Movie ratings

[lilgreen]

This is somewhat similar to the other thread about exposing children to violence in media. This week, H rented the Simpsons movie for ds (who just turned 6). It's rated PG-13 and I did not want him to watch it, but H had already made a big deal about it. While I enjoyed it, I couldn't help but think that the acceptable larger message is lost on little kids. Without being able to grasp the sarcasm and subtle humour of such films they only pick up on the small disturbing details and images. There's a lot of sarcasm about sexism, violence, racism, etc. that likely get taken at face value.

While there are some PG movies that I dont' mind ds watching, I do read the ratings carefully. Sometimes a PG-rated movie is rated as such for a very minor incident.

Do you read the ratings? Just wondering to see if my concerns are not over the top.

[nicole lisa]

We don't follow movie ratings. A good movie about the topic is This Film is not Yet Rated. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493459/ There are a lot of problems with how movies get their ratings.

DS LOVES and gets most of The Simpsons (it's funny how much of the pop culture in it he gets) and so many great conversations have come out of it. He loves sarcasm. He's 7 and has been watching it with BF since he was very little. He also loves all the Monty Python stuff and laughs forever while watching it.

This afternoon DS went to Juno with us. We live in a province where it's rated G but saw it in a province where it's rated 14A. Another province has rated it PG-13.

Most of what DS sees is PG-13 or 14A. He loves scary movies and adventure movies and that's what they tend to be rated. BF and I mostly watch drama and DS too and those are mostly 14A and usually because of a quick breast shot. Well as a child who was breastfed and still bathes with me I'm not worried about him seeing a flash of breast.

The only thing DS hasn't seen that we have rented is Sin City, which really is too adult. But he has seen other R rated movies.

[Jessy1019]

We don't look at ratings. If we give my daughter a summary of the plot and she wants to see it, she's welcome to come with us to the theater or rent it, depending where it is at the time.

We have to rent The Simpsons, actually. She's never seen the show but has wanted to see the movie since it came out.

[CarrieMF]

I don't read the ratings either. I don't see the point in some group of people I don't know putting a blanket statment on a movie that is often otherwise harmless.

The only movie I have kept my kids(5, 6 & 9) from watching is Knocked Up & that was due to the swearing, it was a bit much for even me. i'm sure they'll throw it in some day though.

We watched the Simpsons Movie the other night as a family. Most of what we see is lost on the kids or they laugh because they think they should since the older people are laughing but they don't really know why it's funny to us.

[nicole lisa]

Originally Posted by CarrieMF

I don't see the point in some group of people I don't know putting a blanket statment on a movie that is often otherwise harmless.

And it's a group of people no one has access to so none of us can judge if we hold the same tastes, values politics etc as those giving the movies the ratings. Their identities aren't known.

[philomom]

See, and I'm very unhappy with the new PG-13 ratings anyway. Most of those films do not reflect our values, so my kids who are 14 and 11, have only seen a handful of those. And nothing rated R.

I don't understand why MDC mothers find is necessary to expose their kids to the grown up world so early. Aren't we trying to provide a childhood here? Watch those grown-up movies after your kids are in bed for the night.

[UnschoolnMa]

We don't care much about ratings really. My kids watched PG-13 and R movies at 6 sometimes and it was alright.

I remember someone flipping out because my kids watched "Titanic" years ago when it was new and there was the nude sketching scene and a mostly implied love scene. I thought they were both just fine, and my kids didn't make much of it then. We helped them avoid things they didn't like or were overwhelmed by, and we discussed movies and shows no matter what the ratings.

[nicole lisa]

Originally Posted by philomom

I don't understand why MDC mothers find is necessary to expose their kids to the grown up world so early. Aren't we trying to provide a childhood here? Watch those grown-up movies after your kids are in bed for the night.

My child is exposed to the grown up world all around him every day. Sometimes movies help him make sense of what he sees and hears and other times they're just for pure entertainment.

Movies like The Fisher King (which was rated R) and now Reign Over Me (14A) helped my son process what he sees in our neighbourhood every day and understand maybe some of why people walking alone have angry outbursts or erratic behaviour.

Things we Lost in the Fire (R in the States and 14A here) lead to more of an understanding of what his uncle was facing in rehab and life afterwards. The movie handles addiction with compassion. Sometimes issues like this are real for young kids and if seeing it along with discussing it helps them cultivate more of an understanding and compassion then I don't see a reason not to watch it with them.

[UnschoolnMa]

And I don't think childhood necessarily has to mean very sheltered. As a parent of course I want my child to be safe and comfortable, but lots of complicated things are part of life. I've never seen the point in going out of my way to make sure they don't know about conflict, sexuality, crime, etc. I don't thrust it at them in overwhelming ways or make them deal with things they are not ready for, but I think hiding it isn't a great plan either in most cases.

As for sarcasm? Man they'd have to be in a coma not to be exposed to that in this family.

[annethcz]

Originally Posted by philomom

I don't understand why MDC mothers find is necessary to expose their kids to the grown up world so early. Aren't we trying to provide a childhood here? Watch those grown-up movies after your kids are in bed for the night.

I'm more likely to view the world as if it's for all of us. Watching The Simpsons (one of my kids' favorite shows, BTW) isn't depriving my children of a childhood. I still snuggle with them and read to them, and they play and imagine and create. Of course every family will have a different definition of "age-appropriate" but I really enjoy sharing common interests with my children, including movies and TV shows.

And to answer the OPs question, I don't pay much attention to movie ratings. I'll second Nicole Lisa's suggestion of the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated.

[Dragonfly]

I loosely go by ratings. DS (7 years old) has seen some PG-13 movies and PG movies and he has free reign over G movies (of course). PG-13 I tend to screen first so I can understand why they're PG-13.

I also screen PG movies because I firmly believe that children are negatively impacted by exposure to media violence, whether they act out aggressively or not, and I've found that sometimes PG movies will be quite violent but are given that rating because there is no sexual content.

If that's the case, and it's a movie that he really wants to see - often happens with superhero movies - we'll wait for them on DVD and skip through the violent parts.

[Jessy1019]

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa

And I don't think childhood necessarily has to mean very sheltered. As a parent of course I want my child to be safe and comfortable, but lots of complicated things are part of life. I've never seen the point in going out of my way to make sure they don't know about conflict, sexuality, crime, etc. I don't thrust it at them in overwhelming ways or make them deal with things they are not ready for, but I think hiding it isn't a great plan either in most cases.

As for sarcasm? Man they'd have to be in a coma not to be exposed to that in this family.

about the sarcasm . . . I think the first time I explained "being sarcastic" to Rylie, she was three.

I agree with all of your post. I wasn't a sheltered child, and I still had a childhood. I sure appreciated that my parents didn't try to hide things from me or treat me with "kid gloves" though, and I do the same with my kids.

I like that some of the media we watch brings up issues I'd like to discuss with them (though as another poster said, some are just about entertainment). One of my daughter's recent obsessions is "Rent," and that's allowed us to talk about so much . . . I love it. I love raising a child who is fluent in social issues.

[motheringforme]

I think the best thing to do would be to watch the movie yourself before you let your child view it, so you could deem it appropriate or not. I would be fine with a older child watching the sketching scene in Titanic, but I would rather them not watch the sex scene. Even though the sketch scene has more nudity, it is not of a sexual nature, but more of a beautification of the human body. If you are going to let your child watch a more adult oriented movie, I think you should watch it with them to answer any questions they may have.