to want to protect children from films too old for them?

[elcoucho]

I work as a nanny for a family who have two children aged 8 and 9. The parents have recently started giving the 9 year old videos to watch which are age-rated 12 and even 15 including Titanic, Schindler's List, and The Shawshank Redemption. I have expressed my shock but the parents think I am being prudish. The parents are well educated and work in the creative industries and have high hopes for the child becoming a famous film director and it seems they want to expose him to different kinds of film, not just Disney. Is there anything I could/should do about this situation? The child seems unperturbed by the films, which to me is also shocking.

With all these things I think it depends on the child and their maturity. I have allowed my 7 yo to watch star wars and the odd 12a - to him it is fantasy and the adult themes go over his head. There is a bit of violence but no overtly explicit scenes.

I wonder though what the real effects of really explicit scenes are - I remember the AIDS adds of the 80s. I was only 8 didn't understand and thought I was going to die. The effect didn't last forever but it definitely had a lasting impact. I wouldn't want my children to have this.

Titanic? One sort of dodgy scene that might raise the eyebrows of a 9 year old but otherwise it's fine. But Shawshabk does have a rape scene in it, a male office rapes a prisoner I think. Not the sort of thing I'd want my 9 year old to see.

I grew up in a household were we were pretty much allowed to watch whatever we chose. Key word here being chose.

By contrast them choosing these films FOR their 9 y/o and making him watch them because THEY want him to be a director is a tad odd.

Overall YABU because it's still their kid.