What do you let your child watch?

[Spirit]

I don't go by the ratings on the box. Although, if it's rated above their age, I watch it first and then decide if it's something they can heal.

In saying that, I wanna hear some thoughts on a disagreement I had with my man earlier. To be able to comment, you will have had to have seen "Alien vs. Predator" and "Unleashed"

Would you let your deaf, slightly handicapped emotionally, child watch either? Is one worse than the other?

I figured that AVP wasn't that bad because it was SciFi and the "monsters" in that movie were made up and not walking this earth and the killing is not so bloody and violent.

Unleashed - well holy crap! That is SO violent. I mean the *hurting other humans* kind of violence. Not to mention the parts where the one guy bopping this chick on a car... this little boy does NOT need to see that, either.

Ya, both have some violence - but I think there is a difference in the type of violence it is.

 

[Starya]

Monsters killing monsters - bring on the gore!

I've always differenciated between movies that takes place in a fantasy world or include mythical creatures, and movies where it's just people vs. people. But it really depends on how a kid reacts. I was reluctant to let the Critter watch "violent" films (realistic or not)until I felt damn sure he wasn't the type to run out in the street trying to re-enact what he had seen - or the type to have nightmares after them. Turns out he's just like me at that age, so he can watch pretty much anything. (I still hold back on the *hurting of other humans* stuff though.)

Obviously I don't know your kid, but from your description I might have held back on both films. They'll be just as "cool" to watch two years down the line.

 

[chcr]

What do you let your child watch?

Whatever he wants to. He's 30 after all.

 

[Leslie]

We don't have an age here to get a clear picture, and I don't quite get what the deaf has to do with it? He's too young to read captions or something?

I *do* differentiate, and am more willing to let violence in when it's monsters as opposed to humans, but having said that, death is death and killing is killing, and I don't really think the kids differentiate as well as we do. What I do think, though, is that if they are too young for and don't understand/don't like/are bothered or scared by a movie or show, they'll get up and go play, and not watch it. Mine have always self-regulated like that.

The sex I have more of an problem with. Mostly when it's overt and "porny". The lovey dovey sex they just go ewwwwww and go away anyway. I have had an ongoing issue with the ex and exposing the boys to wrestling because of that pornly/sluts aspect. Happily, the older two hate it, so it's only the little one that likes and watches it.

 

[MrBishop]

Dora the Explorer
Disney flicks (Monsters inc., Incredibles, Shark Tale, Shrek etc..)

He's seen Spiderman 1 & 2 (tho for #2, we FForwarded the bit in the operating room where he tears the docs and nurses apart)

*Age appropriate

 

[Gonz]

about anything, short of porn & graphic human slaughter. In the end, he still prefers cartoons, the gaming shows on G4 & Lord of the Rings.

 

[Spirit]

We don't have an age here to get a clear picture, and I don't quite get what the deaf has to do with it? He's too young to read captions or something?

He's 10 and as for being deaf - turn on a scary show and then mute it - that'll give you an idea of what he *sees* as opposed to *hears THEN sees*. We put on Closed Captioning all the time, but he reads at a Grade 2 level so he doesn't bother reading it.

 

[Leslie]

If he's not reading the captions, and can't lipread, and noone's translating the shows for him while they play or during frequent pauses, with the caveat that I have no idea about deaf psychology I probably would venture that he shouldn't really be watching much TV at all, violent or not.

What kind of stimulation does he get with solely streaming images and no context? He's just staring at moving things and never quite getting what's going on, no? Daydreaming on the front porch watching the world go by would be a heap more beneficial, and WAY less ADD encouraging, I think.

As to the violence, violent images during news blurbs and horror film ads between shows without explanation are horrifying enough, never mind a movie - a constant stream of violent images with no contextual base whatsoever.

Imagine that. You're staring at some cartoon characters running around gaily, and suddenly there are pictures in flashes of fires, guns, police chases, starving kids, and car bombs. And you can't read the captions, and noone's explaining it. Bad enough they see it with the commentary in the background, but just as imagery appearing out of nowhere? Mind fuck and a half.

So, no. I wouldn't let him watch that, or really much of anything else, unless it was being fully translated in some way. His time would be far better spent elsewhere. Even interacting with Nintendo would be better than hours of just images.

 

[Starya]

The sex I have more of an problem with.

I always had a bigger problem with violence than sex. Nowadays the only sex I have a problem with is the one in a violent setting.

 

[2minkey]

Whatever he wants to. He's 30 after all.

wow yer kid's only 5 years younger than me...

 

[Inkara1]

He's five years older than me... well, soon to be four (birthday in just under two weeks), but anyways.

 

[Luis G]

Don't know much about TV these days, but I'm certain that I won't let my kids watch it too much time. I'd rather have them playing in a park, or with some other toys than developing a brain without circumvolutions (??) by watching TV.

And video games....I'd be more picky about those too. No grand theft auto to begin with