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.

[SiamoFottuti]

Thats debateable.

and yes, 4, its DISNEY! Not Saw 2.

[ArmchairFeminist]

I also think children are remarkably robust - IF they are allowed to be.

Sadly, too many parents over protect and helicopter their parents.

The phrase, " Fear is learnt at the mother's knee springs to mind".

[ArmchairFeminist]

And if you think the witch in Tangled is scary - check out the one in the old Ladybird version of Rapunzel.

Interestingly, they changed the pictures in the Eighties to far less graphic crappier ones, just about the time parenting became a neurotic competitive sport.

[SiamoFottuti]

They should show them Bambi! Thats a G, so no complaints presumably...?

[DontCallMePeanut]

Y'know, my mother is one of the most robust people on the planet. Yet somehow, as a child, I was the most nervous person on the planet.

It's a PG. Rated that way because it has some scenes which small children may find scary. Y'know? This isn't mums kicking up a fuss for no reason.

You have an old woman stealing a baby. You have two characters almost drown. You see the hero get stabbed. You see the old woman fall out of the window to her death. Why assume a four year old will be ok with that?

Children have irrational fears. DS was terrified of a bloke in a frog suit at a waterpark. A fear I definitely didn't put there.

[MindtheGappp]

I would expect to be informed and to ask my approval.

My DD (year 4) had the opportunity to watch a PG movie clip for something that was part of the curriculum, and I was asked to approve.

[SiamoFottuti]

yes they do. And these stories and films work to allay those fears if you let them, not cause them. You see characters almost drown, but they are saved. You see the hero stabbed and healed. You see the baby taken and the woman reunited. Thats the point, things are scary and it all works out in the end.

Stop focusing all on the "things are scary" bit!

[DontCallMePeanut]

I'm pointing out. I see why some kids might have an issue with it. A nursery worker is hardly going to be ablle to comfort and reassure every child in that class if they all got upset.

Thus. the parents should have been asked. It's my decision as a parent if DS watches a PG film. I like to be sure that it's not going to scare him. The parent can't alleviate the fear if they're not there, or they haven't seen it.

[IslandMooCow]

I don't think I'm raising fragile children - the four year is just about to go snorkelling with Daddy, and is definitely no shrinking violet!

However, if a film is PG - recommended for age 8 and above I think - then as a parent it is my decision to show it earlier than that age not the school's.

There is a huge range of maturities and experiences in a class at pre-school, and even in a group of adults some will find a film scary and others not. That is why only age appropriate films should be shown to small children. Adults can self-censor and only go and watch films they choose, children don't have the choice and have to watch whatever we put in front of them.

[ArmchairFeminist]

Peanut, can I ask, how do you know if it is going to scare him?

Kids aren't logical about stuff like that. No pattern.

[maxybrown]

In school we were only allowed to show U films but for if there was a one of PG film would do a blanket letter to parents and had a general note for after school club

[bumpsoon]

gosh i hope no-one who thinks yanbu ,ever reads to their children stories like cinderella , beauty and the beast , sleeping beauty, hansel and gretel etc . Perhaps all pre-school/primary should be asking permission to read these aswell .

[RitaMorgan]

How do you know Saw would scare them either?

The point of a PG rating is so parents can view it and decide if it is suitable. You can't do that if you don't know it's going to be shown.

[DontCallMePeanut]

I don't. But most of the time I go on his previous reactions to similar characters/storylines. He's robust when it comes to films, so whereas he's fine with Tangled (after the reassurance that mother Gothel just did a vanishing act), and was fine with various other films, his niece of the same age won't watch anything with a wicked witch in it. Seriously. Had to turn Enchanted off for her, much to DS's disappointment.

It's easier to reassure one or two scared 4 year olds than it is to reassure 6 or 7. And it's easier to reassure your own child, and know what will scare him or her, than it is to know the same of a child you see for a few hours a week.

[Francagoestohollywood]

I wouldn't be very happy if my child attending a 2.5 hrs session at pre school was put in front of a tv screen at all, even if they were shown the lamest film on earth.
Otherwise, I don't think it is a big issue.
I agree with Siamofottuti re the importance and the meaning of fairy tales(great name, btw).

[TinyPawz]

I took DD (4) to see Tangled in the cinema. She still has questions about the "bad mummy". I personally would not be impressed with preschool teacher showing any film to DD without checking with me first, although I probably wouldn't have objected to DD seeing it. I would like to be prepared with the answers to the questions that I know would follow.

[DontCallMePeanut]

Exactly. It's more about being able to be prepared if your DC have questions, and being abled to say "no" if you really don't want DC seeing it.

[RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles]

Goodness me. YADBU about the paddling IMO - what on earth has happened to children having fun. Let's hope that those who think it's such a dreadful thing that next time your children are fine with sitting out and watching the others having fun. I'm quite sure that nursery staff know what they're doing and wouldn't put the children at risk. DD3 would be the first to whip her dress off to paddle.

WRT the films, personally I really wouldn't give a damn - a PG is a guidance classification and surely the staff would have felt that a film such as Tangled is ok for the age group. I know my DD3 who is two loves it (sadly...) - Nanny McPhee's a U FGS, that to me would more scary for a wimpy smaller child. And Jaws is a PG, hardly in the same bracket as Tangled. I certainly don't watch a film before DD3 watches it, but if it ever happens that she's scared by something I'll turn it off. Though as I watched her chase a lizard about a couple of days ago, I'd hazard a guess that scaredy cat is not a word that one can apply to her.

Maybe I'm way more relaxed than some, maybe I'm not. Certainly when my older DC were little (they're all mid/late teens now) health and safety/risk assessment bureaucratic shite was still a twinkle in the eyes of over zealous civil servants, thank God; and I live in Spain now where common sense generally prevails.

[SiamoFottuti]

The point of PG is that so parents can view it? You sit down and watch every film before you bring your child? Those Disney matinees must be full of anxious parents with no children in that case.....

[NerfHerder]

YANBU- a pre-school should not be showing PG films to toddlers, I would be unhappy with a DVD full stop really.

[DontCallMePeanut]

If I'm not watching a film with DS, I like to at least know what's happening, so I can check there's nothing I disapprove of, first. Doesn't happen that there is often, but then my usual premise is to watch a film with him first time round, anyway.

[RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles]

Siamo I certainly don't! I have way better things to do with my afternoons like lie by the pool than sit in a cinema watching a PG in case it's not suitable. I have always gone with the opinion that a PG that's about a killer shark is probably not the best bet for a small child and a Disney one with a vague moral and loose life lessons (death, fighting etc) is generally ok for a child. But I don't wrap mine up in cotton wool, and so far the oldest has got to almost 18 and appears to be unscathed apart from her own stupidly induced hangovers

[ArmchairFeminist]

RockStock, I've a feeling we're gonna get along

[PuppyMonkey]

What about reading story books and fairytales? Little Red Riding Hood contains more than just mlld peril IMHO.

[OrangeHat]

I don't understand why people are so keen to say that 2, 3 and 4 yo should be watching this stuff and parents who are dubious about showing PG films to a group of children this age are being precious.

My DD has just turned 2 and can't talk yet, no way can I explain to her that things aren't real and she wouldn't be able to tell me if something had upset her.

Some 3yo while most are verbal not all have the skills to describe if something has disturbed them. I agree that you can't tell what will and what won't scare children - my DD got really upset after they gave them a talk about fireworks, when she was 3. I just don't see the point in showing them things that are made for older children when there is stuff that is age appropriate available.

I would be very surprised if our preschool showed a PG film at nursery - they wouldn't do it - why would they.