Parenting and movie ratings

[Scott M]

Went to "The Hangover 2" yesterday, and a mom and dad brought their two boys, ages approximately 10-12 years old and sat in our aisle. I was pretty surprised. The movie ended and my wife used the restroom and she said all the women in there were saying those boys were too young. I guess I should have asked the dad if he was going to buy them beer next year. R movies are all a little different...if you take your kids to "The King's Speech" and can handle a little vulgarity, you're probably okay. But I think if you are going to a sequel like "The Hangover 2," you know what you're getting...drug references, every male and female body part under the sun, and plenty of cursing. I guess there is bad parenting everywhere you look, but I didn't want to get into it with the family at the theater.

Too cheap to get a sitter or just really bad judgement? Or am I wrong?

[mainbutter]

A few thoughts:

First of all, I do a bit of tutoring, mostly algebra to 12-15 year olds. Some of these kids look like they could be in college, others look like they still belong in the 4th grade. It's kind of surprising how much physical development and judgement on ages can be off. Maybe those kids were a little older than they looked, even if you were off by 3 years or so that is a significantly different situation.

Secondly, I know that not everyone may agree with me, but.. better seeing Hangover 2 than Passion of the Christ.

Maybe such a movie is a good jumping off point for talking to kids about some of the more adult-related stuff.

Were the kids well-behaved? There's nothing worse at the theaters than going out to an R-rated film on a date night and having parents bring young children who then proceed to ruin the experience for the other attendees. Particularly if the kids you saw were well-behaved when presented with an hour and a half of a movie like Hangover II, maybe it's really not that big of an issue. Kids who aren't ready for more mature themes in entertainment tend to act MORE immature than their age when around it.

[zamboni]

I used to be appalled when I would go in a 24 hour WalMart at 2 am and there were parents and kids under 10 running around, I mean seriously. The worlds a very changed place since even I was a kid.

[Double D]

Don't worry, they brought them to the sequel becacuse those boys watched the first one at home 20 times.

DD

[Scott K]

To be honest, the stuff that goes on in schools now, will make this movie seem like rated G. There is plenty of drugs, alcohol, swearing, and sex in school. Or atleast in after school events anyhow. I havent seen part 2, but I have seen part 1. Would I let my kids see it? Probably, would I bring them to the theater to see it? Probably not. Do I consider them a bad parent for doing so? I think it all depends on the kid, and the parents. Am I a bad parent that I would let my kids watch it? Maybe, but I think my kids know wright from wrong, and and wouldnt let a movie that is intended for entertainment influence them in real life.

My kids are 13, and 17, I have always been rather open with my kids, they get to see the real world like it is, then they shouldnt have any surprises in life. I dont over protect them, I let them learn stuff the hard way. I will let them make the mistakes, then inform them what and why what they did was wrong. To an extent. They both are very open with everything that goes on in their lives, and tell me everything, and so far the apple has fallen a long ways away from the tree, because if they would have turned out like me, they would be always grounded.

While they will not be seeing any xrated stuff with my permission. I was a kid once, and know if they want to see the stuff, they will. One thing though, my kids know respect, I will joke with them, and they joke with me, but they respect me, and others. They are learning right from wrong, sometimes on their own, sometimes common sense, sometimes from their parents, etc.. My 13 year old son, has told friends to go home, and has not hung out with them anymore, because they swear to much. He doesnt like to swear, and thinks its dumb. My 17 year old daughter, does drop a few swear words hear and there, but my son, or myself will make sure we let her know, we dont think its cool.

[Dave S]

Much of our feelings towards this is based on how we're brought up ourselves. Some may get offended by what's at the theatres or on TV. Many of us would be in a culture shock if we would travel across the pond only to see mass transit buses with nude photos pasted on the sides.

I guess as a parent, there are things I wouldn't allow my kids to see when they were younger. Now that my youngest is 17, there isn't much he hasn't already been exposed to via school/friends like Scott mentioned above. By the time kids are 10, they've seen more than they will in any rated R movie.

[DTro]

Sounds like a great philosophy 4WE. I think learning right from wrong is much more important than seeing some unclothed human anatomy or cussing. Because let's face it, they will probably see that stuff anyways.

[rushing]

Ok so I have a little 8yr old half brother and a fews years back is was way into Star Wars even though he hadn't seen the movies because my step mom said they were too violent but my dad took me to see Star Wars in the theater when it came out....I was 4. I think that kid is gonna be a bit more screwed up than me, and I saw all sorts of R rated movies.

[bobbymalone]

my parents were big on the no rated R movie thing, but my bud's parents were a little more lax. and the video rental joint down the block didn't seem to care what a couple of 13 year olds rented with their parents card as long as you said your parents told you to pick it up and it didn't come from the backroom past the beaded curtains. not that the stuff past the beaded curtain wasn't available at the top shelf of my buddy's dad's closet. there was some eye opening, life changing cinema up there

[Duffman]

My first two R rated movie experiences at the theatre were The Warriors and Animal House when I was 11 and 12. I think I turned out ok?

I remember the days when the bra commercials on TV had the girls wearing bras on the outside of their shirts. Kids these days have it so easy.

Get off my lawn!

[Slabasaurus]

Ha....

I remember waiting for the Mortal Kombat II issue of Gamepro to see if the Super Nintendo version was going to have blood. Yeah, times have changed even since I was a lad.

Gosh, my dad and I watched Aliens back in the day, I must have been under 10 because we had just moved out to VA.

Many of us would be in a culture shock if we would travel across the pond only to see mass transit buses with nude photos pasted on the side

We'd be shocked to see mass transit in action, double whammy when you see the zesty photos

[mrklean]

its our culture now, look at cable tv, not to long ago you didnt hear the word sh.. on tv, now you can watch south park, its always sunny and many others and they say it all the time, heck 20 years ago it would have started a riot hearing that word on tv. Everything in our culture is so sexed up these kids see this stuff on a daily basics. Im only 25 been out of high school for 7 years now and man things have changed a lot and i havent even been out of school that long.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Get off my lawn!

Parenting, it's just sooooo easy.

Mine are 25, 20, and 18. Looking back I think I should have read the manual a couple more times.