Mean Girls isn't for kids

[Ljcrow]

Went to see Mean Girls the musical recently, it was good fun but I was shocked by the amount of children there, many of whom looked as young as 7-8 years old, some potentially younger.
The musical includes references to sex, virginity, fingering, wide set vaginas and more. Plus plenty of swearing. Then there's all the talk of dieting and body image that, as adults, we can understand the subtleties of and appreciate the satire, but a child is much less likely to.
I've a 9 year old and there's absolutely no chance I'd take her. Why rush childhood?
Do parents not research these things or do they just not care?
Also, why isn't there an age rating for musicals as for films?
I'm 100% anticipating people responding to this with something about pearl clutching, minding my own business etc. I just think it's a shame we seem to want kids to grow up so fast these days. 🤷‍♀️

Completely agree! Grease is filthy and so knew all the songs from about the age of 9. I have survived 😂

Ive seen this show and I agree the 10+ guidance is too low. I saw complaints on our theatres socials pages after the show from someone who had left at the interval. It may have been the woman just to the side of us who left as we noticed a few empty seats during the 2nd part.
Also you forgot about the Lion Mascot who simulates sex on stage after the audience is told that Regina is inside the costume, so he starts bouncing his belly up and down off his crotch (as if she is inside it) and then grinds against it on the floor.
I enjoyed the show with my daughter who is now 16, even she thought it was a bit to old for some of the kids who were in there.

It's a Mean Girls reference. One of the girls' mothers doesn't enforce any boundaries which she thinks makes her a "cool mom" whereas in actual fact it very clearly does not.

I was pretty shocked at Six…. Miming a blow job?!

Yes I understand what a cool mum us

But you referred to a “regular mum”

we all have different boundaries and some may be cool with theatre shows that others aren’t, but stricter on something else than the other person

Different strokes for different folks I guess

also does it occur to you that they didn’t know how risqué it was? Until they were sitting there

Yes, forgot about that! It's alright saying it'll go over the kids' heads but not all of it will and then what's even the point in taking them?
Plus all the talk of weight and skinnyness is potentially really damaging for a child who doesn't understand the satire.
Why not just take them to a child-friendly show and wait til they're older to bring them to stuff like this?
In response to other posters, yes I watched Grease as a kid but I can't remember how old I was, I doubt I was under 10. I also probably travelled in a car without wearing a seatbelt but that doesn't mean I need to let my daughter do the same thing.

It's a direct quote from the film/show. I don't know how much clearer I can be.

Yes it did occur, which is why I posed the question: do parents not research these things. Also why I posed the question: should musicals have age ratings.

This was one of my favourite films as a child, I must have been about 10 so my siblings 7 and 8. We watched it ALL the time. I think it’s fine watching at the theatre at that age too.

They have age guidance

but just like films…. For example I allowed my 10 year olds to watch 12s,
my 13 year old to watch 15

and most definitely my 16 year old DS to watch 18s!

Yes but if the abbreviations aren't obvious it makes the conversation longer
.....🤔😁

Did you go with friends @Ljcrow ? Or on your own?

A friend, who's also an adult. Why do you ask?

I got it and it made my laugh, for what it's worth 🤣

I wouldn’t take anyone younger than secondary school age to Mean Girls.

and no need to be snooty to the “MT mum”. Those of us entrenched in musical theatre have a pretty good idea of most shows, the content & their age appropriateness. The poster was trying to be helpful.

I was recently at a performance of Something Rotten. That’s also definitely not a kids show. There were 4/5 year olds there crying and getting bored and watching very risqué scenes.

and I had no problem with my 8 year old watching Billy Elliot & my 15 year old watching Book of Mormon.

I watched it when it came out on film, so maybe 8 or 9. I definitely knew what virginity/tampon/wide set vagina/fingering/swearing was beforehand, and I think I understood most of the jokes. I dont think my childhood was scarred by this apparently early knowledge, I still played with toys at 12!

I think children understand more than you think. I've not seen the show so I dont know if its more racy than the film, but I dont think theres much in the film thats particularly damaging

I also dont think the plot of mean girls is a secret, its an incredibly popular film. parents presumably know their child and know if their capable of understanding the jokes/satire

My daughter watched it at 10 (movie) and we had chats about bullying etc. we’re going to see it for her 11th bday in the theatre as she loves musical theatre. Shes seen Hamilton twice in the theatre, saw six a few years ago when she was about 8 or 9. She saw tick tick boom last year. I would obviously draw the line at Book of Mormon!

i think a lot of the inappropriate stuff would go over the heads of little ones but I do think the 10+ guidance is about right tor it.

Lol, so at what point exactly are you planning to let your daughter grow up? 😂 You do realize childhood doesn’t end the moment a child hears an adult joke or encounters a subject you personally find inappropriate, right? Theatre is one of my biggest interests so why on earth wouldn’t I share that with my son, especially when he genuinely enjoys it? I’m not dragging him to musicals against his will to win some imaginary cool mom competition. We’re enjoying something together and the idea that taking an eight-year-old to the theatre is somehow robbing him of his innocence is absolutely ridiculous. You’re welcome to decide what’s appropriate for your own children but perhaps extend that same courtesy to other parents.

You understood fingering at the age of 9? Wow.

Well yeah, I'm not telling any parent what they can or can't do, I'm simply expressing my opinion on it. Just as you're expressing your opinion on my parenting by implying I'm not allowing my daughter to grow up.

Yep. I was watching Grease before I could talk and haven’t stopped in the 30 plus years since.

I’m a very sensible, slightly prudish, married accountant (but Sandy pre make over was always who I admired the most).

lollol,

the words mean girl are very triggering on mumsnet as are queen bee. You will attract the finest among them with your thread. 😎

No I definitely wouldn't have taken a child under around 12 to see Mean Girls. I'd treat it as a 15 film really. Same with Heather's, Waitress, Book of Mormon, Next to Normal, ....