In today’s post, Barb explains one way the Internet can serve as a useful tool for parents vs. “Public Enemy #1.”
As a parent, I try to give my kids the tools and understanding to cope with what they will face in the world. I know my best long-term strategy is to enable them to make smart choices for themselves. However, I have a natural parental instinct to want to shield them from content that is too mature for them to understand.
One area that is a challenge for me is movies.
G, PG, PG-13, R, etc. are guideline ratings provided by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to help parents decide which movies are suitable for their children. What challenges me most is that all PGs and PG-13s are not created equal.
Kids in Mind is a really useful website that provides detailed information about the specific content of movies. On their website, Kids in Mind give the standard MPAA rating as well as their own rating. Each movie is given a 1-10 rating along each of these three criteria: Sex/Nudity; Violence/Gore; Profanity. In addition, they provide summaries of potentially problematic scenes. All the movies on the site are easily found in alphabetical order, and the site is usually pretty prompt at getting new releases reviewed.
At (almost) 12 and (almost) 10, my boys are at pivotal ages. They can generally handle PG movies, and think they can handle PG-13s. To be fair, I have no problem with some PG-13s. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, for example, has a rating of PG13 and is given a 3.6.3 from Kids in Mind. However, other PG-13s, like Seven Pounds (PG-13; 6.6.4), are totally beyond my boys. And Bridge to Terabithia at PG and 1.4.1 was an incredibly deep and sad movie for children.
So, rather than rely solely on the Motion Picture Association ratings, I routinely consult Kids in Mind as well. It’s been a good resource for me. I know I can’t protect my kids from everything, and I’m lucky that they do ask lots of questions. It’s just nice to be better prepared for the questions sometimes.
How about other Wise Women? Any other good resources out there? Or any advice on Marley & Me – only a PG but 5.4.4 from Kids in Mind, and I hear it’s really sad.
