AIBU not letting 8 year watch 12 rated films?

[Potplant89]

Who else let’s their children watch older rated films or play older rated games?
I’m 28 myself and don’t want to be that strict person that doesn’t allow it when he comes home and tells me his friends at school play such and such and watch such and such. I know when I was his age, my parents let me watch things that were too old for me. I’m not scarred for life but I can say that a lot of the time, I ended up with nightmares over a 5 second scene. He has a very good understanding that it’s not that I’m being mean but I think it’s better that he waits. I do worry about peer pressure though. Specifically, he wants to watch Jurassic world, some of the marvel films and Godzilla vs Kong. Unfortunately it seems that while they target toys for younger age groups, the films are not appropriate.

My 8 year old has watched jurassic movies, new jumajii movies and most star wars (some were too dark). He knows nearly all swear words due to an interesting reception year with a child who had anger issue and swore a lot. So swearing doesn't bother me too much.

Jurassic world is my 8 yr old fav movie

Didn't they do a tv edit of Jurassic world as it was on earlyish on bbc

Watch the movie first then decide

I mean you watch it first not with your child then decide if it is okay for him/her

My ds 11 has been watching some 12/12a movies since he was small, Indiana Jones, the hunger games etc, more recently the marvel movies (all 5 million of them), and Cruella.

We watched shooter (Mark Wahlberg) last week, which is a 15, which he enjoyed, it's moderately violent, but relevant to the plot (which makes some good points about good vs evil and political corruption), and we've been watching Gremlins every christmas for years. He watched poltergeist last halloween, which is the only horror movie I've let him watch. He's asked to watch game of thrones recently, but that's a definite no from me (I'm a big fan of the show, so know just how bad it is, sex scenes in particular).

I tend to watch something first, alone, then use my own judgement (if I haven't already seen it). I did this with stranger things (TV 14), and ended up getting hooked myself. It all depends on the individual movie/show.

My other rule, to encourage reading, is he can read the book version, of anything he wants, whenever he wants/is capable of understanding.

It depends what they are. DS at 8/9 wanted to watch Harry Potter. I said he could if he read the books first. He read the lot in a couple of months and has watched the first 6 films. He's held off the last 2 though. He's also seen a Star Wars film that's a 12A.
I wouldn't want him watching a 12 that was rated that way because of violence / sex / bad language though.

DS 10 was watching 12 rated films younger than that because DS 14 got very bored with PG rated films around the age of 10 and DS 10 was always in the room. DS 10 absolutely loved Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children when he was about 6 and would watch it every night.

My ds 7 has watched pretty much what his older siblings watch forever... I don't allow sex themed stuff and teens haven't watched GOT..

My year 4 son watches some 12 films, he has seen the marvel ones. He hasn’t watched Jurassic world etc as I know they would scare him. And he isn’t allowed to play on violent video games. You just have to make the decisions that suit you as a family.

I didn't worry too much about ratings as such. I go by content and theme. I knew my children would enjoy the likes of Jurassic Park etc at primary school age, but be worried by humans fighting in a similarly aged film. I took my little boy to see Jurassic World when he was about 7, but told him not to watch Squid Games at 13. Human "real" violence is different to fantasy violence, somehow.

Never bothered too much with ratings (aside from 18s obviously!) and mine all started watching 12 films when they were quite small. No damage done!

One size doesn't fit all. My 11 yr old has watched some 15's ; loved venom. He wants to watch Stephen kings IT (we said no!)

Despite this he doesn't like watching the Jurassic park movies or Maleficent!

Yanbu at all. They're 12 cert for a reason.

@Chunkymenrock

Yanbu at all. They're 12 cert for a reason.

Except it's 12A isn't it - so under 12s can watch with parental consent. Kids mature differently and some 12s will suit some under 12s.

Two of us were watching a movie the other evening it was 12A and 10-year old DS walked in I don’t think anything of it because it was 12A. The moment the characters started talking about ‘shagging’.

Mary Beard was talking about prostitutes in ancient Rome when DD2 walked in on me watching a history programme. That was an interesting conversation!

It totally depends on the child. My 8 year old is fine with Marvel films but was petrified by Shrek

DP and I had SUCH a row over this. I’m usually fairly strict but am also a huge potter fan and wanted dc to watch the films once we’d read the books together. This meant the oldest was 11 and the youngest 8 when we watched all the films through. It does make it hugely difficult to be consistent with restricting other stuff so be careful about an initial ‘breach’ of the limits as the genie is hard to stuff back in the bottle!

I defo wouldn't. I watched eternals the other day which is rated 12, there was one scene that I would be very uncomfortable for my 8 year old to watch. You know best for your child.

Exactly though they are 12A which is that under 12s can watch not only with parental consent but with the parent there! PG-13 is the same (the US and other country equivalent) it is saying use caution and common sense to decide whether it is appropriate and at what age you want to show your child with you present.

It is different to 15 and 18 which are not suitable for those under that age.

Different children can handle different things - DS has always sailed through films that his sister cant even though she is 3 years older

I don’t set much store by ratings. I was happy for my 12 year old to watch an historical drama, rated 15 - someone says “fuck” and you see some very artfully shot, consensual sex without major nudity. All part of life. I really wouldn’t have liked her to see the 12 rated Bond film, however, which contained long sequences of grown men bashing the shit out of each other. She would have found that disturbing.

Depends on the child and depends on the content.

It's an individual thing based on each child and each film.

DS1 saw Star Wars at the cinema when he was 5. We waited until a few people had seen it to check that there weren't any scenes akin to the Anakin/ Darth Vader Obe Wan fight on the volcano, and he loved it having seen the other films apart from episode 3. Not DS2's cup of tea at that age.

DS1 at 10 can be funny with the mild peril of PGs and be more comfortable with 12s. He has ASD so can react in unexpected ways. As an anomally, I let him watch Hot Fuzz (15). I knew I'd have to cover his eyes for the church spire in the model village, and he absolutely loved it... except for randomly bursting into tears when the beloved peace lily gets smashed (he was reassured that the lily is a very forgiving plant and would safely be repotted and make a full recovery. Who says that autistic people don't have empathy!) He found it much easier watching than the first Harry Potter films which are PGs.

DS2 is more conventional about how age rated content affects him.

I am more firm on computer games because they are much more immersive. I have held out on Fortnite as my two are very susceptible to obsessive game play if given half a chance.

It can be tough when you get past 8 and classroom culture gets more influential. Also when a lot of communication becomes more remote because it's balancing the interest of the child and their ability to fit in, and you can get situations that feel like they lose either way.