How do you say "no" to a movie your kids' friends have seen?
Different families have different rules and some families let kids see movies that you might not consider age-appropriate. When that happens, our kids feel the peer pressure to see what the cool kids have seen. Suggesting an alternative works well with younger kids. To find one, simply go to any review on our site and look for 'Other Choices.' With older kids, take the time to explain why you don't think a movie is right for them. The word "no" always works best when delivered with both a rationale and a sense of humor.
It always helps to give an alternative.
Different families have different rules and some families let kids see movies that you might not consider age-appropriate. When that happens, our kids feel the peer pressure to see what the cool kids have seen. Suggesting an alternative works well with younger kids. To find one, simply go to any review on our site and look for 'Other Choices.' With older kids, take the time to explain why you don't think a movie is right for them. The word "no" always works best when delivered with both a rationale and a sense of humor.
Well, uh, by the time the kid hits 13, usually no "no" strategies are ever going to work to their fullest. School is an excellent outlet for teens to share movies and TV shows outside of their parent's boundaries, and I always found this useful among my own friends when my oppressive parents didn't want me to see something. Under 13, obviously it's a lot easier to manage, but whatever you do, NEVER yell at your child or rage at them for wanting to see a movie that might be "out of their league." That will just make them more rebellious. If all else fails, just give some false reason as to why not they can't see it (however, this is obviously not going to work on most 12 year olds and over).
Raising a child is one of the most gratifying jobs you'll ever have and one of the toughest. Try as you might to be the best parent you can, our complex world challenges you every day with disturbing issues that are difficult for children to understand and for parents to explain. But explain we must, or we miss a critical opportunity. Research shows that children, especially those between the ages of 8 and 12, want their parents to talk with them about today's toughest issues, including violence. Even when they reach adolescence, they want to have a caring adult in their lives to talk about these issues. In fact, those who have early conversations are more likely to continue turning to their parents, as they become teens. See also, http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/07/28/kim-kardashian-and-re...