Also I feel it is necessary to add that just because you say No, does not mean your child will not find a way to do whatever it is they want to.
It reminds me of the old story about the man who carried his daughter on his back because he didnt want her to find a man, after awhile she started to get more and more heavy until finally she delivered a child. The man shook his head in disbelief and could not believe what had happened. Finally one of the towns people said to him "you had to put her down sometimes, cant carry her forever"

 

[Pembo]

......

 

[meandtheguys2]

Pembo...no it does not make your kid cooler to see inapropriate movies!