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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

The TV programme 'Skins'

13 replies

pasanda · 05/05/2015 22:07

We have recently got Netflix and my ds (14 years old on Saturday, Year 9) is desperate to watch 'Skins'.

I know nothing about it apart from it is quite gritty and deals with real life stuff and is also an 18.

He tells me his friends mum would 'kill him' if she found out he had watched 20 mins of Skins at our house

Is it that bad? Should I allow it? Not allow it?

(I know I should really watch it to find all out the answers to my question but I really can't be bothered

tia

OP posts:

zippey · 05/05/2015 22:11

Watch it and judge for yourself. Or watch it together.

I would say - it's 18 for a reason. And it depends on your parenting and how grown up your son is.

I've not seen it but I can imagine there's a lot of sex, violence and drug taking in it.

BitchPeas · 05/05/2015 22:11

I used to watch it when it was on TV. It does deal with real life stuff but nothing toooo outrageous. Certainly nothing that mid teens teen wouldn't know by now iyswim?

There's no hard core sex/violence/drugs but They smoke weed a bit and do ecstasy, have house parties with some mild sex scenes and drinking.

Nothing I can remember that shocked me. It used to be on at 9pm on e4, so not late at night. I surprised it's an 18 tbh.

BetweenTwoLungs · 05/05/2015 22:15

I LOVED skins at that age, first couple of series were very good and dealt with some interesting issues. Above summary is fair - I'd put it as a 15 tbh. Not that much sex really, bit of drug taking but I'm surprised it's an 18:

Heyho111 · 05/05/2015 22:15

My S says it's the best teen drama he's watched. It actually dipicts how they feel. He was 16 when he watched it as that when he discovered it. You're going to get the whole range of opinions from absolutely not to yeah it's fine.
I'd watch a bit of one and decide yourself. I am more in the it's ok camp but that's only my opinion.

Original poster

pasanda · 05/05/2015 22:21

OK, he's watching it now and I sat down and watched 10 mins with him (much to his embarrassment and I could tell he wanted to turn it off/me to be out of the room lol)

There was drinking at a house party and a sex scene where a young lad was dtd with his teacher at the basin!

He said rather bashfully 'that doesn't usually happen'

I can imagine it's a bit like what Bitchpeas said - 'nothing that mid-teens wouldn't know by now'. (Having seen some of the convo's on his phone, I totally agree with this!!)

Zippey - I'm probably in the more liberal parenting camp

OP posts:

crazyauntie · 05/05/2015 22:22

Some of the series are 15... Although it does glorify sex, drugs and alcohol. It does deal with very real life stuff like eating disorders and other mental health illnesses. Imo I wouldn't have a problem with my 15/16 yo watching them but I would strongly reinforce that it's not okay to so drugs and alcohol at such age and I would also be telling my child that sex is a natural thing and we all get feelings but it's got to be consensual and safe. they are probably watching porn so seeing worse anyway and that it's a TV program not real life.

Over all I think depends on what your dc is like. It might be okay, it might not. I does contain lots of swearing, sex, drugs, self harm, suicide and some violence.

Original poster

pasanda · 05/05/2015 22:42

My ds loves this kind of thing. Really loves anything 'real lifey'!

But he's only 13 (although 14 on Saturday) so I guess I just wondered if he was a bit young for it all?

OP posts:

meowth · 06/05/2015 11:29

When this first came out, i was in year 8 I think. It was the thing that helped define my generation. I never went out and did all that stuff, but it's excellent. it's absolutely heartwrenching in some parts. it's great, i wouldn't watch it with my mum, but it really is good. Allow it.

sherbetlemonD · 06/05/2015 16:33

I think it's mild if i'm honest. There is some drug taking but no outrageous sex scenes- it was made by the guy who did Shameless and that's 10x worse (although I did love it and miss it..)

I was 14 when it came out and watched it with my brother who was 15/16 at the time.

glittertits · 09/05/2015 09:42

I loved Skins. It was cathartic. Answered lots of questions about sex and drugs (doesn't glamorise imo, as people die/overdose/unwanted pregnancy/etc). Didn't mean I went out and did those things - just that I had a better understanding of what those things meant in reality.

Alvah · 09/05/2015 16:40

I had the same kind of thoughts Pasanda a few months back. And I still am not sure if it was a good idea or not to let my DS (14) watch it.

I watched it when it came out, although I was an adult (28) I thought it was brilliant. Loved the first series, but then stopped watching the later series when I thought it all got a bit over the top.

My son loves all things 'gritty'. As do I really. And we've watched some gritty 'prison movies' together. It was actually my idea originally that he watch Skins, as we had watched Jack O'Connell (from Skins) in some new films he was in.

But when we started watching Skins (first episodes together) I thought it may not have been such a good idea after all. It kind of glorifies the gritty lifestyle and places characters they can relate to in the midst of it.... I back paddled and said maybe it was not such a good idea.

I now have been informed he has watched the whole series by himself anyway, and that he loved it!

We live in a small town, not too 'gritty' around here, but still there are pockets of it, and drugs definitely available if they wanted it. I don't think watching Skins will turn kids to drugs/sex just by watching it, however I do think it makes it just that little bit too 'normal'. On the other hand it does show that there are some consequences, however teens usually don't think that would apply to their own life, so not sure how effective that is.

From a mum in the Liberal Parent Camp (who every now and then panics and tries to drag her teenage son into the Conservative Camp, which never ends well).

Lj8893 · 09/05/2015 17:04

I watched it in my early 20s. It is how pp have said, however there is one storyline in a later series (Freddie being killed by psycho psychologist!!) that really haunted me!

Original poster

pasanda · 09/05/2015 23:44

Thanks for all your thoughts.

He has watched a good few episodes since I first posted and I, having seen some parts of them, am happy that he does. I think that it will answer questions for him. Questions that he would not be able to ask his mother!!

We live on a very rural farm, in a very 'naice' area (Cotswolds) and I think a lot of the attraction of Skins is that he is learning about a life that he (so far) has never encountered and it is very interesting for him.

Alvah - I just hope it doesn't glorify this kind of stuff or 'normalise' it.

We shall see…...

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