Movies and Children

This last weekend Safta watched Ari while we went with a friend to check out a movie. The movie... Ironman. Yes, its based on a comic book. Yes, there is a G as part of its rating, but the rest of that rating is a P and -13. We've also recently seen National Treasure (PG) and The Bank Job (R). I haven't been able to fully enjoy any of these movies. Why? Because there are children 7 or younger at every single one of these movies. They are watching people drowning, being shot, and things blowing up.

(Mild Spoiler Alert - Ironman)
In the latest movie, there was a child young enough to be holding his blankie as he followed his parents to their seats and a girl who couldn't be more than 5. Also in the latest movie we get to watch a family being terrorized by terrorists as they rip the father from the clutches of his wife and children so they can shoot him. The son runs from his mom to his father who tells him to go back and then starts being beaten in front of his family. Just like blue's clues, right?

I cringe every time these scenes come up thinking of the children just a few seats down from me watching what I am watching. What is wrong with these parents? Are they so desperate to see a movie, that they would scare their children?

I am so tired of hearing that it is the movies, the computer games, the music, the (fill in the blank). Why are we seeing so much violence in our children? Maybe it is the parents. Things with a label of R, Mature, or Explicit should still be allowed to exist, parents just shouldn't be letting their children see or play them. On top of this, if you start your children watching violent scenes from such young ages, don't be surprised when your pre-teen is sneaking in movies, games, and CDs that they shouldn't be involved with. They are so inured to violence, language, and sexually explicit things that they moved onwards and upwards. (In case you can't sense the sarcarsm dripping on the onwards and upwards, let me assure you, its there.)

I just want to be able to enjoy a TEEN+/ADULT movie again. Please keep your children at home with a babysitter. If they just have to see certain movies, then at least wait until they are on DVD so you can skip the really bad parts. That's what I do with my 2 year old and Finding Nemo because she really doesn't need to be seeing an evil shark or fish with big teeth anymore than the 5 year old needs to see terrorists. They are only as innocent as you leave them to be.

Oh... and stop blaming everything and everyone but yourselves. My husband is in the game industry and M for Mature are games specifically targeted to people who can handle them... Adults!

You can tell this really frustrates me.