Too young for Harry Potter?

[gmfizz]

Just wondering what others thoughts are on letting their kids watch the Harry Potter movies? From around the 4th film they seem to be rated a 12 and my 8 year old daughter is obsessed with wanting to watch them all because apparently all her friends have seen them. Is it just me or is letting 8 year olds watch 12 films not a great idea? Im a bit annoyed that so many in her class seem to be watching these, why do their parents thinks that’s ok?! She’s watched the first two but after that I find the HP books/films get scarier and more adult and just wanted others thoughts....

My dd1 has recently started wanting to watch all the films (since lockdown). She is nearly 12 and has read all the books except The Cursed Child.

The problem is that Dd2 has also been watching them with her (8.5 years) and she hasn't read all the books yet!

So I think Dd2 is finding the films more scary than dd1, as like pp said, dd1 knew what to expect from the films having read the books first!

I no nothing of HP whatsoever. I thought they were for kids, consequently ds has watched them all by age 7 or 8.

Im a bit annoyed that so many in her class seem to be watching these, why do their parents thinks that’s ok?!

You’re not being unreasonable to not let her watch them if you think they’ll upset her (if that’s your AIBU, I’m not exactly sure what your question is), but this is absolutely ridiculous. You’re annoyed that other people have made (perfectly appropriate) parenting decisions because it means that you have to say no to your daughter?

Ds age 7 has seen them all. I knew he’d be fine with them and I don’t mind the fantasy/made-up type violence in HP. Other 12s that have bad language or sexual references etc I wouldn’t let him watch. Dd is 4 and has seen the first few and was fine too.

It's tricky, our 8 yr old has read the books over the summer and loved them but is only interested in watching the later movies as she wants to watch all the big fights with Voldemort, oh dear.

We've said start with the first one and we'll see....sounds a bit violent to me..

We had the rule that the book had to be read before the film could be watched. So my 8yo son has no interest and hasn't seen them, whereas my DDs had watched them all by age 10. I think children don't process the deaths and violence in fantasy the same way an adult would in a more realistic story so it's not as bad as you think. Personally I don't like superhero films etc though so we don't watch many of them though.

I don't let my DC watch films they are too young for generally but look at it on a case by case situation so Ferris Bueller's Day Off (rated 15 because of the language) has been enjoyed by the 11 and 12 yo but Dirty Dancing (rated 12) has not been watched by them because I think the abortion storyline is still a bit grown up.

I’d initially said DS (8) had to read each book before each film but it became apparent that his friends had seen all the films and he’s been told so many spoilers that I let him watch them all over lockdown, it’s not put him off reading them through, he’s still
On book 6.
I thought he’d be upset by some of the deaths especially Dumbledore and Fred but no, his only tears were for Hedwig!