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AIBU?

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Original poster

what do you think about letting a 8yo and a 7yo watch a 15 cert film?

79 replies

bunnyhunny · 05/01/2008 01:13

we were over our family's over the holidays, and their children were allowed to watch a 15 certificate film which had gory violence and sex scenes in.

I was a bit that the parents didnt bat an eyelid, but I am beginning to think I may be a bit prudish about these things! I felt very odd sitting in the same room as a 8yr old and 7yo watching a lady writhing about with her boobs barely concealed, and men being slaughtered...

When did you let your kids watch these sorts of films?

OP posts:
slopeyjoe · 05/01/2008 01:18

bunnyhunny, i am with you on this but i sometimes feel i am in the minority in rl.

i have 3 dcs, 3, 4 and 5, and at the moment they don't even know that anything exists beyond the likes of thomas the tank and cbeebies!

i don't get why people let their little ones play violent fighting computer games either but then i may be a prude or very old fashioned in wanting to keep my kids innocent and uncorrupted for as long as poss!

Peridot30 · 05/01/2008 01:20

Im with you too. There is no way i would let kid of that age watch films like that.

Probably about 13/14 before i would let them watch 15cert films.

Not prudish at all just common sense. They have age guidelines on them for a reason!!!

amytheearwaxbanisher · 05/01/2008 01:24

not with a seven and eight year old

OverRated · 05/01/2008 01:29

I was going to say, it depends on the film and why it is a 15 but given what you described, I would not let those children watch it.

Original poster
bunnyhunny · 05/01/2008 01:42

maybe then I am not being prudish
I love coming on mumsnet and having my opinions affirmed
I have a friend who won't let he kids watch 15/18 films as they are all under 10. Many of their friends do watch them...
I am with the keeping them innocent camp

OP posts:
MAMAZON · 05/01/2008 01:49

i think it depends on the film.

Ds is Dinosaur mad and has watched all the jurasic park films but im pretty sure one of those is either a 12 or 15.

i watched it first and, whilst as bit blood thirsty it was all natural ie an animal eating things so not real violance iyswim.

but no i would not ever let him watch anything with real violance or nudity

gigglewitch · 05/01/2008 01:53

I wouldnt ... but all the children of that age that i know / teach would be terrified by most things with teen or 12 certs on them.

Alambil · 05/01/2008 10:41

I wouldn't let them watch a gory one.

DS is 5 and may watch "look who's talking" at some point this week - that is a 12 (for the sex refs I think) but I will veto it first to remind myself if it is suitable.

LynetteScavo · 05/01/2008 10:47

I will let them watch a 15 certificate when they are, ummmm..... 15.

LynetteScavo · 05/01/2008 10:49

DS1 has watched The Italian Job (at my prim and proper mothers ), which is a 12. NOw Both my boys enoy using the word "bloody"

Maidamess · 05/01/2008 10:50

I think it depends on the film. A friend of mine took her 7 year old to see The Kite Runner (!) which was a 12 A but then he watches all the James Bond Films. i don't think the subject matter of the Kite Runner is suitable for that age group, perhaps a lot of it passed him by. But my 6 year old has seen King Kong which was a 12, and loved it. Perhaps its the fantasy aspect.

I baulk at my 12 year old watching 15's.

evenhope · 05/01/2008 10:50

I was very strict about this when my others were younger. The certificates are there for a reason. I certainly wouldn't let a young child watch a 15 or 18 cert.

DarthVader · 05/01/2008 11:02

I think if you are prepared to watch the film on your own first you can act as the censor for your own family.

If you can't be bothered then the certificates are a good guide. I do think it is irresponsible to let children other than your own children watch films with the wrong certificate without their parents' agreement.

LIZS · 05/01/2008 11:04

Not consciously but can't say I haven't since the tv companies don't always take the rating into account when scheduling .

smartiejake · 05/01/2008 11:20

No way would I let kids that young watch 15 certificate films. My 11.6 year old dd certainly isn't.
I won't let her watch tv after 9 o'clock either unless it's something I have seen before.
Not so long ago the f word was confined to late night tv but now 9:01pm and there it is.

AbbeyA · 05/01/2008 11:21

YANBU the certificate is there for a purpose. I haven't seen the Kite Runner, but loved the book, but it is totally unsuitable for a 7 yr old.

Twiglett · 05/01/2008 11:24

I think it is inappropriate and just plain WRONG

I have friends who do this

I don't even let mine watch 12A films

I have worked with the BFi before and there is a reason that these films have the classifications they do

it is possible to make your children immune to them .. but personally I like the fact that my children are children and somewhat protected from the 'entertainment industry'

madamez · 05/01/2008 11:24

It would depend on the DC: are they at the gruesome ghost-stories-and-cops-and-robbers stage, or are they sensitive little souls? I woud also keep half an eye on DC while the film was on, and take them to another room to do something else if they seemed distressed or indeed bored.
I wouldn;t get a stick up my arse about it thoug. Censorship is dumb anyway.

spugs · 05/01/2008 11:25

15s nowadays are like 18s 10 years ago, to be honest i find some of them scary so no theres no chance id let dd1 (6) watch one. maybe when shes 12/13 and then depending on what it is. im a teacher and have kids (6/7) telling me about the films theyve been watching and its shocking. (computer games as well but thats a slightly different matter). im still 'traumatised' by the 18 cert film my dad let us watch when i was 14 which had people eating someone in [bleugh]

Twiglett · 05/01/2008 11:26

madamez .. I think you are so incredibly wrong on this .. and it makes me feel rather sad that other parents feel like this

but such is the way of the world .. your decision

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 11:32

It depends on the film for my 11 year old. But I wouldnt let under 10 watch a 15 as I figure it has violence or sex scence to be a 15.

Twiglett · 05/01/2008 11:35

actually I think there might be a couple of years leeway here .. so I'm not intensely strict .. eg a 10 year old, if of the right temprement could possibly see a 12 movie, and a 13 year old a 15 movie .. but when talking about more than a year or 2 I think it's wholly inappropriate

and I have listened to people's arguments about why it is ok and just think that's total rubbish .. would be interested to hear an argument that does make more sense than 'I can't be bothered to argue any more' really

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 11:37

It depends on the movie and child doesnt it once they are over at least 10 I would say.

PortAndLemonaid · 05/01/2008 11:46

Hypothetically, I can imagine that there might be a 15 certificate film that I had seen myself and thought it appropriate to let my 7 or 8 year old watch. I don't think I've seen one yet, though (Gremlins would be the closest, and I think if it came out today that would probably be rated 12A rather than 15) and certainly would never do it with a film I hadn't seen or with someone else's 7 and 8 year olds.

Alambil · 05/01/2008 11:48

DS (5) has watched Dirty Dancing and Footloose - DD is a 12, Footloose is 15. I let him watch them because he loves the music in them - he doesn't understand the stories, doesn't copy any language (not that I recall any in either film) and I see them as "harmless".

Actually - why is FL a 15?? What is in it that under 15 shouldn't see (apart from drinking/fisticuffs in the club - but even then, it could be dealt with and discussed) ? All I can remember is brilliant music and a storyline of a kid getting used to life in the Bible Belt of the States...