Are We Making It To Easy For Our Kids?
As I was surfing the news sites today I came across an article about kids television viewing habits. Kids today are seeing things on TV I didn’t get to see until I turned 18 and could pay for my own movie ticket or TV. Ok, maybe not 18, but I definitely wasn’t watching any horror flicks until I was well in to my teen years. And my parents really tried to keep the sex shows out of my view.
This article really brought back some memories. I was a huge Three’s Company fan. I cried when the last episode aired because how was I going to get my John Ritter fix now? (Don’t laugh. I was young.)
The author says, “What made some TV taboo was the thrill of not getting caught watching it.” That is so true. When I was in junior high I wanted to watch Lost Boys because I was in love with Corey Haim. Corey Haim was my Drake Bell or Zac Efron. But my parents wouldn’t let me watch it because it was rated ‘R.’ So to get around them, I checked the TV Guide to see when the movie was on…in the middle of the night. Then I asked to spend the night at my grandparent’s house that night. I got up in the middle of the night, turned the TV on in the basement at my grandparent’s house with the volume on low and sat right in front of the TV so I could hear. I was exhausted the next day after staying up all night and my eyes were a little buggy from sitting inches from the screen, but it was so worth it. I finally got to watch the movie.
Kids today don’t have to plan things out like that. I believe this could really impede their problem solving skills. We are no longer forcing them to be creative and sneaky. (Of course I’m just kidding…sorta.)
I try to monitor what movies and television programs my kids see at home. We have cable, but no movie channels. So there’s no late night Skinemax for them. But my kids aren’t always at home. Sometimes they come home after spending the night at a friend’s house and say “we went to a movie and saw…” That’s when I let out a heavy sigh. Luckily my thirteen-year-old son doesn’t like horror flicks, so I don’t have to worry about that. But now movies like Napoleon Dynamite and Superbad are coming out. I don’t really appreciate the sexual innuendos and cursing, but the kids think they are hilarious. I guess each generation has their Superbad though. In my youth they were Porky’s and Animal House. My parents forbid those movies, but I saw them anyway (a couple more movies I watched at my grandparent’s house).
So what do you think? Do you let your kids watch rated ‘R’ movies? Are some rated ‘R’ movies ok, such as a thriller like Saw, but others are off limits, such as the sex talk in Superbad? And what do you do to ensure your kids are only watching shows you approve of? Inquiring minds want to know.
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POSTED IN: Movies, Television
10 opinions for Are We Making It To Easy For Our Kids?
homemom3
Jan 23, 2008 at 4:50 am
My son does watch a few R rated movies with me. However on the too much tv bit things have definitely slowed down now that we are settled in a new home. In fact he is wanting to read books more. This is a huge success and I thank, “The Lightening Thief” for that and now I hear his school gives small surprises if they read so many hours a month. So of course he is all into that one.
joe bruzzese
Jan 23, 2008 at 6:14 am
Maybe I’m old fashioned but I like the idea of keeping excessive violence, sexual innuendo and vulgar language to a minimum when it’s within my power to do. I’m not under the illusion that kids see each of the top notch human characteristics on a daily basis. But, paying money to bring this to my child’s life is a miss for me.
Thanks for bringing this to the table.
Regards,
Joe Bruzzese
char
Jan 23, 2008 at 7:33 am
My kids are pretty clear on the ratings system and what they can and can’t watch. The girls (6 & 9) have to ask to watch something PG-13 - even if they are at a friend’s house. The 11 year old may not watch R movies unless we approve them and watch with him. I think this has only happened once.
We don’t get the movie channels either and if it was up to me, we would just have the very basic cable package.
Kelly
Jan 23, 2008 at 12:04 pm
What I let my 11 year old watch depends on the content. I don’t worry much about language because I know she hears it at school plenty, and if I make it this big taboo thing, she’ll just want to use those words herself (not that I’m using that language with her, I’m just not worried about her hearing it in movies).
As for scary stuff, I honestly think she handles that better than I do (except I did make the mistake of taking her to see Sweeney Todd and it scared the crap out of her, oops).
The sex is my biggest concern, so movies like Superbad and Knocked Up are not okay with me. I just don’t think she’s ready for that kind of material or the discussion it would provoke (I’m very open with her about sex, but I don’t think she’s ready for the really specific aspects).
As for TV, I let her watch just about anything on the networks (she watches Greys Anatomy with me, for example). We don’t have movie channels either, but I do love a lot of FX shows (Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, etc.) and those are a big no no as far as my daughter is concerned. I just send her to bed then anyway.
FeelGoodGirl
Jan 24, 2008 at 10:21 am
This is a very interesting topic.
I have to say, I really don’t allow my daughter (who just turned 14) to view “R” rated movies. I’m sure she’s come up with some sneaky ways to view them when I”m not around. But she knows it’s not something we condone.
And regarding your comment:
“Kids today don’t have to plan things out like that. I believe this could really impede their problem solving skills. We are no longer forcing them to be creative and sneaky. (Of course I’m just kidding…sorta.)”
I actually think there’s a lot of validity in that, and not just as far as the movies. Kids today have the whole world at their fingertips. They’re seeing things on the computer and on television that we didn’t see or even understand until we were in our teens. Video games are so realistic they have a ratings system. And how many electronic games are out now that teach the lessons that we learned with simple pencil and paper?
Kids don’t need to use their imaginations because everything they could ever imagine is right there in full color,already mapped out for them. So this is progress, I guess…
Angela
Jan 24, 2008 at 11:04 am
I disagree that kids don’t need to use their imaginations. I kick my 11 yo DD outside to play with the neighbors, and they do a great job using their imaginations. It helps that the group that plays together are ages 13, 11, 8, and 6. Before we had neighbors (they’ve only been next door since March) I just limited TV and computer time. She had to come up with stuff on her own. It’s not a perfect system, but it worked for us. I know she has sneaked some scary movies while camping with cousins, or hanging out at friends houses, but that’s normal kid behavior.
Mommy B
Jan 24, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I definitely agree that kids need to use their imaginations. That’s exactly what I’m saying. But with so many gadgets doing all the imagining for them, some kids rarely use their own magical powers of make-believe anymore.
Kudos to you, Angela, for getting your daughter out of the house and showing her that the most fun you can have is usually with a just few friends, a nice place to run around, and a little creativity.
Mommy B
Jan 24, 2008 at 5:02 pm
…sorry if my above post seems out of context. I am logged in at work as FeelGoodGirl, and at home as Mommy B.
I should fix that :-)
Lori
Jan 25, 2008 at 9:08 am
I don’t even know if I should be allowed to leave a comment - just feel like a heal I guess because “Superbad” was the movie attended by the boys at my 14 year old’s last birthday. There goes my Mother of the Year award.
Kelly
Jan 26, 2008 at 9:33 am
Don’t be too hard on yourself Lori. I didn’t get a chance to see the movie, but I doubt it’s too bad for 14 year olds. As long as the other parents were aware and okay with it, I don’t think it’s so bad. My daughter did go to a sleepover party when she was 10 and they watched Saw III. I was livid. But she was younger and the parents did not run that by me first (I would have said no way).
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