As the month of Halloween begins, television stations and movies will bring out the big guns of scary in an attempt
to cash in on the holiday interest. Even the major networks will provide the occasional Halloween themed episode and you won’t be able to turn the channel on cable without hitting horror movies, both new and ancient.
If you have children of various ages, it can be difficult to decide what is appropriate and what is harmless. You may think Halloweentown on Disney Channel would be perfect, but if your child is frightened by scary makeup, then you may want to think twice. Here are a few tips that I have acquired over the years to help in my decision on if a movie is acceptable or will likely lead to at least one child crawling into bed at 3 a.m. because of nightmares.
1. Err on the side of caution. If there is a movie that you think is borderline appropriate, then its best to err on the side of caution and either not let the child watch or sit with him so you can determine for yourself. If you are 15 minutes into it and there have already been three beheadings of half naked campers, then it’s time to the turn the channel and watch some Jungle Junction.
2. Do your research. There are plenty of websites out there that allow parents to get an idea about a movie and what’s in it. My favorite site is IMDB because it usually has the best information about the movie, but it does not have anything designed specifically for appropriateness for children. You can usually get a good idea by the synopsis and other information provided.
3. Know your child. My 4-year-old and 3-year-old are very different in their ability to discern what real and what is make believe. My oldest son can watch a scarier movie without a problem because he realizes the monsters are fake. He won’t be watching Dawn of the Dead anytime soon, but I have no qualms about letting watch some scarier moves. My 3-year-old hasn’t yet developed that ability and will cower under a blanket during every scary scene only to peer out and keep watching the movie. Afterward, it’s likely going to be difficult to get him to bed or to leave my side because of the “scary monsters.” Once again, time to flip on Jungle Junction.
4. Trust your judgment. As a parent, it’s easy to get caught up in your child’s drama about watching a movie. He sees the trailer on the Cartoon Channel or Disney and he is now obsessed with seeing the movie. He may give you the stink eye and throw a tantrum or he may whip out the sad face hoping to have you let down your defenses, but you need to stick to your guns. I remember watching Dawn of the Dead when I was 4-years-old and had recurring nightmares until…well…I think I had one last night.
5. Devise a back-up plan. We have children that are very close in age, so if we deem a movie to be appropriate for one and not the other, then we have issues. We don’t want to simply not allow the oldest to see the movie, but we don’t want to expose the little ones. Either way, it’s going to lead to someone throwing a tantrum and I can’t guarantee it won’t be me. With the creation of DVDs and DVRs, I may suggest watching the show later when the others are having a nap or have gone to bed. We can also take the other two into the toy room and play with them while the oldest watches the movie. Occasionally, there is no pleasing anyone and you have to just put your foot down. See rule 4.
These are the rules we have followed and so far none of our children seem to be worse off for it. The debate rages on between family organizations, government officials and television studios about how violence and scary movies will affect children and it will likely go on forever. In the meantime, just use your own judgment because in my opinion you know your child far better than any senator or television executive.
Image Source: flickr.com/photos/56352515@N00/5013909912/
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