Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this emotionally rich documentary series tells children's life stories in their own voices. The kids come from many different backgrounds and live in very different situations. One girl has same-sex parents; another child has cerebral palsy; one kid was adopted by a parent of a different race; and another is a musical prodigy. Some of the kids face major difficulties, and watching them describe and undergo these challenges can be heartbreaking. Expect tears.
Families can discuss the lives of the kids on the show. Who do you relate to the most? Whose life seems the most different from your own? Did you learn anything you didn't already know by watching these kids talk about their lives? Kids, how would you answer some of the questions asked of the children on the show (like "what is family?")? What would you put in a movie about your own life?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sierra Filucci
In the cable documentary series MY LIFE AS A CHILD, kids tell their life stories with poignant detail and earnest emotion. For the project (which was co-produced by TLC and BBC Productions), 20 children between the ages of 7 and 12 got video cameras and were asked to film their day-to-day lives over the course of four months. The results are packed with intimate glimpses into lives touched by poverty, genius, disability, difference, and everyday kid stuff.
Each segment in the six-part series profiles three kids. For example, there's Joshua, a 7-year-old African-American boy living in urban Baltimore. He stares out the window at older kids playing basketball, knowing he can't join them because it's too dangerous on the streets. He splits his time between his single mother's home and his grandmother's, where he stays during the week so he can attend a better school. The agony of leaving his mother each Sunday night brings silent tears to his eyes, even though he loves his grandmother dearly and says he respects her for her strength and confidence.
Each child's story -- whether it's affected by a distinct challenge (like a physical disability) or is about a rather "normal" life -- shows that kids everywhere, and in every circumstance, crave love and attention, thrive with encouragement and support, and feel losses very deeply. By trying to make sense of the world around them, these kids bring unique insights and limitless optimism to the screen.
Much of the show consists of the kids speaking directly to the camera -- sometimes in their home with the camera on a tripod, sometimes as they walk the sidewalks in their town or city while holding the camera (be ready for lots of up-the-nose shots!), and sometimes filmed by their parents or other unknown people. The raw footage has been assembled skillfully (sometimes scenes run accompanied by a voice over from what was probably an entirely different shot). But the result doesn't feel fake, like many other reality shows do.
Families might enjoy watching My Life as a Child together, though teens and adults will find it fascinating even without a child to share it with. Kids who do see the show may have lots of questions after certain segments, such as the one that profiles Madison, a 7-year-old girl with two moms. These should provide great teachable moments.
Fans might also enjoy Trial by Choir, the Up film series (beginning with Seven Up!), and the documentary film Born Into Brothels.
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Sexual ContentParents (sometimes same-sex) are seen in bed together in non-sexual way. General discussions of dating. |
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ViolenceDiscussion of poverty, hearing gunshots, living in a dangerous neighborhood. |
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LanguageOccasional "sucks." |
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Social BehaviorShows a wide variety of lifestyles and circumstances. Gives children a voice, emphasizing that their opinions and the substance of their lives are important and worth paying attention to. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoIf you look hard, you can occasionally see a wine glass or beer bottle on a table in the background. |
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