Film Ratings

[RachA]

How strict are you about what your children can watch?

DS has been talking a lot about Harry Potter recently as one if his friends is reading the books and he also watch about 30 min of one of them not so long ago. He was also at my sisters house a few months ago and they were watching The Hobbit.
I tend to be if the opinion that if, for example, a film is a 12 then they should be 12 before watching it. I was brought up that way and never had an issue with it.
But am I being too strict about it? DS wants to watch the Harry Potter films and I am quite happy for him to watch the ones that are pg but not so happy about the others.

 

[Eidson23]

I make sure I watch any movies before my 7 y/o son sees them. He has seen Harry Potter, he has seen other "PG-13" movies like The Avengers and such. Call me lenient, but if I haven't seen anything inappropriate, then I'm usually okay with my son seeing them. My son isn't overly sensitive though. He doesn't get nightmares often, if at all. He gets to sleep very easily. Isn't overly stimulated. So I think it just depends on the child. He is also old enough to realize the difference between fantasy and reality, which I think is important to talk about before letting them see certain movies.

 

[heidi87814]

I'm with Eidson on this. DH and I actually work in the movie industry so our kids have actually spent a lot of time on sets. They're kind of as hooked on movies as we are.

We've never gone any higher than a PG-13 (a 12 in the UK I think?) and it's always after DH and I have watched it beforehand and agreed that it's okay for them and there's nothing super inappropriate.

They're way too young to be watching anything higher. (Probably too young to have seen a handful of PG-13s too.) But I think it's your judgement call.

 

[Noodlebear]

I'm not there yet but I wouldn't worry about a child watching something like Harry Potter unless they were particularly sensitive to stuff like that. At home I'd use age certificates as maybe a rough guide but I will make my own mind up. I watched the woman in black the other day which is a 12 - My brother is 12 and I can tell you now that he'd have absolutely shit himself and had nightmares if he'd seen it, but there are some 15's that I think he'd be totally fine with. It just depends.

 

[rosie272]

I think it totally depends on the child! Charlie & I have watched X-Men movies and Avengers together. I know the X-Men movies inside out (love them) so did skip a few bits I thought might be a bit too much for him. You know better than anyone what's suitable for your kiddo. My nephew was scared of almost everything on telly growing up, so my sister had to be super vigilant with him but he was a pretty sensitive child anyway.

 

[tallybee]

I agree with the others, every child is different and you need to use your judgement. Obviously those age limits are binding for selling DVDs or movie tickets but at home they're a guide only, it's just a case of watching it first and deciding if you think it's ok for your child.

 

[Amarna]

I agree with all of the above basically. It depends I think on the child. I've let DD watch the Harry Potter movies and the Hobbit as well as a handful of other PG-13 movies, but we watch them together and often my husband or myself will watch the movie in question first before hand to make sure there's nothing we wouldn't want her seeing.

 

[mummy2o]

My son is 7 and loves horror films. He laughs at them of all things, but as long as he enjoys them I have no issue with him watching them. My rule of thumb as I'm a massive wuss if I'm to scared and can't watch it then he doesn't. We did skip some bits out if its not relevant but he has seen Rocky horror, little shop of horrors, bettlejuice, gremlins etc. But I won't let him watch Scream series, saw etc.

 

[Abigailly]

My mother is a film critic for one of the large broadsheets in the UK, we have done quite a few premiers etc so films are really big in our house. My husband is also a real film buff.

DD has watched quite a few films that are 12s etc. I will watch them first and use my own judgement on them. Her favourite film, by a mile it 'The Dark Knight Rises'. She also loves any Marvel film (My bad!!) and the other night we were so privileged to get to watch 'A Fault in Our Stars'. Which as very adult themes i it but carries such a worthwhile message.

 

[Rachel_C]

It depends on the film and the reason for the rating as well as the child, for me. If it was because of language I'd probably let the kids watch a film they'd enjoy because they know there are words that are too grown up and a bit naughty to say (and so far they don't generally repeat things!), but I wouldn't let them watch something with the same rating because it was scary as they're both a bit sensitive.

 

[seoj]

Depends on the kid and the movie- personally, our oldest (who's almost 17 now) has watched some rated R movies- which are restricted in theatre to 17+... but we always watched them first. Since gross stuff doesn't bother her at all- she wants to go into the medical field and finds it facinating-- but when she was younger, scary stuff worked her up and we weren't ok with too much sexual content (although I'd prefer that over violence)... We rarely restrict stuff now- but have just gadged things as she grew. I know we were more strict than many of her friends parents- but we just do what we are comfy with.

We will do the same for our LO

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I've not really had this problem yet because Lucas is pretty sensitive and knows what he does and doesn't want to see (for example this year for his birthday this year he asked for some superhero toys like his nursery friends have, however he pointed out about 100 times that I shouldn't get him DVDs of his favourite superheroes, even cartoon versions, because he's heard his friends talk about them and he thinks he'd find it too scary).
I think I'd be more strict than his friends' parents though. When I went for stay and play at his nursery a few months ago I was chatting away to a couple of them and the things they were telling me they watched at home I was pretty shocked Three year olds talking about zombie films and blood and guts, horrible. I've not seen Harry Potter but I wouldn't have thought it'd be so bad?

 

[Amarna]

^^The early Harry Potters are definitely okay but once you get past say the 3rd movie they definitely get darker and have some moments that might be scary for some children. No gore/blood/sex/swearing, etc. though in any of them.

 

[lindseymw]

Joshua & Jacob have watched the Harry Potter films up to Number 4 I think. As Amarna has said, they get a bit dark after that.

I have also let them watch X-Men, Thor, Avengers etc.

I did put Pirates of the Caribbean on for Joshua (Number 3 I think) & he really didn't like it so I turned it off. Completely forgot about the opening scene of all the pirates stood waiting to be hanged!

I think as others have said, it depends on the film/child.

 

[Wriggley]

we are not at this stage yet but no i wont be sticking to the ratings.. i personally see them more as a 'guide' - I would how ever, watch the film before hand to check its suitable so that we dont get any unwanted surprises etc... and i do believe it depends on the type of child... how influenced that are to copy, will it scare them too much... etc..

and on the Harry Potter note... first 4 films are fine but the ones after this definetly get darker especially the last one