Should a Pre School ask parental permission before showing a PG movie?

[Mush123]

My four year old has just told me that she saw the PG rated movie Tangled in her Pre School yesterday. I'm a little annoyed that they didn't ask permission.

[ArmchairFeminist]

Oh heck, my lot love Jurassic Park! Being safely scared whilst cuddled up on the sofa with your family is one of the most lovely things about being a kid, I would never deny my kids that wonderful safe, cosy thrill. Children have to experience safe fear .

[TartyDoris]

Some PG films have the F word in.

"Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" was a PG at the cinema, I remember going to see that (aged about 15) and there being loads of kids getting upset. There's also a graphic attempted rape at the end that is mostly played for laughs.

The original Star Wars trilogy are all 'U', I found some parts of those scary as a very young child.

Stuff like Jaws and the Indiana Jones films are PG and scary.

Saying that I think the 12 rating has meant a lot of films like that get that rating nowadays.

[RitaMorgan]

Not all children are the same as yours ArmchairFeminist - and watching a movie at pre-school isn't the same as cuddled up with family and being able to turn it off/leave the room if it's too much.

[TartyDoris]

Here you go, "8 PG rated movies that should not have been rated PG"

www.toplessrobot.com/2008/07<a class="break-all" href="///the_8_pgrated_movies_that_should_not_have_been_rat.php" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">///the_8_pgrated_movies_that_should_not_have_been_rat.php

Watership Down is another that would be too scary for pre-schoolers.

[TartyDoris]

www.toplessrobot.com/2008/07/the_8_pgrated_movies_that_should_not_have_been_rat.php

[niceguy2]

I don't think it's what the cartoon was, niceguy , it's that the parents weren't asked if it was ok for their children to watch a PG film.

I guess this is where I think my opinion differs from seemingly many posters here.

I am trusting teachers with the most precious thing in my world (ie. my child). I'm expecting them to educate them, teach them right from wrong. It's a hell of a lot of responsibility.

Therefore I should treat them as adults and expect they have common sense. I don't expect them to use a small forest's worth of paper to ask me if my child can watch a cartoon. I expect them to use their judgement. A cartoon! Seriously. What next? Let's not teach children about religion in case a child is shocked that Jesus was nailed to a cross?

Seriously get a grip!

[ArmchairFeminist]

Applauds Niceguy

[ballstoit]

YANBU about the film. DSS (aged 11) always raids the younger DCs DVDs for U films to take because the teacher wont show PG rated ones. I would be unimpressed if DS watched a PG that had frightening bits...he is a wuss and I like to watch films with him so I can know how to reassure him about what he's seen.

On reflection I think YANBU about the paddling...it makes me query the preparation for the trip;

• was there a plan to go in the stream? what were the kids wearing on their feet?
  

- were parents asked to send their DC in suitable clothes...a dress for the farm
- what were the arrangements for handwashing etc after being in the water?

If I was with my own DC, I'd be happy for them to paddle. If they were out with school/nursery I'd expect to be informed beforehand. That would be part of the risk assessment for the trip.

[Feenie]

I expect them to use their judgement

I think their judgement was flawed in this case. I don't want my class to not bat an eyelid when someone is stabbed - and mine are 10.

[ArmchairFeminist]

You think they should risk assess a quick paddle?

Well, yes. Someone might get wet!


Ye gads.

[DontCallMePeanut]

It's a film, which culminates in the hero getting stabbed (and technically dying) and the "mother" turning to dust as she falls out of a 50ft high tower.

Yes, my 3 year old was terrified by that scene. Likewise, if the showed Cars 2, I'd be furious. Leave the PG films for the parents to decide on. You can't monitor the reactions of an entire class of children, and some of them won't show their reactions until, y'know bed time?

As much as your children may love those films, armchairfeminist, you can't assume the same for every DC. Hell, I was terrified of the drunk scene in dumbo for god knows how long.

[ballstoit]

ArmshairF Yes, I do. As parents we risk assess all the time, as professionals they should do also, but have the risk assessment in their records. More importantly, they should use the risk assessment to inform their planning.

If a child had stood on a sharp rock with no shoes on, or if they had swallowed stream water and become ill, the preschool would need to be able to show that they took steps to avoid this happening. Or even better, prevent it happening by asking children to wear wellies and washing their hands as soon as they come out of the water.

Just because you choose to take risks as a parent, doesnt mean that professionals should do the same.

[bonkers20]

I would certainly expect to be asked for a pre-school age child. Some are very, very sensitive and it can't be PG for no good reason. I've not seen it myself but my now 12 year old had to be taken out of various films when he first started going to the cinema (Finding Nemo and The Incredibles come to mind) because it was just too intense. I admit that the cinema experience is somewhat different than watching a DVD at pre-school, but I would still expect to be asked. They ask about all things to do with physical health so they should do so for emotional health as well.

[ArmchairFeminist]

Thanks for that post ballstoit.

I think it's one of the most unintentionally funny PC gorn mad posts I've ever read. I have saved it I think it's so hilarious!

[GoodDaysBadDays]

By preschool, are you referring to a 3 hour session am or pm as I would think of a preschool? Or a full day placement (what I would know as nursery)?

Only asking as if I had turned up to pick my ds up from preschool and be told they'd watched a dvd I'd be mightily pissed off whatever it was!

A bit of tv in a nursery setting, fine as it's quite possibly all day (ds1 was in nursery 3 full days and usually had some tv in the afternoon) but in a preschool - why?!

End of term is time for more fun, games and parties is it not?

[GoodDaysBadDays]

btw ds's 1 & 2 are now in their teens, ds1 spent the last week on a trip every day and ds2 watched dvd's most days. No problem there but ds3 dd, who are at preschool had normal sessions except a leavers tea party one pm and sports day & party on the last am

[GoodDaysBadDays]

However annoying or ott pcballstoit sounds what she says is true. Professionals have to do these things.

The group mentioned sound very irresponsible if they had not allowed for that particular activity in their risk assessment for the day. (But they may have done just that if they go there regularly or have done a assessment visit without the children - which is common)

I'm the most laid back parent there is with my own dc's and love nothing more than a grubby, slightly bruised child

But risk assessments and the like are just part of the world we live in and I do expect professionals to follow what is expected of them. They can still provide fantastic, varied experiences for children and what appear (to the children) to be spontaneous activities, with lots of good planning

[DontCallMePeanut]

explanation of the U and PG ratings

[megapixels]

Of course they should have asked for a class of four year olds! I thought Tangled was a fabulous movie, I enjoyed it more than as much as the children, but I thought the scene where Mother Gothel withers away into an old hag and shrivels to her death while plunging over the balcony is quite disturbing to young children. There was a boy in the back row who actually said in the silence that followed, "Well. That was inappropriate for a children's movie" .

I don't think a 3 or 4 year old needs to "toughen up a bit" if they find a scene like that upsetting .

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

I should think that best practice is to ask permission

[niceguy2]

My flabber is ghasted.

I actually despair for the kids who at 4 years old can't watch a cartoon made for kids without parental permission. I have an idea. Just pull the cotton wool up a bit further so it covers their eyes. That should fix it.

I'm curious. Back in our day would our teachers ask for parental permission before showing us cartoons of say Tom & Jerry? I mean come on...that cat was ruthless! I remember machine guns, lots of violence, knives and even being chased by dogs. In fact, I remember distinctly once Jerry flew in an aeroplane without having performed either a risk assessment or wearing a helmet. And his plane was open top!

[DontCallMePeanut]

megapixels... Were you in the same cinema as me? we had a group of 13/14 year olds behind us, and one of them kinda gasped "as if they put that in a Disney film..." I'd covered DS's eyes that time. He now accepts that she does a magic trick and disappeared. Still trying to convince him that Flynn isn't dead at the end, he's having a nap...

[DontCallMePeanut]

No one died in Tom and Jerry, though. Did they.

[ArmchairFeminist]

People die. Grandparents die, schoolfriends die and yunno, pets die, frequently.

Death is life.

[Hulababy]

As far as I was aware schools do have to get permission for anything above a U rated movie. I work in an infant school and we are only allowed to show Us. It was cinema day today for my Y1s - their chosen treat for reaching their target. We set up three "cinemas" and issued them with tickets for a screening, pop corn and cake and they got to chose from High School Musical, Lilo and Stitch or The Incredibles - all are rated U (they were the top three chosen by the year from a selection of 7 given earlier last week).

So I would say that a preschool should have to ask permission to show a PG.