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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to let mainly 12 year olds and a single 13 year old watch dirty dancing

166 replies

Wills · 16/11/2022 19:16

Last year (around now) we moved our daughter to private school due to the lack of dealing with continuous bullying (I'm happy to give the back story but not only is it not the point of the thread, but OMG it's worth another thread so be careful what you ask for). For those who bemoan parents sending their kids to private - actually it did alright for the first 2 but failed the 2nd 2.

Needed to say that because MN is notorious for those who attack.

I've got 7 12 to 13 year olds (that's 6 girls and 1 boy) coming to my house this coming weekend to watch a film. I'd love it to be a film they've never seen before. PLEASE could I have suggestions. My daughter has seen Legally blonde, both Princess diaries, Wild child (best tween film ever! In my humble opinion)), Mean girls (not watched but am told is good and not age inappropriate), Clueless (also not watched personally but my older two girls felt it would be age appropriate for her). Others have suggested dirty dancing and said that at 12-13 the abortion bit would go over their head. Ummm no. I can't take the risk. My youngest is the only child we've sent to private. It's both wonderfully naive and a mix of (you're never going to survive unless you grow up etc). The key thing is that given that most of these kids are trying their hardest to still believe in Father Christmas despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.... What the hell do I show them that won't upset the other parents. I'm out of my league here. They've had all their children at private school from the start. Most of them are great. But the last thing I need is a controversy. Sorry - am possibly over worrying. BUT please give film suggestions!!!!

OP posts:
Wills · 16/11/2022 19:18

Ugh, never type and not check before posting. So to clarify!!! None of my kids went to private school until my youngest going into year 7 from a continuous school i.e. from 3 to 18+. I believe my original post is somewhat misleading on this - sorry

OP posts:
FlipFlop0 · 16/11/2022 19:19

Maybe ask the parents for film suggestions? Then you'll know its appropriate for what they let them watch x

bellac11 · 16/11/2022 19:19

Someone will moan about something or the kids wont like something

Is there a different activity than a film?

Or go for something really out there like the originals of modern comedies from the 50s and 60s etc?

MolliciousIntent · 16/11/2022 19:20

bellac11 · 16/11/2022 19:19

Someone will moan about something or the kids wont like something

Is there a different activity than a film?

Or go for something really out there like the originals of modern comedies from the 50s and 60s etc?

This is genius, show them the Peter Sellers Pink Panther

laalaaland · 16/11/2022 19:22

commonsensemedia.org is a handy reference point for age ratings for films.
How about Pitch Perfect?

milkysmum · 16/11/2022 19:23

At that age I'd be letting them pick their own film. I have a 13 year old girl and when she has friends round they just all flick through Netflix till they find something they all agree on.

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 16/11/2022 19:23

Clueless is good but not Dirty Dancing.

Wills · 16/11/2022 19:24

Flipflop0 - have asked, but no response. Suspect they're all thing the same thing - thank god its not us having to tackle this first

belay11 - agreed. So we're opening the first part of the day ice skating. Because it's a private school whole day activities are expected (or that's what I've surmised in the year I've been doing this). I'm totally out of my depth, BUT and it's a big BUT the other mums have been warm and welcoming. I thought they'd be "who's got the biggest ring/car" but they're so not like that. I've been completely welcomed into their circle. so that last thing I want is to screw up now!

OP posts:
Yoyooo · 16/11/2022 19:24

10 things I hate about you, bring it on?

Devoutspoken · 16/11/2022 19:24

What about the prom

KatieKline · 16/11/2022 19:25

What about Ferris Beullers Day Off?? None of them will have probably seen it and its such a good teen movie, or growing up I loved Teen Wolf !! Showing my age there.

laalaaland · 16/11/2022 19:26

Turning Red, Holes, Back to the future, Napoleon dynamite, School of rock

I'm pretty sure by that age I was watching horror stuff like Candy Man and Clown house! How times have changed!

ThreeblackCats · 16/11/2022 19:27

It’s a private school, we understand that!

Devoutspoken · 16/11/2022 19:29

Murder mystery, knives out

AnApparitionQuipped · 16/11/2022 19:29

BBFC rate Dirty Dancing as a 12, so I don't see how anyone could object to it being shown to 12 and 13 year olds.

It was only originally a15 because the 12 certificate didn't exist when it first came out.

ReadtheReviews · 16/11/2022 19:29

Agree with School of Rock, The Goonies?

butterfliedtwo · 16/11/2022 19:29

I was 12 when I watched it but I suspect you'd get pushback from parents today.

I do see it differently now. Her dad was annoying then. Now he's right.

Devoutspoken · 16/11/2022 19:30

Enola Holmes?

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 16/11/2022 19:30

Overboard with Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell.
Probably seen but Cruella was good and Godmothered, www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/godmothered/user-reviews/adult#:~:text=Non%2Dscary%20fluff%20Christmas%20movie,for%20sensitive%20children%20to%20handle.

bellac11 · 16/11/2022 19:30

Yes Pink Panther, hilarious

Or Bill and Ted, will they have seen that? Also to echo someone else, Back to the future?

What time of day OP - is there scope for some real classic horrors, like Nosferatu, that sort of thing?

PenguinLove1 · 16/11/2022 19:31

What about Big?

PurplePositivity · 16/11/2022 19:32

butterfliedtwo · 16/11/2022 19:29

I was 12 when I watched it but I suspect you'd get pushback from parents today.

I do see it differently now. Her dad was annoying then. Now he's right.

I agree I loved it as a teenager, recently rewatched and thought WTF but I've thought that about most of the films I've rewatched.

Only one I still loved was Lost Boys, actually they might like that, aren't vampires 'in' at the moment Grin

bellac11 · 16/11/2022 19:32

Some of the 80s Bette Midler films are hilarious, whats that one where she gets taken hostage and her husband doesnt want her back so the kidnappers cant get rid of her?

Dailymash · 16/11/2022 19:33

Well they take drugs in Clueless! It is a fabulous film though, absolutely love it to this day.

Another vote for Ferris Bueller and 10 Things I Hate About You (Heath Ledger 😍)

I used to love She’s All That.

perenniallymessy · 16/11/2022 19:34

Some good suggestions above.

The Goonies or Bill and Ted are really popular with my DC.

Ferris Bueller is good but I think it's a 15 (no idea why!) so probably not a good idea.