To wonder what yr 8 parents are letting their kids watch Love Island??

[stellenbosch]

Dd says "all my friends watch it", "why can't I?".

Lol. Absolutely, not.

Who and why are ppl letting their 12/13 yr olds watch this?

it wasnt me who said it. infact i didnt even comment on the thread. but many posters did say that exact thing and were basically saying it should be 18 rated. hence why i said this thread was interesting.

Is this really how low we're setting the bar?

Well they are generally fairly respectful apart from Adam and Eyal

The girls (and in some cases the boys) often call out poor behaviour.

Some like Alex are gentlemen.

Inspires good discussions though when they're not. "Is that fair for him to say?" "Is this situation really consensual?" "Is he being respectful here?" "Is he wrong to be talking about this so lightly?"

Good lessons for both DD and DS.

Ouchlego I actaully said: " I think the men are ok - there's no violence and they are pretty respectful from the bits I've seen."

Compared to the VAST majority of crap on tv and online gaming (fortnite?) that IS a positive thing.

Big Brother was worse!

Can't think of any better way to increase teen pregnancies myself.

Really?

There's discussion and references to sex but they'll get that anywhere.

If anything I'd be worried about setting body standards too high. Which would most likely have the opposite effect.

My mum told me I couldn’t watch The Word in yr7. I had a tv and video recorder in my room, recorded and watched at a later date.

Children of this age will find a way especially with everything being so freely available these days online. I think you are being a little naive if you think any child of a certain age desperate to watch hasn’t sneaked a peek online.

That said, I certainly wouldn’t be encouraging it, thankfully my children aren’t of this age yet. Sometimes though ime, the more forbidden you make something the more attractive it becomes.

Does no one remember being a teenager?!
I’m pretty sure by year 8 I could accurately describe every sexual act. Sex is the main topic of conversations at school, and many children act innocent despite being fully in the know.

I used to secretly listen to Eminem and watch South Park 😂 Love island is pretty tame in comparison. I mean, primary school is too young, it’ll go over most of their heads anyway. But year 8, come on, I can’t imagine the first time year 8s bear of a hand job is on love island...

*many children act innocent in front of their parents

I know I did!

Also, I did not get pregnant until aged 29, have never faked tanned or murdered anybody

ALSO

I think it’s quite good for teenaged girls to be exposed to discussions around abusive or disrespectful treatment by men (Adam)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3268731-To-allow-DD-10-to-watch-Love-Island?pg=6&order=

there you go.

God no, my 8 yo doesn't know it exists.

it doesn't matter what your mum and dad "discuss" with you. If you are 11 or 12 and surrounded daily by images of "beautiful men and women flirting with each other and having sexual contact it isn't going to do your self worth, body image or understanding of sexual relationships any good.

And discussion about girls being shallow, vacuous and manipulative

Unfortunately lots of Yr 8-11 are watching it! It's the talk of all the secondary schools round here. My DD watches it (Yr9, age 14) as do all her friends. She watched last year (13) without my permission nor me knowing, on catchup & at friends houses initially. DCs' pesky 'computer&smartphone' generation are far more adept at getting round parental IT blocks, than I am now! It's easier to restrict this type of thing when they are under 11/12. As with all things it get harder and more about talking, negotiating and bringing up your DC to think for themselves as they become more independent teenagers.

My DD and her friends watch it for a variety of reasons, (a study in ..) friendship/ relationships, fame, gossip, silly behaviour, bikini fashion and make up advice (!!). DD and her friends definitely don't agree with some of their behaviours and DD says she tends to skip the yukkier parts ( you really can't see what they are doing if anything a bit sexual btw), although really she hears more from older kids at school who could tell any story!! Fgs she's reading Romeo and Juliet at school where the teenage romantic leads commit suicide! ( I remember by her age having read Lady Chatterley's lover, Joseph Conrad's Heart of darkness, Lord of the Flies.. all with very adult themes! This seems mild compared to that and not worth the judgy pants some PP have put on, although parents must make decisions for their own DC.

We talk if there is something a bit dodgy on Love Island but usually after each episode she volunteers it to me about 'who was an idiot' and 'what she would have done'. She's also full of views to share on when someone deals with something well or shows themselves to have a nice character. I've overheard her convos with friends about it as well and feel they are all very sensible. I don't think these contestants are their idols!

To me it's a show with a microcosm of human egos & behaviours and some banality, just what teenagers love & use for debate. And DD said I've shown her worse on TV as I 'made her' watch Bridget Jones Diary with me (tis true, she was 14) and she said they have sex in there - to which I replied "Yes with Hugh Grant though... entirely different!"
DD also thought Bridget Jones Baby was dodgy too as Bridget couldn't work out who was baby's father after unprotected sex with two men within a week (although it was nice how she dealt with it)... I don't think DD's morality is being warped at all by L.I. as she clearly can separate herself from what she watches.

My kids are oblivious that this tripe even exists. This is why we have one telly only in the living room and don't watch anything on tablets or laptops. It's on the main tv or it's not on at all. utter drivel.

My DDs are in Yr 9 and say everyone watches it, though they themselves don't seem to be interested thus far... if they did, I think I'd have to have a look at it myself to see what all the fuss is about!

Last year’s show was definitely much less suitable for 13 yos. This year it seems they have sanitised it as they realised that young teens were watching it. My DCs aren’t interested by may see mention of it online and so are semi aware about it even though they’ve never seen it. They will occasionally wander in while I’m watching it and see the odd bit too. DD has said how rude it was for Laura to step up for someone else having been picked already. If they have good morals this stuff won’t corrupt them, it will just give them opportunities to discuss relationships and interactions.

Pressing the sex stuff doesn’t get any more raunchy than previous years (night vision blankets moving) they will definitely have seen/done worse!

*providing the sex stuff doesn’t get any more raunchy

why was it rude of laura? she didnt like who picked her so made that clear. isnt that a good thing? personally i would prefer my daughter to think just because someone "picks her" doesnt mean they own her and shes free to make her own decision. but each to their own.

Yeah I think it was because she hadn’t had a chance to get to know him, had just picked purely on looks that my DD objected to.

But that’s why the show can be a learning moment for them.

I was really shocked on Friday evening when I went out with a group of school mum friends (all Year 8) and lots of people I had regarded as sensible were letting their children watch it. Mainly boys. I literally turned and spoke to someone else so that I didn't have to join in the conversation because I knew I wouldn't be able to bite my tongue.

DD has said how rude it was for Laura to step up for someone else having been picked already.

We were discussing this.

Alex picked her despite being uninterested and expressing so, but she was viewed as "rude" to go for someone else.

The original set up - in which the guys can choose the girls, whether or not they express interest, was something interesting to discuss in terms of consent.

Even though they can technically try and leave the guy, there isn't really a guarantee and also there's a stigma about it. They'll then be expected to share a bed.