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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to say DS is still too young for Jurassic Park?

88 replies

QueenOfTheSkies · 14/08/2017 13:06

DS1 is 7. He is dino mad - as in wants to be a palaeontologist, reads fact books about them, keen to learn the proper names of all the lesser known ones and has been the same since he was 4 - more than just a kids passing fancy basically.

He is desperate to watch Jurassic Park, which is a PG. DH thinks he would be ok to watch it, I still freak out about the dilophosaurus in the car and the severed arm etc. so think not yet.

However he has watched and loved and is not scared by: All 3 Hobbit films, all three Lord of the Rings films and the first 3 Pirates of the Caribbean films and the original 3 Star Wars films. We started him watching these by fast fowarding through the more gruesome battle scenes about a year ago and he was fine so then let him watch the full films. no nightmares, no worries, he watches them on loop on the evenings he's allowed to watch before bed. All of these he asked to watch, we didn't offer, and was started by his love of dragons (we originally just showed him Smaug from Hobbit and it developed from there).

DH says if he is fine with all of those he will be fine with JP. My worry is that all of the others are clearly fantasy. JP is based in the real world, dinos were real and its premise is they could come back through science - JP2 has the T-rex loose in america etc. I think this could cause issues.

DH is not pushing it at all, but DS looks longingly at the DVDs are keeps asking when he can watch them.

So AIBU to not allow him to watch them? Am i projecting my own jumpiness from when i first watched JP (as a young girly teen) onto the situation? What age did your DC watch JP?

Sorry its long, trying to give context of the type of kid DS is!

OP posts:
emma6776 · 14/08/2017 18:33

I watched JP when it was released - I was 14 and found it really scary (even as a horror buff of the Friday 13th/Nightmare on Elm Street variety). I watched the last one aged 36 and couldn't believe it was only a PG! There's no way I'd let my DD watch it until she was older.

Coulddowithanap · 14/08/2017 18:39

DS (5) has watched Jurassic park, I think we let him watch the 2nd and 3rd ones first as we thought they were not as scary and didn't look so realistic (probably due to smaller budget). He was fine with them so let him watch the first one.

He hasn't seen Jurassic world yet but it is a 12. I don't think we will let her see it for some time, it's quite scary and more realistic than the others. DD (10) saw it a few months ago.

GhostsToMonsoon · 14/08/2017 18:49

My son is 6.5 and was fine with Jurassic Park. He loved the bit when the man got eaten on the toilet but found some of it a bit boring (such as when they were discussing the ethics). DD is 4 and found it much too scary.

DisneyMillie · 14/08/2017 18:55

We've not let our 7 year old dd watch it yet but we were debating it the other night randomly (along with the goonies) and figured we probably will soon. She's seen all the harry potters and been totally fine but can't watch zootropolis as it gave her nightmares for weeks?! Kids are strange!

Welshwabbit · 14/08/2017 19:01

My eldest watched it at 4.5. I had forgotten how much dinosaur feasting it contained but I think the version they showed on TV may have been slightly edited to reduce the impact of the goriest bits. He loved it! He is much more scared by cartoons, oddly - Trolls, the Lion King, The Good Dinosaur, The Polar Express all resulted in hiding behind a cushion /sobbing.

Summerholsrock · 14/08/2017 19:29

Craigie- can't believe you've posted a picture of your son on a very public forum.
Get it taken down! Gross invasion of his privacy.

Ninabean17 · 14/08/2017 19:31

My 5yo dd loves the jp films. Seen them all, all harry potters, star wars (she dressed as a storm trooper for Comic Con this year) I think it's down to the child, really. Some will be fine with a bit of blood and strange creatures and some won't. If he's dinosaur mad he's going to have at least some understanding of the nature of what he's watching.

Ninabean17 · 14/08/2017 19:31

My 5yo dd loves the jp films. Seen them all, all harry potters, star wars (she dressed as a storm trooper for Comic Con this year) I think it's down to the child, really. Some will be fine with a bit of blood and strange creatures and some won't. If he's dinosaur mad he's going to have at least some understanding of the nature of what he's watching.

AccrualIntentions · 14/08/2017 19:36

I saw it in the cinema aged 8 or 9 and was really scared. But, I'm a massive wimp and things are always scarier on a big screen than on a TV screen at home.

Original poster
QueenOfTheSkies · 14/08/2017 19:52

so he's started watching it and is enjoying it. only watched up to the start of the really scary bits (t-rex attacking the cars) as i didnt want that bit to be right before bed. he is loving it so far and very excited. will see how he does with the scary part tomorrow!

OP posts:
NotTheMrMenAgain · 14/08/2017 19:55

Aww, come on OP! He wants to be a paleontologist and you won't let him watch Jurassic Park but you've let him watch LOTR? With the evil, terrifying orcs and the long winded, gory battle scenes?
My girl is 8, loves dinosaurs and all the Jurassic films, also Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter etc. But not a chance in hell would I let her watch LOTR yet.

YoullShootYourEyeOut · 14/08/2017 19:57

Both my kids were under 7 when they watched the Jurassic Park movies, they loved them. I suppose it depends if he gets easily frightened.

gluteustothemaximus · 14/08/2017 20:27

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all.

But you know your child best.

Common Sense Media is a great website, and it says the following:

Parents need to know that kids who watch Jurassic Park will see lots of people and a few innocent animals being hunted and eaten by very realistic-looking dinosaurs, but there's little actual blood and gore (although one somewhat gruesome scene involves a severed arm). There's tons of suspense, many "jump" scenes, and some chases/crashes; basically, the characters including children are in near-constant peril. (All of this is made more intense in the 3-D version, though the effects aren't as overbearing as some newer 3-D releases.) Expect a bit of mild swearing (as well as one "s--t") and some smoking and drinking, too. In the less intense environment of home, kids as young as 9 may be able to handle the fright factor with an adult at hand, but sensitive children should skip this one.

www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/jurassic-park

helterskelter99 · 14/08/2017 20:40

We watched it in parts so the bits of dinosaurs before he saw the whole thing, he's fine with the however the good dinosaur traumatised him 🤣

chickenfraybentos · 14/08/2017 20:43

I saw it in the cinema aged 9 and was fucking terrified (loved it though). My youngest sister saw it at home from the age 3 onwards and wasn't phased.

We let our 18 mo watch bits of it at the weekend and he got super excited about the dinosaurs when they first arrive at the park, it was very sweet! Had to fast forward through most of the rest of the film though as he started looking a bit concerned one the t-rex got loose... Grin

aspoonfulofyourownmedicine · 15/08/2017 01:19

My DS is now 8 and is also dinosaur obsessed. He's watched all JP films since the age of 4, we even took him to the cinema to see Jurassic World.

He also wants to be a paleontologist and is quick to correct anyone with his dino facts if anyone says anything that's incorrect!

Armi · 15/08/2017 09:04

I don't think you're being unreasonable. My DD is six and loves dinosaurs but I wouldn't show it to her as I think it's unsuitable for her age group - people get killed and the children are utterly terrified. I admit I'm ridiculously uptight, but I also won't be showing her the Harry Potter films until she's older, either. Part of it is that I want her to fully understand what she's watching so she can fully enjoy it.

Do what feels right for your child, OP.

BetterEatCheese · 15/08/2017 09:08

Dd loved it and watched when she was just turned 6

waitforitfdear · 15/08/2017 09:12

So funny because bold bad ds watched it aged 7 and it scared the crap out of him and we had months of nightmares about the raptors in the kitchen.

He's a 27 year old dad now 6 foot 3 and 15 stone but you go behind him and make that raptor noice and he jumps

Take care op Grin

lessworriedaboutthecat · 15/08/2017 10:27

My sons watched it at about that age and loved it, there were a few bits where they got a fright or watched it behind their hands but they weren't terrified or disturbed. I still haven't forgiven Dh for Arachnophobia though.

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 15/08/2017 11:00

DD (who was 8 at the time) watched Jurassic Park no problem but had to turn off LOTR after 10 minutes.

clarabellski · 15/08/2017 11:08

I still remember being traumatised when my dad took me to see Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade at the cinema and they drank from the wrong cup and turn into skeletons. I started crying and my dad had to take me out of the cinema. I must have been around 6/7 at the time as it was released in '89.

But you know your own children best and what you think they'd be OK with.

mellicauli · 15/08/2017 16:19

Ds1 (at 9) hid under the duvet and we had to turn it off. DS2 (at 7) loved if and demanded we watch it again immediately..

KimmySchmidt1 · 15/08/2017 16:22

Yes you are being overprotective. He is a boy. How much of a wimp are you hoping he will grow up to be? FFS let him be male will you.

Morphene · 15/08/2017 17:56

kimmy the 1980's called - they need their sexist attitudes back.