To not let my 11 year old watch Eastenders but..

[seeker]

...to let him watch South Park?

[CrockoDuck]

I don't believe the "F" word has ever been used in Eastenders. Not a single time.

South Park is highly unsuitable for an 11 year old. Your priorities surprise me, OP.

[Jinsei]

I would be less worried about the F word than about some of the content and themes in Eastenders. I would not want dd growing up thinking that people behave like that.

She will hear swear words in the playground.

[seeker]

Could you say why, crocoduck?

[CrockoDuck]

Don't get me wrong, seeker, I like South Park and don't have a problem with my DS watching it (although he's older at 15). But certainly, the references & swearing in it are much stronger and more controversial than anything in EE.

Although, I must stress, and should have done before, that you are perfectly entitled to decide on what you'd like your child to watch - and EE is very bleak at times.

I remember being the only person in my entire class who wasn't allowed to watch Grange Hill. It pissed me off like mad at the time but didn't do me any harm...so make whatever choices for your DC that you feel suitable. I was just expressing surprise that you consider SP less harmful than EE (although I'm not sure either are particularly harmful).

That's all I meant :)

[TheFallenMadonna]

God no to Eastenders.

Don't watch South Park so the opportunity wouldn't arise. I suspect it would be a no though. Mostly because it does nothing for me.

Big Bang theory, well, my DC (10 and 8) have seen it. DS gets highly embarassed at any references to sex, or should that be coitus, and is I think concerned that his mother will get out the powerpoints again...

[seeker]

I'm interested in my motivation too! I think that SouthPark deals with quite deep moral issues, and we do end up talking a lot about them and it really makes him think. As exemplified by the Asperger's episode.Whereas Eastenders is just vile, and appears to me to have no moral compass at all.

[CrockoDuck]

Well, my DS is less philosophical than yours - he just sniggers at the sex references & swearing

And yes, EE does lack a moral compass. It's mindless fodder and always has been - not that that stops me watching it.

If you can use SP as a launch pad for discussing important stuff, then go for it.

[WillowFae]

South Park DVD - 15
Eastenders (spin off) DVD - PG
Waterloo Road (series 4) DVD - 12
Waterloo Road (series 6) DVD - 15
Coronation Street (spin off) DVD - PG

Okay, so different episodes will be different but this is a rough guide.

[seeker]

Mine snoggers too- but then I force him to be philosophical in exchange!

[seeker]

Sniggers, obviously! It must be rubbing off on me!

[PandaWatch]

I absolutely agree with Seeker. The South Park writers are experts at social commentary and handling deep moral issues. They intelligently question society's extremists whilst at the same time projecting an all-embracing message that respects the values of decent, reasonable people of all beliefs. And, apart from one series where it disappeared up its own arse, it's hilarious.

However, it isn't intended to be a children's cartoon and has overtly adult themes that mean that it is a post-watershed programme.

As for EE - it is a vile, wholly negative programme and I can't understand anyone watching it

[blenda]

I live abroad and can access bb1. I cannot believe the shocking eastenders story lines and would never let my kids watch it... It's really depressing and nit at all a reflection of real life...but then again maybe it was this way 20 years ago when I first started watching but I'm sure there was moreif a comedy element... I find it really shocking now and makes me sad...

[startail]

I don't watch either so neither do the DDs, I think DD2 (11) may read plot summaries, so she can nod wisely at school.

DD2 does many things due being the only normal one in a house of weirdos!

[ghostyslovesheep]

Wow you bumped a 4 year old

ZOMBIE thread to share that amazing insight

[Soon2bC]

My personal opinion is that South Park is terrible, so inappropriate for children hence its late airtime, age restriction guides in uk say its a 15 but in many countries it is classed as 18! some of the episodes Ive seen in the past 15 or so years have been so awful i have turned them off but others have been quite funny.
EE tends to be miserable but does not ever have swearing (due to BBC regulations and airtime) some of the storylines are ones I struggle with as well but recently it had a storyline with Jay and this was so useful when explaining things to my 16yr DS who had just hooked up with a younger girl and taken an interest in EE at the same time. Since then he has watched bits here and there and has been asking questions about many of the issues and it has opened discussion in our house.
I used to have it on when he was younger but for the best part he has been totally uninterested in it and would wander off to watch something else or play.
Personally I would rather he watch EE out of the 2 but i would much rather he still watched CBBC haha x

[AShadowLurkingInTheShadows]

The last time I watched South Park they were doing the human centipede scene... So YBU

[Lovewineandchocs]

I do love the irreverence of Southpark but I don't think I would let an 11 year old watch it. Eastenders is just so bloody miserable but I used to watch it at 11. It's up to different people what they believe their child can cope with-as a kid I was allowed to watch Dynasty and Dallas but not Grange Hill-I still find that weird...😁

[Rachel0Greep]

I guess the OP's child is now four years older ...

[BeauBelle22]

As well as creating persistent headaches, the constant shouting on EE reinforces the view that disagreements can only ever be settled by confrontation, an aspect which, sadly, has evidently filtered into society at large. Moreover, the habit characters in 'The Square' have of punctuating their sentences with a 'Yeah?' is really, really annoying.

The overall atmosphere of despair and depression, coupled with the general absence of any kind of aspiration doesn't help much either.

By far the worst programme on TV.

[brotherphil]

South Park is probably not suitable for an 11yo, unless they are very mature - that was pretty much the point of the South Park movie, come to think of it, The fact that it's a cartoon doesn't mean that it's for kids. There's lot's of potentially offensive stuff, though generally speaking, it's taking the micky out of things like racism, as opposed to actually being racist. It takes a very puerile approach to things, but does have some mature reasoning going on behind that.
Try watching "South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut" if you haven't already, and have a think about it - it's very self-referential, and addresses, in their way, some of the issues that people have with it.

With regard to soap operas, I'd say it depends, once again, on DS - there are adult themes, but they are generally dealt with in a responsible manner. WRT language and that sort of thing, your family culture & environment is likely to have much more effect - and school, of course.

I suppose the question with soaps is twofold:
Is DS mature enough to cope with these themes being raised in the first place? and
Do you have the sort of family where you can discuss issue if the kids (or parents, for that matter) have questions?

I'd tend to go the other way round to you personally, but YMMV.

[mustthinkofabetterusername]

Definitely wouldn't let a child that age watch EE, for pretty much reasons listed by bluebelle. So in theory, I shouldn't be in favour of letting the child watch SP either. However, I'm leaning towards it being an occasional treat, so he can know what his friends are talking about, if they talk about it at school etc? I would make time to discuss what appealed (humour) and what didn't appeal about SP (offensive language, violance etc)

I guess for me, the thing that separates them slightly is the issue that SP is an obvious piss-take, whereas EE suggests that this is how one "does life" (depressed, shouting, despair, etc).

But then again, what would I know?.............I wasn't ever allowed watch Grange Hill, as the pupils spoke back to the teachers, setting a "bad example"

[TwentyCupsOfTea]

South park is actually very intelligent humour, but I think 11 is too young and thibgs may be taken at face value. It's definitely adult humour and it isn't racist, it mocks racism in society.
It's still completely unsuitable for kids though.

[nuttymango]

South Park and Eastenders are both unsuitable IMO. Nobody in this house watches either of them, nor Coronation Street, Emmerdale or any soaps.

[FaFoutis]

I have the same policy as the OP. Absolutely not EE but my 11 yr old watches SP, only with me so I can explain things. SP has a good moral centre.