Is watching Ben 10 appropriate for a 4 year-old boy?

[tjandpootle]

My DS who has just turned 4 has never seen Ben 10 Alien Force but has become obsessed by it through a couple of older boys that my childminder also looks after.

On his 4th birthday we got him a few of the alien models and some Ben 10 lego. We also bought one of the DVDs and me and my DH watched it one evening to check it out before giving it to him. We decided that a. The story was so complex he wouldn't understand it and b. It was very violent. So we decided to put it away until he's older. He keeps going on about wanting to watch it and wanting 'Father Christmas' to bring him the DVD.

At what age do you think it would be appropriate for him?

My son started to get into it as his nursery friends did - just before he was four.

I'm not a fan because he starting being quite rude once he started getting into the dvds - but then again it's such a popular character. There are worse things they could watch.

i don't like it and ds1 who is 5.5 has never seen it as a result
it's way too violent IMO

he doesn't seem too worried by it though and still plays ben 10 with his friends and stuff.

you'll get a mixed response on here tho, there are a lot of people who seem to let their 4 yr olds watch thihngs like pirates of the caribbean and dr who.... so i am prob in a minority!!

I have a friend who is sure it's made her son more violent.
I can't see it... I feel like she's watched a different TV programme completely. The Ben10 stuff I've seen is just series 1 (not Alien Force, either). Most of the time it's taken up with the characters sneaking around trying to find things out (a lot like Scooby Doo). A lot of the plot is taken up with Ben being told he should learn responsibility (the Spiderman message). Yes he fights with badies, but it's less violent (and much better written) than Power Rangers, it's hugely less violent than Ben and Jerry.

Spiderman, Clone Wars (TV series) and most of the Star Wars movies are unsuitable for 4yo, btw, before you ask!

My son was watching buffy at 4!!

He's 18 now and isn't a violent, zombie killing maniac

HTH!!