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Original poster

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

337 replies

LittleLionMansMummy · 16/12/2015 12:02

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.

OP posts:
TaliZorah · 16/12/2015 21:52

atticus I haven't seen that one from start to finish. Unless it's particularly awful though I doubt it's massively worse than the others

Katarzyna79 · 16/12/2015 21:53

i think cinema sound is way too loud for adults forget kids, i wouldn't take my 5 year old just for that reason alone. Theatre is better for small kids, and i believe she would be scared watching Star Wars.

then theyd want a toilet trip mid way during the movie too.

atticusclaw2 · 16/12/2015 21:54

It is massively worse than the others. It involves anakin murdering the Younglings and being severely burned in lava. My 10 year old struggled with it when he saw it (only very recently).

I don't believe you are speaking from an informed position on either the force awakens or any of the other films if you haven't even seen them.

Anyhow. I think my view is clear. Its not suitable for young children. I am taking my under 12s to see it. I have to do some work.

MrsClusterfuck · 16/12/2015 21:55

Darth Vader isnt scary. Emperor Palpatine is much scarier.

Has anyone said that their 4 year has sat through all of the lord of the rings? I cant manage it even at my age because I fall asleep Wink

StrumpersPlunkett · 16/12/2015 21:55

I would not be taking a 5,6,7,8 year old to the cinema to see it.
The difference between the cinema and your own to is massive.
My boys have watched the other films they are 9&12

We are tight about films. HP first 3 films were a yes. Next films were much later with guidance. From us. At home with the ability to leave the room, pause for a break fast forward scarey bits.

James bonds are the same.
We may take the boys to see Star Wars.

XiCi · 16/12/2015 21:56

I watched the original star wars at the time. I was 7. I doubt there were many parents in the 70s that took their 4 yr olds to the cinema to watch it

TaliZorah · 16/12/2015 21:56

atticus I've seen some of them. Not much of the third. Maybe I was a particularly hardened child (I doubt it...) but I used to watch military documentaries full of graphic barbarians beheading each other and I don't remember ever feeling especially frightened by it.

DisappointedOne · 16/12/2015 21:58

It's sad when parents force things they like on their kids with no thought as to whether it's age appropriate or how it will affect them

DH wanted to watch episode 4 with DD. she was 4. He's always prepared to turn it off if necessary. She loved it, and has watched it several times now. She can explain her version of the storyline to me (I've never seen it - no interest in it). She wanted to watch the others, so they did. She was 4 when she watched episode 3 - she did get upset but briefly, and DH talked to her about it. She doesn't want to watch it again, which is absolutely fine. We never force anything on her. She's desperate to see episode 7. I'll be spending 2.5 hours sitting outside just in case she can't cope with it.

She's waited for this. She couldn't give a flying crap about Xmas - this is the highlight of her year. We're enabling it in the most appropriate way we can.

XiCi · 16/12/2015 21:59

Yes mrsclusterfuck someone said their 4 and 7 yr olds had watched LOTR earlier in the thread. I had the same thought as you, especially with the last one which seemed to go on for bloody days

MrsClusterfuck · 16/12/2015 22:01

Ah fair enough then! I can barely understand LOTR so wouldnt be capable of explaining it to my 4 year old. Wink

TaliZorah · 16/12/2015 22:02

I saw all the LOTR when they came out. In the cinema watched them all. Just googled the years and I was 7-9 ish.

I really think it depends what the child is interested in

LynetteScavo · 16/12/2015 22:03

I agree that parents should use their own judgements regarding their own children and 12a films....but that necessitates watching the film yourself first or relying heavily on other peoples pop unions. Loads of people seem to think Spectre is fine for small children, having seen it myself don't. I usually stick firmly to ratings, but 12a are quite ambiguous.

MistressoftheYoniverse · 16/12/2015 22:05

I wouldn't...yes they do market to younger children but that does not mean the film is suitable for younger ones

elfycat · 16/12/2015 22:12

I let my DDs (5 and 6yo) watch 12a film that do not have human-human violence. So sci-fi, fantasy, avengers, transformers types are OK. I am always watching with them so I can discuss anything that they need.

I'll be expanding that with DD1 as she takes historical facts fairly well. We made a short film of the Scutari Hospital (Flo Nightingale) in lego for her homework and she asked for all the small red bits. I turn around and she's made a pool of lego blood and laid a lego-man down in it (having taken his hair off and put a red blob on). Start on historical 12as I think, then go from there.

RiverTam · 16/12/2015 22:14

if you were 7 when LOTR (2001ish) came out Tali then you can only be about 20 now. Do you have DC?

Nataleejah · 16/12/2015 22:15

Family guy toys aren't actually aimed at small children though. Nor are the game of thrones figures. Not all toys are marketed at children.
Collectible action figures are not exactly toys.

As for ratings, they're often nonsense. Harry Potter and Star Wars in the same category as Hunger Games and James Bond? Come on...

RiverTam · 16/12/2015 22:16

err, there a humans a go-go in Sci-fi and fantasy!

Tamponlady · 16/12/2015 22:22

XiCi

Amen this is adult driven excited adults hyping Star Wars up to there children a four year old would not have known that today Star Wars is being realised without a adult telling them

I have worked with children the children who ask for adult content films are the ones who are exposed to it

It's actually scary what people feel is ok for pre schoolers and yes 4 is pre school and it's actually sad when you now have to make it clear when a child goose no another parents house that you don't want your child watching adult content

Tamponlady · 16/12/2015 22:22

They sell family guy lunch boxes and family guy baby gros

elfycat · 16/12/2015 22:27

RiverTam all of the 'humans' in Star Wars are, in fact, aliens Wink this was covered well in one of the first reviews for episode 4.

DisappointedOne · 16/12/2015 22:28

4 is pre school

DD was at school full time at 3. As children turn 5 during their reception year, 4 is actually school age, not preschool.

Tamponlady · 16/12/2015 22:36

No she was at nursery at 3 not the same thing in this country children don't legally need to attend school until their 5th birthday hence under five service

Pre school

Tamponlady · 16/12/2015 22:37

Bar private school no state school take children full time in England

Paying for nursery full Time was not the same thing

RiverTam · 16/12/2015 22:38

Oh really? A 5yo thinks oh yeah, Luke's not a human even though he looks just like one so when Darth Vadar tortures him that's not going to hurt a bit? Pull the other one. If it looks like a human, sounds like a human and has feelings like a human, that's exactly what a child is going to think it is! That is the feeblest excuse for letting young kids watch this stuff I've ever heard.

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