Aibu to think that stephen kings It isn't suitable for a 12 year old?

[chubbylover78]

My dh spoke to his son yesterday to ask what he had for christmas,(sent son a text christmas day as that's what son asked), loads of gifts as usual but mentioned he'd gotten It and Dr sleep in book form. I know he's seen It part 1 which is rated as a 15 but the book is considerably more graphic and contains in depth violence and sex as well as usual bad language(I've read it so I do know). Aibu to think that a 12 year old shouldn't be reading it unless a parent has read it first, films are easier as they could be watched and the parent then decide. The film is only based on the book and doesn't contain half of whats in it.
Yes- I am being unreasonable and a 12 year old should read it and make up their own mind.
No- I'm not being unreasonable and a parent should do more research first before letting a child read such books.

I don't see the issue with a 12 year old reading the book tbh.

DS wanted to read 50 Shades at 13 because it was being talked about all over the place. I said I would buy the book and we would read a chapter at a time and then discuss it together. Funnily enough he went off the idea then

It’s your job as a parent to educate and guide.

Yes. And part of that job is deciding what and what isn’t age appropriate.

@DuMondeB

I disagree in regards to books.

I was about 13 when I started to read SK. Wasn't allowed to but sneaked from my parents' bookshelves can't remember being particularly disturbed by anything in them.

Following with interest as my DS is nearly 13 and has been reading IT as his school reading book, having seen part 1 (not under my care at the time grrr). He was enjoying it and coping ok with the older language but packed it in a while ago, presumably too heavy and hard going. He's a good reader and I want to keep encouraging it as he's reading a lot of manga too, which doesn't have a huge word count!
Someone has bought him Pet Cemetary for Christmas too.

I disagree in regards to books.

And I disagree with you.
My eldest could read at adult levels by the age of 7. I would’ve been an irresponsible parent to allow him free reign of all the books he was able to read.

Some book are not suitable for children. Including 12 year olds.

I wonder how many of us are 70s kids and grew up reading books like Jilly Cooper and The Joy of Sex from our parents bookshelves as teens

I was allowed to read what I wanted (family of writers) as were all my children (now adults).

All still avid readers with no ill effects.

22 yr old DS says that he is scarred for life from not being allowed to play 18 games until he was 18 though, which resulted in him feeling so embarrassed he didn’t invite friends around.

YABU. I picked up IT at 11 and have made my way through almost his whole collection in the almost 20 years after.

He is a fantastic author.

For a start I won't be "getting involved" and saying anything, just my dh and I thought it was too much for a child that gets scared at Dr Who to be reading SK. Totally agree with a child that young actually seeing the film but if he says anything it falls on deaf ears. I read horror from an early age and I'm an avid horror fan but wouldn't let my ds watch horror before I'd seen it first and he's 15.

I am terrified of Horror films/books /anything at all to do with it anyway ! However I dont think you are able to say anything really as DH Son up to him and his ex surely? Some children (including my own oddly enough)! lap up all this sort of thing and are not scared at all!

To be honest I wouldn't think it's much worse than half the crap a lot of kids watch on YouTube these days

YABU at least he's reading.

I wonder how many of us are 70s kids and grew up reading books like Jilly Cooper and The Joy of Sex from our parents bookshelves as teens

80s here. I gravitated to horror books in secondary school after getting the bug fir horror films after a few sneaky "dads fallen asleep" film watches, wouldnt have touched the cheesy "nice" stories on my mums bedside table.

Then we had an author come to the school the.library stocked a few of his books teen runways, death, pregnancy, abortion etc finally some darker stories dealing with adult issues in a teen world which was great , I loved those books too. No cheesy happy endings it expanded the repertoire a bit.

I think 12 is an appropriate age to graduate to books aimed at adults.

I really think you and DH are nitpicking which is likely why it's falling on deaf ears

How can it be "nitpicking" when we have only mentioned it to each other because we were surprised that he was given the book for christmas.

I think it depends on the child.
I read Carrie at 9 (Mum had told me no, but I took it from her bookshelf, cos you know, kids always know better and parents over-react) I have a very active imagination and it scared the pants off me, but I enjoyed the scared feeling IYSWIM. I was hooked on horror books from that point onwards. I used to frequently take my Mums books from the shelf to read without her knowing.

Anyone of an age to remember Judy Blume's Forever? Oh the scandal.

I have never censored any books for my DC.

I'm imagining your face if he had been given The Shining OP! (As an adult I still think is a genuinely scary book )

Anyone of an age to remember Judy Blume's Forever?

I think if you picked up ANY copy of that and loosely held it's spine it would flop open at the rude parts

There's SK and there's SK, IT is a bit much for a 12 yo Imo, Dark Towers would be fine for example, the Langaliers also fine.

I was reading Stephen King and others from 8. My mother never censored my reading because I had read every child and teenage book in the library by 8 and was bored of them. Obviously there are some limits e.g. a couple of Graham Masterton's books made me feel physically sick reading them, but generally people know their children and what they can cope with.

I was 15 when I first read a King book (Carrie) and it did me no harm. However, Dr Sleep is far darker than Carrie!

Surely it depends on the 12 year old?