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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about Family Guy?

92 replies

AngryMotherF · 03/01/2012 21:13

Regular name changer here! Although I could well be recognised by those in the know anyway, I am too angry to care!

Ds is 11. He is quite an immature and unstreetwise 11, and he also has aspergers. His Dad and I split up years ago, but most of the time we have a really good relationship. We completely co parent together, and I would say that we are actually quite good friends as well.

A couple of moths ago, I found out that ds had been watching Family Guy at his Dads house. I wasn't happy about it, but I've never really watched it so I didn't think I was in a good position to judge. So I watched it to see for myself. I still wasn't happy about it, but I figured the damage had been done so I chatted to ds about it and tried to explain some of it to him. He told me that he found a lot of it confusing, but he thought some of it was funny. I basically explained that the things he didn't understand we're mainly sex related jokes meant for adults, and tried to do it in a way that would encourage him to ask me about things he wanted to know. I knew his Dad was going to allow him to continue watching, so my approach was one of damage limitation.

Believe me, it really isn't easy to explain this stuff to a child with AS who doesn't like deep conversation at the best of times!

Spoke to ex about it, he says loads of 11yo's watch Family Guy, and I wouldn't stop my children watching a panto that has jokes aimed at adults in it. Hmm I asked him to only let him watch it when he was there so he could explain things that he thought needed explaining. I can usually trust his judgement well, and we would normally respect each others wishes about stuff like this.

Anyway (sorry, I know this is getting long) today ds came home with the Family Guy annual. It even says on the front that it is intended for mature audiences. I read a couple of pages after taking it away from ds, and it talks of bondage, pedophiles, sadomasochism, and that's just for starters!

WTF do I do about this? Ds understands why I have taken the book and why I don't want him to learn about things in this way, but I'm out of my depth, know very little about this stupid bollocks programme, and my ex is refusing to talk about it. He put the phone down on me when I told him I took the book off our son.

I'm not BU right?

OP posts:
youarekidding · 03/01/2012 22:47

Anyone watching it now? Grin

BendyBob · 03/01/2012 22:54

I wouldn't be happy with my dc watching it. It only looks like it's ok because it's a cartoonHmm

Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 03/01/2012 23:01

It's written by two gay guys isn't it? Not meant to be misogynistic, just completely rips the piss about everything doesn't it?

My niece and nephew watch it at 14 & 15. My brother would record them on freeview and let them watch the tame ones they'd find funny - like the frog in a shoe box, or wacky waving arm flailing inflatable tube man etc. This way they kept in with their peers but didn't see the harsher stuff.

Tbh there will be kids watching on youtube in school and round others houses won't there.

Better FG than listening to 13/14 yo kids at a gathering talking about all the Saw films they'd seen round a mates house. Hmm

IloveJudgeJudy · 03/01/2012 23:04

It's absolutely not the same as The Simpsons. I would say it is more like South Park and just as unsuitable for younger than teenage DC.

Sookeh · 03/01/2012 23:05

YANBU

I'm about as laid back as you can get, no way would I let mine watch family guy.

it is pretty funny thoughGrin

MustControlFistOfDeath · 03/01/2012 23:07

Has anybody heard about the bird?

poloi · 03/01/2012 23:09

YABU Family Guy is hilarious

Birdsgottafly · 03/01/2012 23:18

Mine started watching Family Guy and American Dad at 13. My DD's are very 'street smart' and were ready, we watch it together. They are now 14 and 16. Mine grew up on the Simpsons and my youngest loves SP, but i find it distasteful, tbh.

It sounds as though it is to advanced for your DS, though.

MyChildDoesntNeedSleepAtXmas · 03/01/2012 23:25

I was really shocked when my school teacher friend told me she lets her 9 year old watch FG.

I'd say 15 would be the youngest age.

Makes me kind of sad and worried about the future that my kids' mates are watching shit like this and he'll be the odd one not allowed to watch.

And for the record, I do think FG is very funny. Just in no way suitable for children.

Birdsgottafly · 03/01/2012 23:37

I think it depends on whether you watch it with your children and if the 'get' the humour in it. Tbh i would worry more about the influence on boys rather than girls, if they are not or have not been positively influenced.

LovesBloominChristmas · 04/01/2012 08:19

Ok so if he might not fully understand how it effects him, have you talked about tge questions he's had about it? Does your ex think you are sheltering ds too much? Does he think ds can handle more than you do?

You said you get on well, maybe now is time for a meeting to discuss the next phase of ds's life and how you are all going to handle it.

Fecklessdizzy · 04/01/2012 08:45

I hate Family Guy, which is a bit weird as I love Futurama and the Simpsons. I think it's crude and cruel and I must admit when one of the Big Boy Cousins lent DS1 some of the DVDs they mysteriously vanished ... Hmm

Try and talk to your DS in passing about what's in the book, don't make it a full-on lecture but just a comment here and there to try and draw him out on what he thinks ... Then when the novelty has worn off you can disappear the wretched thing Wink

Muumraa · 04/01/2012 09:11

I watch Family Guy with both my sons 8 and 10. We "get" the humour and I don't have a problem with them watching it.
On the other hand,I'm aware that some parents don't allow their kids to watch it and respect that by not watching it when the boys have their friends over for sleepovers.
I think that maybe making to big a deal of it with your son may be the wrong thing,you don't have to explain everything to him.Most of it will go over his head.The humour in Family Guy is multilayered,which is why it appeals to all ages.

Fecklessdizzy · 04/01/2012 09:21

That said, we love South Park ... DS2 singing "Mr. Hanky The Christmas Poo" in his jammys in front of the sparkling tree is one of my absolute favorite festive moments ever ( I think his Grandma was less impressed though! Grin )

UsedToBikeAndRunAndSki · 04/01/2012 09:35

YANBU, I find FG pretty offensive at times, although I was with much 11 yo nephew recently while her was watching it and then adults stuff seemed to bypass him.

dickiedavisthunderthighs · 04/01/2012 09:47

YANBU
It's in a completely different league to The Simpsons. I love it but I wouldn't be happy with letting a child watch it.

TheScaryJessie · 04/01/2012 10:07

I watched a couple of episodes of Family Guy once. In one, the daughter and the mother became prostitutes in order to pay the son's private school fees.

Have you seen the South Park episode that makes fun of Family Guy? It's pretty spot-on.

TheScaryJessie · 04/01/2012 10:14

PS: just checked my Futurama box-sets. Series 1 to 4 were rated 12 overall, but many individual episodes were rated PG.

Futurama > Family Guy.

dickiedavisthunderthighs · 04/01/2012 10:39

Family Guy is rated 15, with the occasional 18 (the film I think).

Original poster
AngryMotherF · 04/01/2012 11:02

Arghhhhh!

I have just spoken to ex about it on the phone, he is being completely unreasonable!

He says that I don't understand boys, and this is better than him listening to Derek and Clyde when he was a that age. He is also banging on about this panto thing, and says that watching FG is no different to watching a panto where there are adult jokes that go over children's heads.

He is completely refusing to see that my point is mainly that I don't want this being part of ds's first experiences of sexual attitudes and relationships. And that if ds has to be exposed to this stuff, then it needs to be done in context, and with as many positive messages as well.

I am SO pissed off!

OP posts:
fergoose · 04/01/2012 11:25

I don't know what to suggest - am angry on your behalf. I totally agree with you and can't believe he is being so stubborn over this.

Is this more about him being right and you being wrong than the issue of the programme?

I am a great fan of Family Guy - but like someone else said we watch from behind our hands sometimes - and we understand the humour/nuances or whatever.

myfriendflicka · 04/01/2012 11:55

Sympathy, AngryMF. I do not think Family Guy is anything like a panto.

I am a widow and my DS doesn't have another male in the house (apart from the neutered cat) so we have to discuss boys stuff/male issues and bat things back and forth. I think it is bollocks (ha ha literally) your ex saying that you don't understand boys. He is just being undermining.

I just have to get on with it and so do other women whose sons don't have an adult man living with them. We do as well as we can, and I don't think we do any worse than men do on the understanding front.

Derek and Clyde was on radio/record and there were no accompanying images - obviously FG does and that makes a big difference.

I agree with the poster above, I think your ex is being competitive.

myfriendflicka · 04/01/2012 11:57

I think it was Derek and Clive - Peter Cook, wasn't it?

fuzzpig · 04/01/2012 12:02

I love family guy, have all the DVDs etc. wouldn't let an 11yo watch it though! Did at that age let my DSDs watch some early American dad though, which was a 12 rating. Their mum lets them watch anything at home and always has, DH hates it. They are 13 now and understand we have stricter rules. We occasionally let them watch a 15 but only if it's something we have seen ourselves and vetted IYSWIM.

MildlyNarkyPuffin · 04/01/2012 12:08

YANBU at all. Family Guy is funny and also violent, misogynist and just vile at times. Great for a 15 year old, really not great for a young 11 year old who finds human behaviour confusing sometimes as it is.

I have to say that South Park, though also not ideal for a child, is a lot milder in many ways - the language is stronger but it's much more 'childlike' IMO.