June 24, 2003
The MPAA is not your mom.
To the person who asks anonymously, "What are you doing taking a four year old to a PG-13 movie?" That is a fair question and I'll answer it. (No need to post anonymously -- I'm not freaking out over someone questioning my parenting choices. If I can't answer for my actions, then I'm parenting throughtlessly, which is a crummy thing to do.)
The ratings on films are intended to be a guide for parents who wish to know at-a-glance how appropriate the film is for a child. From the MPAA ratings system explanation:
"The voluntary rating system is not a surrogate parent, nor should it be. It cannot, and should not, insert itself in family decisions that only parents can, and should, make. Its purpose is to give prescreening advance informational warnings, so that parents can form their own judgments. "
Parents can certainly take the MPAA and the film studio at their words, but I prefer to examine the content and make my own judgement. I find that there are nuances in films that the rating system doesn't capture. There are vast differences in what you find in the PG-13 category; some films are fine for Trevor and some are way beyond fine. For example, nudity doesn't immediately bump a film out of a PG rating, but I wouldn't bring my son to a film with nudity prominently shown in it. And a film can be rated PG, but have lots of "jump out and scare you" moments that would freak Trevor out.
Like most moms, I know my kid. I know what scares him and what doesn't. I know what he understands and what will confuse him. And sometimes simply learning what holds his interest will exclude a film that I would normally bring him to see. The purpose of the movies is for the entire family to have fun, not to drag a preschooler to an inappropriate film simply because we want to see it.
So we research before going. We look at the rating as a general guideline. As of now, R movies are out. PG-13 and PG are potentially okay, but not without a closer look. Next we check the trailer. If there's sex in the movie, you can be sure that the trailer will hint at it. Sex sells tickets. And sex is one of my disqualifiers. Had there been no sex scene in The Matrix, I would have taken him to see it. There were a lot of fight scenes, but they weren't gory and he would have loved the martial arts. Wxhen it's out on DVD he'll be allowed to watch it with the Zion scene skipped.
If the trailer indicates that the subject, tone and content meet our standards, I check a couple of reviews just to be sure. And then we go. Simple as that. And hey - if I find I've made a mistake, I'll own up to it, leave the movie and take the loss. My goal is a fun activity, not to emotionally scar my kid.
The Core is a good example of a recent PG-13 film that we decided he could see. He absolutely loved this movie and it prompted a family discussion of magnetic fields. Here's what he had to say about The Core:
Hey buddy, what was your favorite part of The Core?
It was when the birds were crashing into buildings!
Why did they do that?
Because the core of the earth stopped spinning and the magets in the Earth were all messed up so the birds didn't know where to go.
I think that's neat.
Comments
Trevor is a hardcore kid, and the chance to talk about subjects that may actually challenge him is great.
How many 4 year olds do you know that also have a poster of DNA and the Periodic Table of the Elements in his wall.
You are a wonderful mom, Tara, and your decisions regarding Trevor always seem well thought out to me. Don't let stupid comments make you feel bad.