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Kids watching horror films

66 replies

LoserHead · 19/02/2009 18:54

This was a convo I just had with my DS (8)

DS - "Mum .... What's Chuckie?"
me - "as in the egg?"
DS - "No, the doll that kills people"
me - " where have you seen that??"
DS - "Everyone talks about it at school, Can we get the DVD? Aaron and Josh have it and so does Casey. They all say it's great so can I get it?"
me - "No! it's a scarey film, it's an 18"

Then DS1 (10) comes in ....

DS1 - "What's an 18?"
Me - "A scarey film"
DS1 - "Oh right. Doesn't matter though, we can still watch 18s"
me - "oh? who said?"
DS1 - "Well, everyone at school does. They're all talking about something called Final Destination, it's supposed to be the best film ever. And Corey's favourite movie is The Football Factory, and that's an 18"

Me - "Well, that's up to their parents. You two do not watch stuff like that".

At this point, they both look at each other and smile ...

DS1 - "Well, dad lets us".

Me - "What has he let you watch?"
DS1 - "Kill Bill 1 and 2"
me - "ok, so what happens in it?"
DS1 - "It's great, this woman gets burried alive, one gets an eye poked out ... "

Am I really being precious here?? I will be having words with the father but apparantly "all the kids at school watch 18s"

OP posts:
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 19/02/2009 21:39

PMSL at the idea of there being some equivalence between Kill Bill and Horrid Henry.
I was horrified enough when my 11-yr-old DD came home and told me the teacher had allowed them to watch the most recent Batman film during class on the last day of term before Christmas. And that's only a 12. Problem was the girls did not want to watch it and were very upset by the violence in it, but were overruled by the boys.
I still think a Y7 class that contains a lot of 11-year-olds should not be allowed to watch a 12.
I would have very strong words with the father if I were you.

Minxie1977 · 19/02/2009 22:15

YANBU - there are so many other things for DCs to do, let alone watch - why would anyone subject them to violent or sexual films!?!

DSD is 5 and allowed to watch Lord of the Rings and Hollyoakes! She has nightmares about monsters now and thinks 'girls need to look nice for boys'. I just can't understand it. They need to be children for as long as possible. The world seems to be moving away from 'family' entertainment.

fryalot · 19/02/2009 22:18

no. The reason they have a certificate of 18 is that they are not suitable for people under 18.

There are some 18 films that I have let dd1 watch (she's 15) but most of them I won't even let her see. Never mind children of your childrens' ages!

It could even be classed as abuse I think, to let a child watch an inappropriate (for their age) film.

Tell their dad to be more responsible in future.

skramble · 19/02/2009 22:20

My DS is 12 and I don't let him watch 18's, has watched 12's before he was 12 but it all depends on the type of film. PIL let him and DD 9 watch CSI I objected as some of the story lines are a bit much, this was raised when DD was watching a NCSI about a serial rapist/ murderer. MIL recons NCSI is OK as it is normally on before 9, yes but perhaps thats why that one was on at 9 instead.

I know they have access to older films when staying at freinds and at their Dads as his censorship skills aren't as developed as mine . But I will continue doing what I do, and discourage the rest.

Nighbynight · 19/02/2009 22:29

YANBU, stick to your guns. they are 18 for a reason.

I am a very laissez-faire parent, but my children do NOT watch this stuff when they are with me. They have a dvd of jurassic park (12 certificate), which they believe that I don't know the location of. I have threatened terrible punishments if the older ones let the younger ones see it.

weenawoo · 20/02/2009 12:00

Seem to remember using the 'everyone else is allowed' whine with my strict mother when I was a kid - this usually meant two or three others! YANBU.

MorningTownRide · 20/02/2009 12:19

YANBU

I 'accidently' watched An American Werewolf in London when I was 7.

I had nighmares for months.

AnnVan · 20/02/2009 12:24

My DB's ex had a six year old girl who was terrified of teddy bears because she watched chils's play when she was 4! She has also watched The Exorcist - I Haven't even watched that! YANBU at all

theressomethingaboutmarie · 20/02/2009 13:01

I, somehow, watched a film about vampires butchering people when at home and about four or five years old. I'm now 33 and still remember how horrid and scary it was.

Children should not watch horror films. The certifications are there for a reason.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 20/02/2009 14:05

There was some research talked about in the press fairly recently about how watching horror/violent films actually stimulates the same part of the brain in a child that is stimulated in women who have been raped or been through some other terribly traumatic ordeal.

at "think as long as the children know right from what, and whats real and not, what does it matter what they watch". The point is, these images look REAL to children. As for the link to Horrid Henry, get real, will you?!

I am horrified at the way some people have been allowed to watch things like Child's Play at a young age by people supposed to be looking after them. Have people forgotten about poor Jamie Bulger? Child's Play was implicated in that case. So was Reservoir Dogs in another case involving children inflicting extreme violence on other children.

I think such films are bad enough in adults because we kind of become immune to the level of violence that is shown each time we watch such a film. We are no longer shocked by extreme images, which is sad. I remember being horrified and upset by the rape scene in The Accused when I watched it in my early 20s. I saw it again 10 years later, and was actually more shocked that I didn't feel the same horror as when I'd seen it all those years ago.

IMO, if you as an adult are blatantly ignoring film ratings, which are there FOR A PURPOSE, and allowing your child to see these things, then you need to start re-thinking your parenting skills and ability.

And after that general rant, OP, I would lose total respect for my DH if he let my child watch Kill Bill. It's tantamount to child abuse.

ChopsTheDuck · 20/02/2009 14:24

mine would have nightmares, and I'd be fuming. Poor ds1 can't even watch some PGs without being scared.

Agree that Kill Bill is very violent, she goes round killing eveyrbody!

Chucky is horrible for children, particularly because it is a toy. I showed a pic to dt2 (they look rather alike) and he did not like it, even without the violence/scariness in the film!

SamsMama · 20/02/2009 16:03

No, I have not forgotten poor little Jamie Bulger. I was just thinking about him the other day for some reason...all these years later and it still makes me sick to my stomach. I was quite young when it happened, and I was so profoundly affected by it- that kids could do that to another kid.

I plan on being VERY strict about what DS watches (he's only 18 mos now so not much of an issue yet!) There is absolutely no reason to expose a young child to extremely violent or sexually explicit images. None. I remember going to see an "R" movie (imagine that's like your 18?) and seeing an extended family with several kids under 8 or so. During the violent scenes one of the little ones was just sobbing, and the parent was shushing him rather angrily. Actually the scary part was that none of the other kids DID cry, obviously they were desensitized to seeing people get their heads chopped off and raped and stabbed and God knows what else. And really, children can't distinguish between what's real and what's not. The older ones understand it's just a movie, of course, but they don't understand that that's not going to happen to them.

I try not to judge other parents, because it's a tough enough job as it is, but I admit I think worse of those who let their LOs watch films like that.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 20/02/2009 16:11

I felt physically sick throughout Kill Bill, seriously.

And when I was about 8 some irresponsible babysitter let me watch "The Bogeyman" and i apparently had nightmares for months, can still remember the horrible bits nearly 30 years on!

PurplePillow · 20/02/2009 16:12

Yanbu

They have ages on films for a reason, I don't even watch horror films, films should be entertaining especially for children (and me)

serenity · 20/02/2009 16:12

skramble - just so you know, CSI box sets are usually rated 15. Not sure about NCIS, but I'd imagine it would be similar.

FWIW, mine are only allowed to watch 12s if I've seen them and think they're ok, but it's unusual enough that they find it quite exciting. They've never seen 15s or 18s.

TheThoughtPolice · 20/02/2009 16:21

I have 2 boys, one is almost 17 and the other is 15. Both have seen 18 certificate films. I think they saw a 15 certificated film (it was a 'mild' 15) at around 12 and an 18 at around 14 (again a mild '18', one that tbh could've been a 15 but perhaps were bumped up because they were slightly outisde of the certificate rules, iyswim, same with the 15's seen when they were younger). The films they watched had been vetted by myself and/or DH prior to their viewing so we could assess why it was given a 15/18 certicate and decide whether it was appropriate for the boys to watch. Neither are violent homicidal maniacs/rapists or scarred.

I accept that I am quite relaxed on rules like this but I would not allow an 8 or 10yo to watch an 18, or even a 15.

MsSparkle · 20/02/2009 16:25

Me and my sister watched loads of horrors from about the age of 10. We watched Chucky, all the Halloweens, the one with Jason in plus lots i can't think of the names of now.

I I do agree though that it's the parents own cchoice if they allow their children to watch horrors.

When i asked my mum why she allowed us to watch them she said because we were head strong, sensible kids and she knew we weren't stupid enough to go and copy the actions of the films. I thought it was alittle but i guess she was right looking back and how me and my sister were.

bunjies · 20/02/2009 16:36

YADNBU - 8 & 10 is far too young to watch an 18cert film. You definitely need to have words with their Dad.

Having said that my ds (10) is terrified of Dr Who & can never sleep if he's watched it. Even the music now gives him the creeps! He's only ever watched a couple of episodes.

MrsSnape · 20/02/2009 16:38

I watched nightmare on elm street when I was about 10/11. I loved it and became absolutely obsessed with it. The love of horror films kind of continued through the years but for some reason, I can't watch them now. They freak me out.

My youngest son is like I used to be though, I have found him sneaking my horror DVDs on in the past. I know he has watched Nightmare on elm street 1 and 6. He has also watched parts of Sweeney Todd and Kill Bill.

Colonelcupcake · 20/02/2009 17:04

I watched beetlejuice when I was about 8 I was so scared and had nightmares for months, I couldn't watch it again until I was nearly 20! Then I found a lot of it funny

solidgoldbullet4myvalentine · 20/02/2009 17:11

It's a myth that Childs Play was implicated in the Bulger case BTW: there was no evidence of this at all.
Mostly kids who claim to have seen 18 cert films haven't, but have older friends or siblings who have. WHen DS gets to about the 14 mark I will let him watch what he likes, I expect - but I wouldn't show an 18-cert horror film to an under 10.

Mind you, a friend of mine was forced to watch The Exorcist at the age of 7 by her loony mother, who said she needed to know what would happen to her if she didn't say her prayers every night...

purpleduck · 20/02/2009 17:17

Troutpout no need to be embarrassed -I think Harry Potter IS unsuitable for younger children. PG is Parental Guidance, and you were doing your job. I think PG is too low for it, as it has some upsetting themes.

My ds (9) has mentioned that the kids in his class have been watching 12 rated films. I am pretty strict, but both my dc's don't like scary things, so they haven't really asked.

shirleyfgirley · 20/02/2009 17:27

my boys are 16 and 12. we have a stash of 18 certificate films (approved by me, eg, Gladiator) which are kept hidden from the younger one because i don't want him to see them. when the older one was younger he used to use that argument "but my friends have seen 18's" on me but you have to take it with a large pinch of salt. it's only 3 years ago that i let them watch the original Jaws film (they both love to swim and we live near the beach) - they were both terrified and jumped at all the shocking bits - and that made me realise i still have to protect them from nasty images. when we are in Blockbuster i try to steer them towards the funny/political/adventure stuff and leave the horror on the shelf..

loobeylou · 20/02/2009 19:18

a nursery teacher told me they get 3yr olds drawing monsters and characters from 15 and 18 films that SHE would not watch herself

CHOCOLATEPEANUT · 20/02/2009 19:35

YANBU

I went to see Jaws at the pictures when it came out (I was 9) because i was pestered dad (it must have been an A which is a pg now)

i was ill for months after and have never been in the sea since

im 41

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