to think reception class should not have been shown How To Train Your Dragon?

[ForkieForkie]

DS, in reception year, watched How to Train Your Dragon in school last term. He told us this when it came up recently.

I'm not bothered enough to make an issue of this but I wondered if anyone else had thoughts.

Its a PG film which BBFC would not consider universally suitable for under 8 year olds. I would usually refer to commonsensemedia website before showing DS anything we haven't already watched. I find their guides really helpful. They rate it as an age 7 film, giving what sound like good reasons.

I don't think a reception class should be shown a film other than "U" certificates, as the levels of emotionally maturity will vary so much.

AIBU and overprotective to consider this poor judgement by the school?

Oh god yes, I also found HTTYD 2 really really upsetting and I'm 48.

YANBU

Now. About Little Red Riding Hood...?

Yes, do share the Little Red Riding Hood story...

I'd be very surprised if they saw the whole thing, more likely bits of it were shown to stimulate discussion or before an activity,

The film's fine for that age. If you want to talk about irresponsible movie showing I watched Child's Play (Chucky!) at secondary school as some boy brought it in on last day of term and teacher let us watch it ( can't remember how old I was but it was early 90s). I was scared stiff, couldn't sleep that night!

YANBU. I'm a teacher and if I want to show a PG film, I just send a note home first asking for permission. I've never had a parent say 'no' yet but it's not my call to make.

Now I need to know about LRRH!

DS's class watched selected clips from 'Let Him Have It' in Year 8, when he was 13. It is a 15. A full letter and explanation, including an invitation for parents to see what parts were being shown, was sent home, children without a permission slip or whose parents objected were given sections of the script to read instead. Very well handled IMO.

We watched a lovely film about fluffy bunnies. Yes I am referring to Watership Down and we watched all of it. We were five - my reason for remembering how old I was? My adopted mum died that year and I was devastated because of that and watership down on top was just too much for me - others were distressed as well so it wasn't just me and my circumstances.

I'd say how to train your dragon is very mild in comparison.

I wouldn't know if anyone complained - it was a very long time ago (think videos only just available) and except for those who had watched it, it was generally considered a fluffy bunny film, still is I think as it is a U classification (never understood that!)

We watched Animal Farm at school.

I. Will. Never. Recover.

Boxer...

fussed Woman in Black is a 12. I had a tutor group that brought it in at Xmas and wanted to watch it. I refused because I'd be too scared!

What could possibly be the ramifications your child watching HTTYD?!
Its a children's film.

That wouldn't bother me. But then I think people can be ridiculously rigid in their adherence to film guide ages.

Not much to tell, its just embarrassing to be the mum who ranted about Little Red Riding Hood.

It came up in a discussion re "stranger danger". I attempted to explain, in a rather nobbish way, that actually I didn't consider LRRH to be good for 4 year olds, that I think that the original fairy tales are wonderfully dark stories for much older kids and I'm baffled why unsuitable story lines are extracted and badly rewritten for small children - without any of the rich language and storytelling.

But i was having this discussion with a clingy baby in the middle of some sort of hot flush after a school drop off where i hadnt so much as had a shower. It was all a bit high pitched and garbled. I am still embarrassed when I see her in the playground.

It's a PG guest. Meaning Parental Guidance, as opposed to U for Universally appropriate. It's been given that rating because it has some elements which may distress younger children.

The BBFC rule of thumb is that PGs should be suitable for almost all 8 year olds, but parents can use their discretion to decide that a younger child may be OK with them.

Hence it is definitely not good practice to show a PG film to a random group of 4/5 year olds without checking with their parents that it's OK.

I think you are right to feel the school shouldn't have shown if. Kids vary so much and the pg ratings are given for a reason- ie they are for parents to decide if they would like their kids to watch the film, or not! Some of my friends let their kids watch just about anything whereas my kids are still at the u or some pg stage.

Personally I have no issues with my 3yo ds watching httyd, he loves it. I can see why you are annoyed that permission wasn't sought but in all honesty it's not an offensive film, it's quite sweet and it's very cool (especially from a kids PoV)

In our school they won't show anything other than a U, even to year 6, without parental consent. I think that's the way it should be.

Some reception children will have seen all the Harry Potter and Hobbit/LOTR and be unfazed, some will be upset by very "child friendly" films like snow white or bambi!

Yanbu Im a teacher, pg's need parental permission. We stick with U movies.

I only ever show U films. Even that can be dodgy though. I showed the class ET once. Didn't realise Elliot called his brother penis breath at one point! And someone says shit.

Oh, and don't forget that until recently Jaws was a PG!

Wow. Just wow.

Yanbu, it's a pg and although my 5yo is fine with this film i know others who aren't

Well I don't feel unreasonable at all now for having been so surprised about this. Sounds like many schools have very sensible policies.