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My Life as a Child

(Rated TV-G, Reality TV, Where to watch: TLC)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Poignant tales of childhood right from the source.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Shows 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.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Discussion of poverty, hearing gunshots, living in a dangerous neighborhood.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Parents (sometimes same-sex) are seen in bed together in non-sexual way. General discussions of dating.
  • Language:

    Occasional "sucks."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    If you look hard, you can occasionally see a wine glass or beer bottle on a table in the background.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About My Life as a Child

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.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about 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?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0

    watch it with your kids

    if your kids come from a priviledged background like mine do (or even if they don't) watch this show with them and let them see what it's like to live and cope with certain disadvantages tha they will never know. these stories are poignant, at times gritty but uplifting and told from the heart by some remarkable young people who are wise beyond their years. yes, you will laugh and cry and feel that this was time well spent sharing an experience with your child that teaches them to appreciate how good their own lives are while empathizing with others. these kids are something special.

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

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