to take 5yo ds to see a 12A film?

[LittleLionMansMummy]

The film being the new Star Wars one. I know I'm officially 'allowed' to, but would usually check film content (by watching it) before making a decision about whether it's appropriate for him. He loves Star Wars and has asked specifically to see it at the cinema.

This thread makes me question why they bother with ratings at all.

Is there ANYWHERE now that is safe from underage children? They do not have an access all areas pass to everything all the time! I don't want your bored, scared or tired child ruining the fairly flipping expensive evening I have paid for Ffs!

The certificates are there for a reason. If you want to expose your children to things that professionals who have the responsibility to decide, then get the dvd and don't inflict your children on the rest found who DO take child development seriously and don't potentially ruin the experience of other ticket payers.

I have had films ruined by selfish parents taking the kids to late/evening showings of pg films. Showings and timings I deliberately chose NOT to have to put up with contestant munching, chatting, fidgeting and rustling.

12a is 12a. It means children of 12, but less than this accompanied by a supposedly half decent parent.

At least think why this is, make sure they are closer to that age than infant school/reception age.

Piss poor, irresponsible and lazy parenting. No wonder children's mental health is at its poorest state in years!

Allow kids to be kids and show them the importance of waiting for things. They will get far more out of it (as will society) than a yes yes yes culture with no delineation between older children and very young ones.

*The professionals who have the responsibility to decide that it's best if viewed by older children upwards

I'm cross that they made it a 12 too. There's just no need for a Star Wars film to be a 12 (regardless what the rabid fanboys think). Small boys live Star Wars (and some small girls). It makes no sense for it to be designed to be anything other than a PG. The original film has a U certificate.

Hissy the pearl clutching is unnecessary. By the way your mental health comment is offensive. The reason I have bipolar I can assure you isn't because I watched 12s.

It's a cinema, it's a public space, people eat and talk. As long as they're not having a philosophical debate or ordering lobster, stop being so bloody precious.

YOU stay home and watch the DVD if you have such an aversion

My 5 year old has seen all 6 Star Wars films- the originals on DVD were U rated, and 1-3 recorded off the tv. I assumed they were U rated as well, especially as jaja binks was so childish and irritating. Turns out number 3 was a bit graphic. However, the 5 year old (actually I think he was 4 at the time) wasn't at all bothered- he just said "anikin is turning into darth Vader". He followed the plots find (they're not exactly challenging?!) and is quite capable of sitting through a film in a cinema without talking, rustling, crying etc etc.

The only thing that is stopping me taking him at the moment is the film is rated a 12A and people in the cinema will judge me. I have read everything I can about the film and I cannot see him finding the (cartoon) violence in Star Wars scary or damaging at all.

Hissy, yes - a bit too much "won't somebody think of the children????" there.

You really needn't worry about my children (11 and 8). They're not toddlers, have much experience at behaving in a cinema and because I know them will have nothing but enjoyment from watching it. Not once, have they seen a film with me when they've been upset or scared. No, tell a lie - eldest dd grabbed my arm for reassurance when she thought Paddington would fall down a chimney!

We're going for a 3pm showing. No late nights for us.

I'm sorry but Star Wars is not a late night adult/violent film. It's a space adventure! Why do you think they have all the bloody lego?

Crazy they've made it a 12A when the merchandise is aimed at little kids!

Personally I'd watch it myself first and check content. I imagine it's likely to be a bit much for a 5yo but it's something you need to judge

12a is 12a. It means children of 12, but less than this accompanied by a supposedly half decent parent.

Less than 12 being 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6............

saukko the point is that Star Wars isn't a 'violent adult film'. It was U- suitable for all. Nightmare on Elm Street and Batman are 15. that's very different.
It is (now) a Disney film, with tons of merchandise aimed at children in primary school.
It is an utter nonsense that they have made the new film 12A. It should have been cut to be at least PG.

There are going to be thousand upon thousands of primary school-aged children expecting to see this film. Most of whom will be able to follow the plot perfectly well, many of whom will also understand the motivation behind the characters' actions.

Ds1 also 5 can easily sit nicely throughout the film without chattering and fidgeting and has watched and loved all of the previous films apart from number 3.
We are not taking him to see the film as it is a 12 and there is a huge difference between watching a film at home in familiar and comforting surroundings and with lights on and being in the cinema with much more noise and dark
As adults it's easier to get more absorbed at the cinema than watching a dad at home and a 5 year old would feel it more
I'm sad too it's a 12 when all the toys are marketed to the under 12a but we have been preparing ds with the possibility of not seeing it since the teaser trailer and with school holidays there will be less obvious which of the class have and haven't been allowed to go

Watching a dvd not a dad!! Autocorrect !!

I'm the least pearl clutchy person ever, but it fucks me off when shit parents fuck up their kids AND ruin the experiences of others by being too irresponsible, weak or just crap to say No to little Tarquil and Jacinta.

The mental health comment is not offensive. It is an observation regarding situations where children are exposed to things they are not ready for and unable to process healthily so do have their thinking altered to their detriment.

Whatever mental health history a poster here has or does not have is not relevant to my comment whatsoever, so take your professionally offended elsewhere, preferably to an age appropriate activity and not at the expense of others.

I do take my child to shows that are rated at NEAR his age, but only after I ascertain why the rating is what it is, some films I do and have said no to because they are not appropriate. so some stupid retort about 4/5/6/7 is again a waste of time. I clearly stated what I meant, but do go on ahead and take a quote out of context cos it suits your warped thinking...

i could not give a fuck what the shitty comments here say, i really couldn't. It all validates my point more than it does of woeful parents.

Nope. DD us nearly 6, she has seen Rebels but not any if the films. Why would she? She's 5. Disney princesses, my little pony and ponyo all the way.

DH and I are hugely into a lot of the big franchises like Star Wars and LOTR/Hobbit but there's no way DD has seen any if them - they're but aimed at a 5yo (and she'll be reading Tolkien before she watches those films, at any rate - book before film!).

I do think a lot of this is for the parents' gratification.

Hissy Your problem is you just don't like kids ruining your evening. Don't try to make out you have a moral objection to it, because clearly the problem is you don't like kids on a night out.

Yes it is offensive. Mental health problems are not caused by watching 12 films when you're not 12.

Children's mental health issues are caused by lack of services, societal expectations, academic pressure, bullying, amongst other things.

Not Star Wars.

I'm gobsmacked at the responses in this thread.

I honestly don't know how these cotton wooled kids are going to cope with real life when they are older.

Creating unnecessary anxieties in children is damaging.

I'm cross at a lot of film classifications these days. Why ruin the Terminator franchise trying to make it a 12A when the originals were 18? Why make Star Wars a 12A when the originals were PG, IIRC? They are designed for different audiences. They don't worry about selling tons of kids toys branded Star Wars, but can't make a film about space that younger kids can see. I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old who are desperate to see it, but I don't think I'll take them. I may get the originals from somewhere first and see how they get on.

Hissy, if you want to believe I'm a shit parent who's fucking up my kids then hey, you knock yourself out. I can take it - you know, because of my loving parents who taught me creativity, gave me security and love and taught me to slightly push boundaries and think just beyond what was expected of me.

Dh is in the film industry and I create books. Soooooo fucked up.

Actually that's not correct and children can absolutely be harmed by watching inappropriate content. Imagery through films and computer games can have a significant effect on mental health. I have dealt with legal cases where this has been the case. I am always stunned at how many people let their very young children see completely inappropriate things. 4 and 5 year olds watching star wars number 3, the hobbit and LOTR and the later Harry Potter films is quite shocking. DS2 was borderline for us at nearly 9 and Im still not sure it was the right decision to let him see the film.

atticus it was borderline letting a 9 year old watch Harry Potter? i read half the books before I was 9!

Obviously it can be harmful in a dangerous environment but in a loving family a child of 5 watching Star Wars isn't going to do any damage.

Ffs no wonder people are so precious

No, it was borderline booking the Star Wars ticket for him.

Our rule with harry potter LOTR etc is that you read the book before you see the film. DS1 has read all HP books but not seen the films past 4. DS2 is just starting book 5. When he's finished book 5 we will consider letting them both watch 5. Neither have been allowed to watch LOTR or the Hobbit yet despite having read the books.

I love star wars and I'm taking my DSs. My DSs live and breathe star wars and watched the original three when they were about 5. However, the new film is a 12 for a reason. The reason being that its not considered suitable for children younger than 12 to watch. Many people will exercise their discretion to allow children nearly that age to watch it (hence the 12A for the cinema) but that's not the same as letting a very young child watch it.

The reason being that its not considered suitable for children younger than 12 to watch.

Surely that depends on the child though. Different children find different things frightening. Use your own judgement makes more sense

"Is there ANYWHERE now that is safe from underage children? They do not have an access all areas pass to everything all the time! I don't want your bored, scared or tired child ruining the fairly flipping expensive evening I have paid for Ffs!...I have had films ruined by selfish parents taking the kids to late/evening showings of pg films."

I must have missed the part where the OP said they were planning to attend an evening/late showing Hissy

I actually don't think hissy's comments were directed at or apply to you harryhausen, not sure why you've taken them so personally? She said a distinction should be made between reception/infant children and older children and that she herself took her kids to things near their age. You've got an 11 and 8 year old so clearly in the older bracket.

Most people are stating opinions about 5 year olds seeing a 12a, as in the OP.

My ds got hit every day in his first weeks in reception by an otherwise nice kid from a nice family, who had seen the Avengers movies and was acting them out aggressively in the playground. It's rubbish that it doesn't have an impact, and not everyone is always aware of how it plays out in such young kids.

If it's molly coddling to restrict these things a bit longer, then so be it.

talizorah the fact that a child doesn't find something "frightening" doesn't mean that it isn't affecting them. One of the biggest problems with inappropriate exposure is children becoming desensitised to violence etc.