Mums of sons... have you seen 'Adolescence' on Netflix?

[YehThoughtSo]

Did it resonate? What did you think? Are you already aware of these issues with your teen or preteen boys' social circle?

Are there conversations happening? Or does it feel removed from your own situation?

I found it harrowing - it's stayed with me. Does any mum ever genuinely suspect that their kid might be the one that does something awful?

I haven't got a son but a dd. I haven't watched it yet. However seeing my dd with severe mental health issues. I can totally understand how things can get out of control.
people will kid themselves it would never happen to them. They are probably lucky enough it won't.
The last 3 years have taught me anything can happen to anyone. Old me would be surprised and shocked at me now.

@Violashifts I guess that's it - we never think it's going to be us/our kids. But can we ever truly know what someone else will or will not do?

Caring for your DD must be so difficult. I vividly remember my mum trying to keep my teenage sister safe when she had awful mental health. Endless and upsetting and exhausting.

I haven’t, what is it about? I have a 12yo son

I said the exact same thing to my partner when we watched it (we’ve not seen the last episode yet), but my overwhelming feeling was how the hell would we even begin to navigate that if that was our son. He’s only one but the acting in it was so convincing and realistic that you can’t help but think that it could potentially be quite a realistic turn of events. Scary stuff

Watching it tonight

Yes, 22 now. Never been a concern, he’s a very gentle soul like his dad, so no, it didn’t resonate. We worried more about him being hurt by someone else as he grew (unnecessarily, it never happened.)

I thought the child actors were superb.

Yes it does. My boys are older now. But I worry about their kids if they have them. Online access to porn/ violence is destroying a generation of kids. The normalising of dangerous behaviours ie strangulation is also worrying. How do you explain to a DD or DS that it could kill/harm and that it’s not normal or expected. The carrying of knives is worrying. We are failing generations of kids. Those of us in our “safe” bubbles need to wake up too.

I have boys and binge watched it. I also found it harrowing and it has stayed with me. The acting was superb especially in E3.

I'm binging it right now and it makes me so worried for when my DS grows up. He's still a loving 7 year old who thinks I'm the best person in the world but that can all change as he gets older and exposed to misogynistic content.
Also makes me worried for my teenage DD, and what the boys in her school might be like.

There’s a lot you can do personally to prevent him from being exposed to damaging content, @Natsku . Go with his adoration of and belief in you and really encourage constant communication.

Hopefully, by the time he’s 13, SM will be banned for kids under 16.

I will definitely do my best to prevent all I can. Though it does get tricky because I want him to do sports for his health but boys sports teams can often be very misogynistic.

Men and boys have been sexually violent towards women for ever though.

For me this series so far (only just finished episode 3), shows the impact this kind of crime has on the people that deal with the aftermath. The parent, the friend, the police and the psychologist so far. These people always get forgotten and this series shows in detail what they are feeling through every step.
It's a powerful way to highlight the impact of a crime.

The misogynistic psychopathy from the 13 year old highlights to me how scary any male can be to any female.
I feel I've always known this.

don't have a son but a dd - think a lot of the scenes in the show are an extreme case but it definitely should be worth talking about. It's a great lesson on the importance of mental health and the culture/society that makes these unacceptable situations a norm. We have to protect our kids and best way to do it is look what we're subconsciously modelling to them and what else is around them