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Original poster

What do you think about kids watching Family Guy?

28 replies

YesBut · 15/08/2010 16:02

Personally, I dislike the programme, but their dad has allowed them to watch it, and I thought surely they must tire of it at some point. Ha! I dislike the attitudes/statements which I think are more suitable for broadcast to older, less impressionable minds with principles firmly in place.
I am considering a total ban, but aware that the forbidden only becomes more desirable...

OP posts:
bibbitybobbityhat · 15/08/2010 16:05

Blimey!

Family Guy (I love it, actually) makes me wince it is so near the knuckle and I am a broadminded 47 year old.

I would be very concerned if anyone younger than, say, 15 or 16 was watching it.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 15/08/2010 16:07

oh no, it is not suitable for children. not at all.

Original poster
YesBut · 15/08/2010 16:08

That's what I thought. So, do I ban it?

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AMumInScotland · 15/08/2010 16:09

I wouldn't have wanted DS to watch it when he was younger - I don't think it's really at all suitable for children. He's 16 now and I don't stop him watching it, but if he'd discovered it much earlier I'd have put my foot down.

whydobirdssuddenlyappear · 15/08/2010 16:10

I love it.
But...
There is no way on earth I'd let my kids watch it until they were in their late teens. It may be a cartoon, but that doesn't equate with suitability for kids.

EdgarAllenPop · 15/08/2010 16:10

i don't like it - husband does. i find it too close to being what it seeks to satirise, that is mysognistic, violent and nasty..

Hai1988 · 15/08/2010 16:11

I love family guy and my son has caught a bit of it having seen the dvd and put it on when i was out of the room, but hes only 4.11 so i dont really think he understands it, he just think the talking god is funny.

But when kids start understanding i do think some of its contents are are a bit to adult.

AMumInScotland · 15/08/2010 16:12

Will DH go along with a ban? I think you both have to agree about these things.

Personally, I have no problem outright banning things I object to - even if you can't stop them seeing it elsewhere, at least they know you don't condone it.

Original poster
YesBut · 15/08/2010 16:15

I don't like to censor too much but I am very concerned about them picking up unhealthy attitudes. I think that banning them from watching it would bethe right thing to do, although it will make me immensely unpopular.
Can anybody recommend an enticing replacement or two? The addicts that I am concerned about are 11 and 8.

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Original poster
YesBut · 15/08/2010 16:16

Exp will shortly be in the process of leaving. He may or may not condone the ban. For many reasons, my confidence is low, but I am used to being seen as the boring, if "safe", one.

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Hai1988 · 15/08/2010 16:17

sorry i meant dog not god

Hai1988 · 15/08/2010 16:17

The simpsons is a good alternative i think

AMumInScotland · 15/08/2010 16:27

Oh if he will be leaving, you can decide for yourself what to ban. He might not go along with it when they visit with him, but thats no reason why you should put up with them watching it in your house.

You may find as they get older they start to appreciate the value of "boring but safe", but whether they do or not, it's still your right as a parent!

HecateQueenOfWitches · 15/08/2010 16:29

the simpsons? Are you kidding? with the boy getting strangled all the time, the drunken father, the neglect of the grandfather, the ignored baby, the undervalued daughter...

It's a terrible programme for young children!

But there is a chance I am ott on such things Grin

I don't let my kids watch the music channels because of how the videos portray women, for example.

We have such a huge responsibility, caring for these young, impressionable minds. We can't control everything that goes in but certainly in the early years we have such great influence that we have to think carefully about each and every thing.

It's frightening, when you actually sit down and think about it - your responsibility I mean! In fact, if you thought it all through beforehand, you'd sew your legs together and only allow a polite wave from across the bedroom. Wink

EdgarAllenPop · 15/08/2010 16:43

waves at Dh<

notices 3 kids - too late!

StewieGriffinsMom · 15/08/2010 16:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hoolies · 15/08/2010 16:55

The simpsons is a fantastic alternative!

The cultural references are amazing and I think very educational to children. And it's hilarious- children do get satire too, you know. No matter how lovely a child's life is, they will have noticed tensions in the family, or felt undervalued compared to a sibling, or had problems at school...The Simpsons shows that life continues in a good-enough sort of a way with all these imperfections. And ultimately, Marge and Homer love each other enough to stay together, the kids turn out all right...

Am getting the urge to watch it now!

But family guy- no way should little kids be watching that!

AMumInScotland · 15/08/2010 17:03

I don't think the Simpsons is anywhere near as bad as Family Guy - I do find Simpsons less and less funny as it goes on, but I don't often feel a need to switch channels. By comparison, when Family Guy is on, I'm permanently in another room!

I can't think of any other cartoons as a replacement, but maybe you can show them that you seriously consider requests to watch particular shows, so they know you're not just being a killjoy for the sake of it. Are there other things you didn't allow them earlier, which you could now reconsider?

bruffin · 15/08/2010 17:16

My DCs were bought up on Simpsons from a very early age, they used to watch it then go to bed, I neer felt the need to switch channels as the grown up stuff went over their head. They are 13 and 15 next month and I really don't think they have been harmed by it.

I think DS was about 13 when he discovered Family Guy on the internet, again I suspect a lot of it went over his head> I was shocked by it when i first saw it. The show I really wouldn't watch him seeing is South Park.

Original poster
YesBut · 15/08/2010 17:17

They already watch theSimpsons. But they want other things as well. They seem to be drawn to theunsuitable, esp ds1 (11)

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Original poster
YesBut · 15/08/2010 17:18

oh god, they like south park as well

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LilQueenie · 15/08/2010 17:26

I dont even like my partner watching it. The reason being they constantly showed footage of 9/11 and made it into a joke for pretty much the whole episode. I dont see anything funny about it and have boycotted the show ever since.

SpringHeeledJack · 15/08/2010 17:52

I love South Park and am (quite) happy for ds (12) to watch it

I loathe Family Guy though but am of the view that if I ban it it'll become fascinating rather than just a bit of a chuckle

-interestingly ds and cousins were talking about FG last weekend- one of the dns said "ooh I bet you hate it Jack- because of the way they treat Meg"- so if 11 and 12yos realise there's something Hmm about it then maybe they're a bit less impressionable/ more discriminating about it than we think?

...or maybe am clutching at straws [gein]

TrillianAstra · 15/08/2010 18:03

Family Guy DVDs are rated 15, it's shown at 10.30 at night.

Simpsons movie is rated PG. The show is on TV at 6 in the evening.

I assume anyone saying that Simpsons is as bad as Family Guy (or not suitable for anyone under 14) is being sarcastic?

SylvanianFamily · 15/08/2010 18:14

Simpsons is actually a very warm portrait of family life. They stick together despite their character flaws and the random things life throws at them.
I wouldn't,t sit my two year old down to it, but I,m stfarting to show my seven year old some hand-picked vintage episodes.

Family guy is, basically, quite crap.