Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Squid games and 10/11 year olds

149 replies

Blendedperfectly25 · 02/02/2025 07:49

My DD is year 6, she comes home every day talking about squid games because her whole class are obsessed.

she then asked if she could watch it, I had never watched it so I put on episode 1 last night just for me to watch to see if it was suitable.

I am shocked at how many 10 year olds are watching this ? I know today I will have the debate with daughter who claim life is so unfair and she won’t fit in if she doesn’t watch it.

anyone else let their 10 year olds watch it ?

OP posts:
picturethispatsy · 02/02/2025 10:06

It’s hardly ‘pearl clutching’ to not want your kids to watch killing and sex.

Disturbia81 · 02/02/2025 10:08

Definitely not.. too gory, violent and chilling.

Hufflemuff · 02/02/2025 13:29

Same at my DS school. He's in year 6 and has gone on and on about it. He's seen some clips on YouTube, even though he's on the kids YT version. On fortnite there's a squid game type of game. Probably something similar on Roblox too (although he doesn't play that). However, friends at school have watched it and recounted it with accuracy for him.

He's watched the squid game challenge instead - the gameshow one, thats fine.

Parents just can't be bothered to say no, or they're so desensitised themselves that they think it's acceptable to let kids this age watch it.

TreeSquirrel · 02/02/2025 14:56

picturethispatsy · 02/02/2025 10:06

It’s hardly ‘pearl clutching’ to not want your kids to watch killing and sex.

I’m not sure what ‘killing’ has to do with it. Unless they are incredibly sheltered or have SEN, 12 year olds know that people get killed. By 12, I would expect that the majority can differentiate between a TV show and real life.

Squid Game is not an 18 in any event, so can’t contain a very high level of violence or gore.

TikehauLilly · 02/02/2025 14:59

Not appropriate YANBU

Years ago my now teenager would come home saying he was the only one not allowed to watch IT / stranger things / squid games ... each year something new and inappropriate for his age at the time.

I don't think parents monitor what thier children watch or do online at all.

CloudywMeatballs · 02/02/2025 15:01

Why are you all calling it Squid Games? It's Squid Game!

It is entirely inappropriate for such a young child. My daughter is in her 20's and won't watch it because it's too violent for her!

CloudywMeatballs · 02/02/2025 15:01

TreeSquirrel · 02/02/2025 14:56

I’m not sure what ‘killing’ has to do with it. Unless they are incredibly sheltered or have SEN, 12 year olds know that people get killed. By 12, I would expect that the majority can differentiate between a TV show and real life.

Squid Game is not an 18 in any event, so can’t contain a very high level of violence or gore.

Show quote history

I take it you haven't seen Squid Game. It's a really well done show, but it is INCREDIBLY violent and gory.

BlueSilverCats · 02/02/2025 15:11

@TreeSquirrel Game of Thrones and The boys have some seasons/episodes rated at 15. That doesn't mean the shows (or even just those episodes ) are appropriate viewing for 12 yos.

The fact that Stranger Things is also a 15 baffles my brain, since I find it a lot tamer. But hey ho, that’s where parental decisions come into play.

wonderingwhatlifemeans · 02/02/2025 15:14

Someone in my year 1 class has been talking about it and it turned out they had seen it with their older siblings. This has led to interesting conversations where the siblings said 'everyone is watching it' and they are year 3 and 5. The parents were shocked but knew nothing about it. They thought it was some sort of competition show like celebrity where people had to do disgusting tasks but nothing too serious. We have now had to put messages in the newsletter.

rewilded · 02/02/2025 15:16

My YR8 DS has watched S1 with me with a lot of fast-forwarding and discussion. Other DC were showing clips in break at clubs etc so I would prefer him to watch it with me with guidance. Some of his friends had already watched it and I didn't want him to watch it unaccompanied.

He didn't see any gore or sexual scenes so missed a lot!!

TreeSquirrel · 02/02/2025 15:22

@wonderingwhatlifemeans

In my view it is not appropriate for schools to be dictating to parents what their DC can and can’t watch.

neverbeenskiing · 02/02/2025 15:23

BlueSilverCats · 02/02/2025 08:47

To be fair , a lot of the games involved are childhood games, some traditional British playground games with a different name. Like Red light/Green light or jacks.

Show quote history

They were very definitely acting out scenes from the show, including fighting and pretending to shoot each other, and when asked what they were playing they said "Squid Game". A couple of the parents I spoke to admitted to letting their children watch it on Netflix, others were adamant that they hadn't watched it but said they "might have seen something about it on YouTube", which is worrying in itself as 6 year olds shouldn't have unrestricted access to YouTube anyway.

BlueSilverCats · 02/02/2025 15:27

TreeSquirrel · 02/02/2025 15:22

@wonderingwhatlifemeans

In my view it is not appropriate for schools to be dictating to parents what their DC can and can’t watch.

As long as you don't expect schools to sort out any issues that rise from that either(or phone/social media use) then fair enough.

neverbeenskiing · 02/02/2025 15:28

TreeSquirrel · 02/02/2025 15:22

@wonderingwhatlifemeans

In my view it is not appropriate for schools to be dictating to parents what their DC can and can’t watch.

Schools have a statutory obligation to safeguard children from abuse and neglect, whether you like it or not children being exposed to graphically violent or sexually inappropriate content is a form of neglect. It also causes problems in school when we have young children coming in using offensive language, threatening to shoot their friends or teachers in their head or stab them, or simulating sexual acts because they're acting out movies they've seen and games they've played at home. Believe me, I wish I didn't have to have these conversations with parents but we have a duty of care.

Tillow4ever · 02/02/2025 15:31

Are they watching it or are they seeing the You Tube shorts and Tik Tok's about it? They seem very popular right now.

My youngest was going on about it when the first season came out. He hadn't watched it at all, but was seeing short clips online - so maybe a lot of the kids are just seeing those?

Definitely not suitable for a primary school age child!

Whatafustercluck · 02/02/2025 15:34

I remember my ds saying the same at the same age, when series 1 came out. Dh and I watched it and knew it wasn't for children. We had so many arguments with ds over it, but didn't relent. I was sure that his friends were likely watching it without their parents' knowledge but maybe they just didn't realise how gruesome it was. It definitely isn't for 10 and 11 year olds.

Bakedpotatoes · 02/02/2025 15:34

When season 1 came out my DC was 6 and was talking like all their friends had seen it. I actually don't believe that at all, I think as pp have said older siblings, mentions on YouTube etc.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/02/2025 15:36

Superhansrantowindsor · 02/02/2025 08:21

Not appropriate but not surprised. I have had year 7’s talking about Game of Thrones.

That’s crazy! It’s so incredibly inappropriate.

XelaM · 02/02/2025 15:37

You can let her watch the reality TV version of Squid Games. Same games but no deaths obviously.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/02/2025 15:38

My dd was 13 when the first squid game series came out. She didn’t even want to watch it but her friends were.

She asked me for a potted summary of what happens so she could pretend to have seen it! That worked quite well!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/02/2025 15:38

XelaM · 02/02/2025 15:37

You can let her watch the reality TV version of Squid Games. Same games but no deaths obviously.

Edited

maybe that’s what the others have seen?

Whatafustercluck · 02/02/2025 15:38

TreeSquirrel · 02/02/2025 15:22

@wonderingwhatlifemeans

In my view it is not appropriate for schools to be dictating to parents what their DC can and can’t watch.

Children being allowed by parents to watch films with an age rating far higher than their actual age is viewed by schools (rightly) as a red flag for welfare concerns.

frecklejuice · 02/02/2025 15:39

My daughter is 11 and I'm pretty lenient with certain things she watches (she loves a police programme!) but I won't let her watch Squid Games.

I work in a pre school and one of the 4 year olds asked me if I watch it then proceeded to tell me what happens! How are kids sitting with their parents watching this?

CatsWhiskerz · 02/02/2025 15:41

Too young! My 12 year old year 8 child isn't allowed to watch it, swearing, killings, panic in people are all things he shouldn't be watching. My DD is year 11 and has watched it with me and thinks he's too young too - she pauses it if he comes in the room!

HappySats · 02/02/2025 15:52

YANBU, my 11 year old is year 6 has come home saying it’s being played in the playground and he’s been told quite a lot about it by his friends. Thankfully they’ve told him enough that he’s said it’s not for him. However it really worries me this rise in kids watching totally inappropriate things. We’ve already had WhatsApp chats with knives and “joint” pictures sent. My son always worries he’s “babyish” as he still loves Star Wars, Minions etc. A friend of mine came after Christmas and was surprised he had asked for some “toys” figures for Christmas. When I was 11 I was still loving my baby dolls and polly pockets. Now it seems if our children aren’t exposed to everything in life by the age of 11 then they are somehow babyish/immature. Sad times.

Swipe left for the next trending thread