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Original poster

To think this cartoon is NOT appropriate for an 11-year-old!?

132 replies

CowboyJo · 23/01/2022 21:31

So my eldest daughter is 11 and has started high school a few months ago. She's always been quite 'nerdy' in terms of her interests and has made a small group of friends into the same kind of things (Roblox, Pokemon, manga and drawing)

They sound nice enough girls from what she tells me (though slightly pampered) but ever since she's started at that school, the amount of times I had to tell her off for swearing recently was disgraceful.

Anyway while monitoring my daughter's iPad found she was really into this particular cartoon she loved. I don't know if its called Hazzun Hotel or Helluva Boss because its under both names(?) but I'm sure it's the same show. It looks like a child's show on the surface but I closely watched some of the episodes and it was absolutely shocking: loads of casual effing and blinding, crude jokes(like sex and bdsm, prostitutes).

When I found this out I talked to my daughter about it and told her it wasn't an appropriate thing for someone her age to be watching, but she argued back like "But all my friends watch it! We're not babies anymore!" etc. etc.

I spoke to DH about it and he thinks I was over the top to ban her from watching the cartoon completely because she loves it, just as long as she doesn't repeat the behaviours. But I'm not happy with that.

I'm not stupid I know she wouldn't of picked up the swearing from that show alone, but it really isn't content I'm happy to let her watch. The show has NOT FOR KIDS in each video so DD knows she shouldn't be watching it.

But am I being unreasonable to forbid her completely from watching it?

OP posts:
Rivermonsters · 24/01/2022 09:12

Anyway I doubt DD will understand the bdsm jokes

Oldtiredfedup · 24/01/2022 09:15

The swearing - I couldn’t get upset over that.

Jokes about prostitution and BDSM references? NOPE.

Ignore your husband - women aren’t passive objects for mens pleasure

Lavender24 · 24/01/2022 09:20

I would let her. I used to watch South Park on the sly with my much younger brother at that age. I'd maybe say to her though that if she thinks she is mature enough to watch the cartoon then she should be mature enough to know when it it is and isn't appropriate to use certain language.

RealBecca · 24/01/2022 09:24

Trust me school kids are saying and talking about those topics.

Id let her watch but on the caveat that if you think the behaviours are rubbing off then there will be consequences, i.e. you may stop her watching it.

Thirtytimesround · 24/01/2022 09:34

YANBU.

“Everybody else is doing it” can be used to justify literally any behaviour including for example carrying knives/guns to school, getting drunk, preteen sex etc.

Raise your child your way OP and ignore the people who think eleven year old girls should be taught swearing and about BDSM etc. It’s grim.

Smorgasborb · 24/01/2022 09:40

Meh. I was an avid reader of Viz at that age. My parents weren't exactly delighted but picked their battles right.

liveforsummer · 24/01/2022 17:03

I don't know why safeguarding seems to be a new buzzword thrown and applied to everything it's not relevant to, but anyway, no it isn't.

@Promleafyus i was responding to someone who was justifying her point by saying she worked in safeguarding. That's the only reason I used it. Absolutely it doesn't apply but for that reason. neither does it strengthen her argument.

*“Everybody else is doing it” can be used to justify literally any behaviour including for example carrying knives/guns to school, getting drunk, preteen sex etc.
*
You can't really compare it to carrying guns or knives ffs. It's not illegal for an 11 year old to watch this. In fact a 4 year old could with adult permission. It's not putting people Kobe's at risk. It's nothing like going out and getting hammered either, more equivalent to buying one drink a couple of months before your 18th. No big deal either.

Eatsleepgamerepeat · 24/01/2022 17:08

You can ban her all you want in your house. But she's 11. She will be finding other ways to watch it without you knowing. So I think you need to accept that risk.

liveforsummer · 24/01/2022 17:18

I suppose you could say she can watch the 12A show only and does not watch the 15. She might be happy with that for a bit .

Udon123 · 24/01/2022 17:59

Helluva Boss is probably not the kind of show you should let an 11 year old watch. It is funny but it's definitely an adult show. Maybe you and your husband should watch it together or at least watch part of it and then maybe you'll be able to come to an agreement on it? I will say it does have some positive aspects to it but most of it goes too far for that age group. I'd probably talk to her about the things you are especially concerned about.

Original poster
CowboyJo · 24/01/2022 20:04

@liveforsummer

I suppose you could say she can watch the 12A show only and does not watch the 15. She might be happy with that for a bit .
Neither are 12A friendly. IMDB is like Wikipedia I think it can be edited but Hazbin Hotel the supposedly 12A, I've seen the following things I don't think would fly with the BBFC for 12A.

. prostitute character: he is introduced getting out of someone's car, asking them to keep his prostitution discrete. One scene later he orders himself a bag of cocaine from a vending machine.
. lots of effing and jeffing (not just 12A "damnit" or "ass" swearing; multiple f bombs and sexual language like "I can suck your d*ck" and "dont get your taco in a twist")
. bdsm references. one character ties another up in a fight and the tied up character moans "ohhhh harder daddy"

OP posts:
Original poster
CowboyJo · 24/01/2022 20:07

Im talking to DH about the cartoon hopefully once DD is in bed (her bedtime is in half an hour) because I don't think he understands the content, we might watch bits of it together and see what he thinks

OP posts:
pigalow · 24/01/2022 20:11

DD watched all of Sex Education at the age of 12 without permission!

aristotlesdeathray · 24/01/2022 20:21

@CowboyJo

The certifications on IMBD aren't editable by the general public like Wikipedia

Ericaequites · 24/01/2022 20:25

I’ve seen both, and they are not appropriate for young viewers. All of Warner Brothers and Looney toons are suitable. They have some clever grown up word play, but are family friendly. The Simpsons and King of the Hill are also suitable for 11.

BiscuitLover3678 · 24/01/2022 20:25

This is very difficult op. Unfortunately this is only going to happen more and more. Your daughter will continually be exposed to this and more.
I think it’s better to sit down with her calmly, explain why you don’t like it or the topics it talks about. Perhaps asks her what she thinks of them? (She will probably get very embarrassed). Say you know you can’t stop her watching it but you do not want it on in your house so she knows your views.

At the end of the day there is absolutely no way you can control her watching that. You have to let her start trying things and be that strong and stable parent who is there to catch her when she falls (and yes I really really feel for you!)

BiscuitLover3678 · 24/01/2022 20:26

Also you can take away the iPad. Let DH actually watch some of it.

Thisisit2022 · 24/01/2022 20:32

I understand your concern but my dear Mum read snippets of the upcoming "Diary of Laura Palmer" just before Twin Peaks hit UK shores and instantly forbade me to read or watch it. Years later it's still one of my absolute favourite programmes.

Ahalam · 24/01/2022 22:11

Question for those of you who aren’t concerned about an 11 year old watching content that references bdsm and prostitution: where would you draw a line?

aristotlesdeathray · 25/01/2022 08:11

@Ahalam

Question for those of you who aren’t concerned about an 11 year old watching content that references bdsm and prostitution: where would you draw a line?
Probably content that shows BDSM

A cartoon discussing topics is different to seeing those topics

One of these shows is rated as a 12a so can't be that bad

EmpressSuiko · 25/01/2022 10:17

They are definitely for adults, both are a 15.
Helluva Boss is a spin off show off Hazbin Hotel.
Some 15’s are so mild I think they should be a 12 but it’s because they may have the odd swear words in them, this show is pushing closer to an 18 imo with the content and swearing in it.
I definitely wouldn’t let my nearly 11 year old watch it!

TheOriginalEmu · 25/01/2022 11:04

@Ahalam

Question for those of you who aren’t concerned about an 11 year old watching content that references bdsm and prostitution: where would you draw a line?
For me the line is not done by age or topic, but by each individual child and their personality. I understand that there has to be a blanket rule for films and such and why, but it’s always struck me as a nonsense that one day you are too young to deal with adult themes but the next you are fine. That’s not how people work. So my line varies.
MorningStarling · 25/01/2022 11:08

It's the same as South Park or The Simpsons, it's meant for adults not children. I'd have thought that people had learned by now that cartoon for kids, but I guess not.

Even The Flintstones wasn't aimed at children, hence Fred Flintstone singing "Winstons taste good, like a cigarette should."

Nonivknamesforcatapillars · 25/01/2022 11:17

Meh, I’m pretty lax, but wouldn’t like to say for sure whether or not I’d care about them watching it until I’d seen it.

aristotlesdeathray · 25/01/2022 11:18

@EmpressSuiko

They are definitely for adults, both are a 15. Helluva Boss is a spin off show off Hazbin Hotel. Some 15’s are so mild I think they should be a 12 but it’s because they may have the odd swear words in them, this show is pushing closer to an 18 imo with the content and swearing in it. I definitely wouldn’t let my nearly 11 year old watch it!
They're not both a 15 Hmm