Why do they market PG-13 movies to little kids?

[Fuamami]

My dd is in 1st grade, and she got valentines from the following movies:

GI-Joe
Spiderman
The Transformers
X-Men

There was one or two from Spongebob, but I think every single boy gave valentines from those movies.

Do parents really take their 6 yos to those movies? Do they even enjoy them? My dd would be scared out of her wits. And why, if the movies are rated PG-13, do they market to 1st graders?!?

[staceychev]

Because they can. Because research has shown that kids skew upwards in desire... a preschooler will want to identify with school-age stuff, school-age with tweens, tweens with teens, etc. I can't recommend Susan Linn's book Consuming Kids enough.

But then again, I do think parents don't pay attention to the ratings. A lot of my daughter's peers (4-5 YO, Pre-K) watch PG movies regularly and things like Hannah Montana and SpongeBob, which are totally unacceptable to me, seem fine to them.

(That being said, my just turned 4YO nephew is really into transformers, not because of the movie, but because of the cartoons and the toys. There are GI Joe and Spiderman toys and cartoons, also.)

[lotusdebi]

My 7 year old has seen Spiderman and X-Men, but I don't think that GI Joe or Transformers are appropriate for him to watch (though I'm fine with him watching the cartoons). I'd rather my kids watch Spiderman movies than Spongebob Squarepants, quite honestly. My older son does enjoy those movies. He's still very interested in superheroes, though isn't as crazy about Spiderman as he was when he was 4 or 5 or 6 (he loved Spiderman before he saw the movies).

We just saw The Lightning Thief. That was rated PG, and I felt like that was completely inappropriate for (my) young children. The movie ratings don't give the whole story of what is and isn't okay for any individual child.

The movies are marketed to 1st graders so that they make more money. It's really that simple. It's all about money. They're making movies based on shows and comics that we (at least my generation) grew up with so that we'll want to see them, and we'll want to share that special connection with our children. It's done very deliberately, and it's done for $$$.

[philomom]

Worse.... I think some of those pg 13's need to be rated R's.

Really, did you see the latest Batman. I was weeping... my 15 year old dd was weeping. I can't imagine having allowed anyone younger than 16 seeing it.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

I'd rather my kids watch Spiderman movies than Spongebob Squarepants, quite honestly.

Why is that? I've never really watched Spongebob, it's just been on a couple of times when I've been at someone's house, but it seemed pretty innocuous from there. I'm clearly missing something!

Originally Posted by philomom

Worse.... I think some of those pg 13's need to be rated R's.

Really, did you see the latest Batman. I was weeping... my 15 year old dd was weeping. I can't imagine having allowed anyone younger than 16 seeing it.

Did you mean The Dark Knight? I didn't believe you that it was PG-13, but I looked it up and you are, of course, right! I just can't believe that, it was so violent and scary. There were about 3 million explosions and deaths. Good grief, how do people get so enured to this stuff?

[Red Pajama]

I get the frustration. I hate that pg 13 and R movies are marketed to little kids. It's not new; remember the Rambo toys that came out with the movie?

I will say, though, that infatuation with the character does not mean the kid has seen the movie. I've got a spiderman Freak here. He hasn't seen the movies or the cartoons. He just loves the character. He looks at the DVD cases to try to understand the story.

[newbymom05]

Wow, my 4.5 y/o gave out Spiderman and Pixar movies cards and I didn't even consider the ratings of the movies. He's never seen any of the shows or movies--well, we have seen Toy Story. I looked for cards at Kroger, Target and Michael's, and tv show/toy/movie cards, Hannah Montana and Barbie were our choices. I can see a 6 y/o boy wanting to choose X=Men or Transformers or whatever--what are they supposed to do, make their own? I agree w/ the PP that character infatuation doesn't mean they've seen the movie or tv show.


(Are there Transformer or GI Joe movies? I thought they were toys!)

[meemee]

i dont find anything wrong with those. seriously. i am trying to think what would be the 'appropriate' v card for dd. dora, the princesses are all 'baby' stuff for her now. seh is so over hannah montana too. she chose puppies and cats.

she has seen transformers. not really into those sort of movies - but she prefers pg-13 to say something like curious george. arent shrek pg-13. and castle in the sky. arent they pg-13. inkheart.

also the other thing. my dd was a huge spiderman fan from age 1. she saw spiderman on a towel in target and always went for all things spiderman. i think she liked the art without knowing anything about him.

[Fuamami]

Good point that they would pick it without having seen them! I meant to acknowledge that, my ds1 always wants all things Spiderman, and he's never watched the cartoon or movie.

I thought they were inappropriate because, for example, the Transformers valentine had some uber-seductive woman aiming a handgun at the recipient. I will fully admit I am a prude because I have watched very little TV for about 8 years now, and so when I do I am seriously shocked by the violence.

[MusicianDad]

You know, a lot of parents let their kids watch these movies because they have different children then you have, and while they maybe frightening/upsetting to your kids their own children are able to enjoy them and handle watching them. The rating isn't a "You're a horrble parent if you let your kids watch this movie and they aren't at least 13." It is a "Just a warning that there are things in here that you need to consider before letting a child under 13 watch."

As for X-man, Spiderman, Transformers, and G.I. Joe... These didn't just crop up when someone decided to make a movie about them. These are all very old tv shows/comics/movies that span different tv and movie ratings. I used to watch old Superman movies and the old Transformers cartoon when I was a kid. So they are really marketing a brandname more then one or two movies that came out in the past five years.

[MJB]

I let my kids see many PG-13 movies including X-Men. PG-13 means parental guidance advised for children under 13. I am their parent and I am there to provide guidance. Some are inappropriate for my boys but many are not.
Also, aren't there kids' Spiderman cartoons on TV? I know there are Batman cartoons.
My 4yo son picked out Scooby Doo valentines, and my 7yo son picked out some puppy and kitten ones.

[MusicianDad]

DD made her own valentines and DS helped, so everyone in her class got something with scribbles on it. They all thought it was awesome.

[lotusdebi]

Originally Posted by Fuamami

Why is that? I've never really watched Spongebob, it's just been on a couple of times when I've been at someone's house, but it seemed pretty innocuous from there. I'm clearly missing something!

The language and behaviors of Spongebob are incredibly immature and VERY easy to imitate. So, when my kids watch even one episode, they act horribly! The show is on tv frequently and the language and behaviors repeat in the episodes, so I have just banned the show rather than put up with my kids acting like the characters. It's not the only show I've banned. I also hate Chowder, Flapjack, El Tigre, and a few others.

[LynnS6]

A lot of kids are into the toys and characters without necessarily having seen the movies. I remember a boy in my ds' preschool class who was obsessed by Spiderman. I was surprised that his parents had let him see the movie. Later I found out that he'd never seen the movie or the videos - just books. I had to undo all the negative judgments I'd formed. It was a good lesson for me.

I really like www.commonsensemedia.org - I find the reviews helpful and reasonable. It also breaks out different aspects - messages, language, sex, consumerism, violence, drinking/drugs.

So for me, violence really bothers me, language isn't such a big deal. Consumerism is a bigger deal to me than sex. So I can make my own judgments about movies.

[lyterae]

Originally Posted by MusicianDad

DD made her own valentines and DS helped, so everyone in her class got something with scribbles on it. They all thought it was awesome.

We did the same thing, I cut out hearts for her to paste on so that I didn't have to worry about character cards.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by LynnS6

A lot of kids are into the toys and characters without necessarily having seen the movies. I remember a boy in my ds' preschool class who was obsessed by Spiderman. I was surprised that his parents had let him see the movie. Later I found out that he'd never seen the movie or the videos - just books. I had to undo all the negative judgments I'd formed. It was a good lesson for me.

I really like www.commonsensemedia.org - I find the reviews helpful and reasonable. It also breaks out different aspects - messages, language, sex, consumerism, violence, drinking/drugs.

So for me, violence really bothers me, language isn't such a big deal. Consumerism is a bigger deal to me than sex. So I can make my own judgments about movies.

I like that site, too, Lynn.

I know about kids being obsessed with characters even when they haven't seen the show. Like I said, ds1 LOVES Spiderman. I just wonder why they bother to try to get younger kids into it. I have heard mention of advertising skewing downward, but I don't understand WHY. What's wrong with the demographic that is the right age group? Why make preschooler stuff with Hannah Montana on it? How do kids that little relate to that?

And, MusicianDad, I've had this argument on here before, but I am pretty comfortable making the blanket statement that the level of violence in, for example, the most recent Batman movie, is just simply not appropriate for any 6 yo. I know, I know, everyone's kid is different and parents can make their own choices and I've argued it on here until I'm blue in the face. That's just where I stand.

[philomom]

Originally Posted by Fuamami

And, MusicianDad, I've had this argument on here before, but I am pretty comfortable making the blanket statement that the level of violence in, for example, the most recent Batman movie, is just simply not appropriate for any 6 yo. I know, I know, everyone's kid is different and parents can make their own choices and I've argued it on here until I'm blue in the face. That's just where I stand.

Thanks.. I was coming here to say something similar. No young child needs violent images in their head. Even if they understand its make believe.. I think it sticks. There's so much better stuff to fill your kid's minds up with.

We always made valentines from old sets of cards... using the heart suite. Paste a heart card to another sheet of construction paper... have your kid sign it... done!

[lotusdebi]

I'm fine with the Spiderman movies. I'm okay with the first X-Man movie. I wouldn't allow my kids to watch the newest Batman movies anytime soon - probably until they're teenagers. I might let my older son watch the Michael Keaton/ Jack Nicholson Batman (you know, the good Batman movie) in 2-3 years, though. I'm only now okay with my oldest son seeing Star Wars, Episode 3.

My father let me watch R-rated movies from a young (elem. school) age. My mom (divorced parents) was considerably more conservative (no PG-13 movies until I was 13). I've taken a middle ground. I prefer to preview PG-13 movies before deciding whether or not they're appropriate for my kids. I thought that PG movies would be safe for my 7 year old now, but it looks like I'm going to have to be more careful with those as well.

[lonegirl]

Because they can and because kids will see them.
I remember seeing Empire Strikes Back in the theatre (at 7ish) I loved it...
Look at Spiderman and X-men....they were comics waaaay before becoming movies, and there are Saturday morning cartoons
Same with Transformers....there were the cars, cartoons....

meh....my son's 3rd birthday party theme was Highschool Muscial....because it is his fave!!

[stik]

There was a big fuss about marketing PG-13 movies to little kids a few years back, and I think the conclusion is that companies aren't supposed to do that. Spiderman, X-men, GI Joe, and Transformers all have an out, though. Spiderman and X-men are comic book characters, in books marketed to children. (And also in books marketed for adults - Marvel has put those characters in a lot of books.) GI Joe and Transformers are children's toys. So technically, the claim could be made that the valentines aren't marketing the movie, the valentines and the movie are both marketing for the comic books and the toys.

I think the Transformers valentine with

uber-seductive woman aiming a handgun at the recipient

undermines the case that the valentines are marketing the toys, though. They don't make a transformable action figure for that. Also, it's wildly inappropriate for distribution in schools, where teachers and administrators are so concerned with protecting students from gun violence and responding swiftly and effectively to any potential threat. At least, it would be in the school where I work.