Avatar 12A cert...

[Prinnie]

Ok, so I don't have DCs yet, but I went to see Avatar last night, which is a 12A certificate. I personally thought that if I did have DCs then depending on the child I would be happy for a child of potentially 8+ to watch it.

However, what I wouldn't have been happy about an 8/9/10 year old seeing was the contraception advert that was on before the film started...! AIBU to think that these adverts should only be shown on certificates that are 12+ rather than 12A? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a prude and I wouldn't have an issue with a 12 year old seeing the advert. (Does anyone know the one I mean? It lists about 3/4 forms of contraception.. 'Should i get an IUD?, Oh no! I forgot my pill' etc.)

AIBU or those of you with children of 8/9/10 would you have been unhappy with this?

DS, 7 has seen that advert; it's gone over his head atm but by 10 I hope he DOES know about safe sex in an age appropriate way (the advert isn't OTT - would spark questions perhaps, but that's all)

Why shouldn't children know about that stuff?

That's on tv too I think. I think it will have gone over dc's head I think. It doesn't bother me. It's not graphic or anything.

Took dd11 to Avatar and she loved it.

Oops! Too many 'I thinks' methinks!

That adverts on the TV all the time, young kids wont have a clue what its about.mine are older now but it still wouldn't bother me if they where younger.

I have a 10 year old and a 4 yr old, the ad is on telly, i am sure both DCs have seen it. neither have mentioned it, but my eldest is aware of what sex is/babies/stopping babies happening..if they don't start taking it on board, by the time they are 13/14 it is way too late

i would far rather they are exposed to this sort of thing fairly early on, and if they are young like DD, it goes over their head, and if like DS they are a bit older, they can ask a quesiont about it, and get it answered

it doesn't have to be a big in depth converation, just ' the pill is a special medicine a woman takes to make sure she doesn't have a baby '

ironically, am just watching TV and DD is with me, she is not paying any attention to it !!

if children are shielded from this or thir parents are too embarassed to tell them stuff, or make it sound dirty or shameful or that their child is wrong for asking, it is just setting up for a huge amount of trouble later

8 , 9 & 10 year olds do talk about sex/kissing actually. they might be doing it in a childish way, and being all giggly, but they talk about it, ask questions etc...

i meant , ironically, the ad is on TV now and DD is not paying ayn attnetion to it

My oldest is 6 and I wouldn't have any issue with it, if it provoked questions I would answer them, but I suspect he wouldn't pay any attention to it (the advert). Like PPs, I'm pretty sure he's seen it on TV anyway.

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies, I do see what you mean about it going over younger children's heads, and that was really the group I had in mind. I can also see what you mean about 9/10 yr olds starting to consider that type of thing as well.

My son was 8 when he first asked what condoms were. I would want my kids to be informed about contraception before they get to being interested in sex rather than after the fact.

I don't think 8 is too young to answer questions surrounding contraception.

My DCs have all seen it and not took any notice. DD is 13 so im sure the information is sittng somewhere in her memory that there is more than one form of contraception. My only problem with the ad is that, although they are sating talk about the subject, it still sends out the message that its the girls responsbility.

Why cant it say "As well as using condoms, I think we should use blah blah too." Giving the message that the boys have a responsibility also and STDs need to be thorght about.

actually, i agree teamcullen

condoms should be used aswell. and it should not just be about the girl.

teamcullen, agreed. I think part of the problem with children having sex early is that they don't seem to acknowledge that they both need to be responsible about it. Too many boys 'don't like' condoms and try and pressure women into taking the responsibility onto themselves when it comes to contraception, and that's an attitude which needs to change. (Guess whose DP put that argument forward on occasion!)

The earlier children know about sex - not in a creepy way but in a general awareness way; I'm not saying young children should know all the inns and outs - the less likely they are to see it as something forbidden which they then desperately want a go at. Mind you, saying that, some children (including my younger self) are deeply squeamish about the whole thing, and shy away from seeing anything to do with sex. Perhaps it's seeing hte reactions of these squeamish children that makes adults think they aren't ready. (And I speak having been a very romance-squeamish child myself. Even now I feel uneasy watching people kiss in movies, and as a child the thought of kissing and sex revolted me. I decided that I would never have a relationship with anyone, and that if I wanted children I would "simply adopt".)

PG means it should be OK for children aged 8+.
12A means it's aimed at 12+.

I haven't seen Avatar, but my 12 yr-old has. He told me I wouldn't enjoy it because it is very violent in places.

I wouldn't let my 10 yr-old see it.

On the other hand I have no problem with him seeing adverts for contraception. He knows what sex is, he knows what a condom is and what it's for. He knows what the pill is and the MAP.