G Rated Isn’t Always Kid-Friendly
The first movie my daughter went to (other than as a newborn sleeping in my lap) was March of the Penguins. My husband was really anxious to start sharing the experience of going to the movies with her, but up until that point I had said no because I was afraid she would see something that would scare her or teach her a word or behavior that I didn’t think was appropriate. I’m not as big a fan of movies as my husband, but it was hard to say no to a movie that featured a bunch of penguins waddling around. My husband said she lasted about twenty minutes and then was bored, but he was still thrilled to have taken her to her first real movie.
I’m still very picky about what movies my kids get to see, but my husband is a little more relaxed about it. For a while I made him go see the movies first and then report back to me if they were okay for the kids to go to or not. It was a good system because he caught some that we were glad we hadn’t taken the kids to. For example, my brother had raved about Kung Fu Panda for his three year old, but then when my husband went to screen it he came home and said that there was no way our three year old would go because there was too much violence and scary stuff.
My resolve was strengthened when on a whim we took the kids to see Wall-E when it was still in the theater. We were at the mall and happened to notice that the movie was starting at the theater soon. “I read a review that said it was a good film for little kids,” my husband assured me, so we bought the tickets, loaded up on the popcorn and sat down for the movie.
My son – who had just turned three – was terrified by the movie. He spent most of the movie huddled on my lap shaking. My daughter – who was four – cried once or twice when Wall-E got sad. At least I knew my kids were empathetic, but really, I couldn’t figure out for the life of me who thought this movie was okay for young kids?
Lesson learned: a G rating does not indicate that the movie is okay for all ages. Going to the movies with my kids can be a lot of fun for them, but now I’m back to pre-screening movies before I allow the kids to go.
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Brenna says...
It really is amazing what can be rated G sometimes. I wish there were a rating for the real little ones. But, like you say, everyone has a different threshold. What would be fine for your 3yp might not be for another and vice versa.
My kids loved Wall-E. It is still my (now 5 yo) son’s favorite movie. But we had to leave Horton Hears a Who after a scene where the character’s hand gets slammed in a door.
I definitely think it is worth it to see movies before letting the kids, since you know best what you and your kids will find acceptable.
Brennas last blog post..Happy Birthday to my little monster!
Art says...
Congratulations. You have learned that you, and only you, can guide your children through popular culture. When I took my four year old to see Snow White, the scene in the forest terrified her.
I do wonder what you consider appropriate for children. I can’t think of a single Disney animated movie that doesn’t have a dead parent (Lion King, Bambi) or implied violence to children (Show White) or sexual immorality (Snow White lives with seven men; Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid feature inter-species romances).
Don’t read Grimm’s Fairy Tales to them. Hansel & Gretel? Cannibalism. Jack and the Beanstalk? Theft.
Like a roller coaster (which seems scary but is engineered to be extremely safe), scary stories teach children to face and overcome their fears.
I guess your kids will grow up on a diet of Care Bears and My Little Pony. Good luck to them.
Science-mom says...
I’m glad to know that my kids are not the only ones who get scared of … well…scary stuff. At age 5, the forest/witch scene in Snow White in Disneyland Paris scared them to death. They’ve never seen a full-length film yet….whereas their peers have gone all Pirates of the Carribeans and Harry Potter. Thanks for sharing.