Rated PG Movies

[Liberty Belle]

DS turns 7 next month and I think I have finally figured out a birthday party idea for him. I am thinking movies followed by dinner/playing at Chickfila. The only kids movie playing then is Mars Needs Moms. A Disney film that is rated PG.

Would you allow your 6/7 year old first grader to see a PG movie? This wil be his first school party and I just don't wanna cause any issues with the other parents. We are in a pretty rural area and are pretty limited on the indoor birthday party activities/venues available. He requested a an indoor bounce facility that has 6 or 7 large inflatables inside and a party room but since it is an hour drive I'm afraid no one will show up and I don't wanna hurt his feelings or waste the money. The movies are only about 15-20 minutes away.

I did/do, but I do know of at least two parents who do not.

 

[Liberty Belle]

That might be a workable idea if we had a family room/den/basement or any kind of dedicated kids room. Unfortunately we live in a small rancher so there really isn't much room for an indoor party especially since I want to invite all 18 kids in his class plus his cousin.
Plus I am hoping that with it being a brand new movie that none of them have seen before and it being in a theater hopefully it will hold their attention a lil longer than say something they have seen over and over again.

And like a pp said I don't wanna clean my house to get ready for the party and then clean it up after the party!

I remeber that website a pp had mentioned that stated exactly why it is rated PG not just a description but also can't remember it.

I think I am going to go for it. Now just gotta convince DS it is a better idea than the bounce place.

Wow - movie tickets (snacks?) and dinner for 18 guests? That's going to run up quite a bill!

 

[Malibustyle23]

Wow - movie tickets (snacks?) and dinner for 18 guests? That's going to run up quite a bill!

We have a local small town theater so the childrens tickets only cost $6 each no matter what time your movie shows. DH and I have lifetime free passes for us through a barter for DFIL's work. Then I figure $5 (I think it's actually a dollar or so less) bucks for each kids meal. So I am getting $11 per child roughly which is better than the theaters party plan that costs $18 per child. Which consists of movie ticket, childs popcorn and drink, birthday cake. Personally I'd rather do the meal and pick out my own cake.
I am the mean mommy that barely ever buys snacks and drinks at the movies hopefully I can stick with this for the party since we will be going directly to dinner afterwards .


So about $200 for everyone not too bad compared to the rest of my choices available. Like I said I am in a rural area so not alot of choices especially for inviting the entire class. While I know that inviting everyone is not most people's choice, I just feel like DS is not at a place socially where he can only invite these or them. He doesn't have many if any real/close friends and I feel like he is in a critical age/social area where he needs to include everyone and try to embrace some close relationships before the cliques are formed for the rest of his school days. And now I sound like I am trying to buy my son friends so I am going to just stop now.

So let's just not tell DH how much I plan on putting out and we will be fine.

 

[Malibustyle23]

And now I find out that this whole thread may be now moot point. The theater will not know until four days before the movie release date whether they will have it or not and if so what the showtimes will be. How can one plan a birthday party around 4 days notice?!?

 

[Hannathy]

And now I find out that this whole thread may be now moot point. The theater will not know until four days before the movie release date whether they will have it or not and if so what the showtimes will be. How can one plan a birthday party around 4 days notice?!?

Why does it have to be on their exact birthday?
just plan it for the next weekend. very few kids have it on their real birthdays

 

[jrmasm]

And now I find out that this whole thread may be now moot point. The theater will not know until four days before the movie release date whether they will have it or not and if so what the showtimes will be. How can one plan a birthday party around 4 days notice?!?

My theater offers a 2:00 and a 4:00 time slot for parties. They don't know what time the movie will be until the week of the party. If you opt for 2:00 and the movie ends up starting at 2:10, then you have cake after the movie. If the movie starts at 2:40, you have cake before the party.

I was concerned because my invitations didn't have a pick time on them but no one that has called has even asked. We'll just let them know when they drop the kids off.

Funny thing, I just a got a call and the parent asked what movie they'd be seeing.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Why does it have to be on their exact birthday?
just plan it for the next weekend. very few kids have it on their real birthdays

It doesn't have to be on his birthday but the movies change every Friday and they never know until the Monday before which would give me at the most 6 days notice to invite the guests. I am a planner and need more notice and a gurantee that that movie would be playing. What could I put on the invite Sat the 12th hopefully around 2pm?

 

[Malibustyle23]

My theater offers a 2:00 and a 4:00 time slot for parties. They don't know what time the movie will be until the week of the party. If you opt for 2:00 and the movie ends up starting at 2:10, then you have cake after the movie. If the movie starts at 2:40, you have cake before the party.

I like how your theater plans to know and will schedule an exact time but I was planNing on just doing an outing instead of doing an "official" through the theater scheduled party. Even if I did do an official party though they still will only ask you which movie you hope to view and then your second choice on your form. From there they will call you a few days prior with the schedule. I'm gonna try to call the manage later.

 

[okeydokey]

I would say to pick the day and then confirm the time with each parent once you find out when it is showing.

I would have no problem with the movie, but be sure to let all the parents know so they can decide for themselves.

 

[Music City Mama]

I doubt I would've let my child see that movie (without me) when he was 6. At 7, I probably would have.

I like to review movies on commonsensemedia.org -- I don't always go by what they say (age-wise), but it gives their recommendation, parents'/educators' recommendations and other kids' recommendations -- I use it as a guideline.

I agree with another poster that not all PG movies are created equal (even if they're Disney). I've let my 3 year old watch plenty of PG movies, but there are some he is in no way ready for. When my older DS was 3, I'd even screen some of the G movies -- he didn't see the opening scene of Finding Nemo until he was 5.

I do admit that I'm probably more cautious than some other parents about that kind of thing, though, because my parents were extremely lax with what we were able to watch -- and I wish they would've been more strict.