Poll: How old should kids be before you show 'em Firefly/Serenity...?

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 13:31
VIEWED: 9931
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JACQUI

Monday, January 23, 2006 5:20 AM

It really depends on your son and how well he is able to differentiate between reality and television.

My eight and nine year old nephews have seen some episodes of Firefly (not all, not War Stories or Bushwhacked) and they love it, they also *love* the movie Serenity.

(Then again, we are talking about a nine year old who recently asked me to take him to the Immigration Museum during the holidays because they had a special Greek Artifacts display... and also said he wouldn't want to go on a holiday to "Disney Land", but would really love to go to Egypt and Greece to look at the ruins... and an eight year old who was able to name three of his favourite directors at the age of four)

They were a little scared during Serenity, but they got through it and we talked it over.

Not sure about six for Serenity, though, that still seems a bit young. Then again, I don't know your son. It's possible he can handle it.

Heh. After the immigration museum, the eight year old was upset 'cause he'd been bored, so I told him he could choose something fun to do and he said "Can we just go home and watch Serenity?"

*~*~*
"He's hurting a woman, he really *is* a bad guy... and I wouldn't call him a gentleman."
- Kyle, 9, watching 'Serenity'.

AERIN

Monday, January 23, 2006 5:24 AM

My brother used to let me watch violent movies with him when I was a little kid. He's 7 years older than I am and was supposed to be babysitting. I think we watched Conan the Barbarian taped off of TV when I was like 5 (I know, not too bad). He swore me to secrecy, which made the whole tons of fun. We tricked my dad into letting us watch T2 (my dad fell asleep) and we begged my mom to let my little brother and sister (5 years younger) watch Alien3 with us. They should have been way too young, but they weren't really affected by scary movies. Maybe watching with older siblings that aren't scared changes how youngsters respond to movies? (Not that I suggest any experiments.)

Overall, it depends on your child's maturity and what bothers him or her. Some kids might not be disturbed by blood and gore, but seeing a beloved character die could be too much. And it depends what you want them to know about sex.

CAPTKAR

Monday, January 23, 2006 6:04 AM

I would have to go along with alot of other posts on this one.

It doesnt all depend on how "grown-up" they are (I use that word because I'm 18, my father is 50, and my friends range from 18 to 24 and I don't know if you could classify any of us as "grown-up" because we still love to act like children at times, but of course everyone does). The important thing is to make sure and explain things to them that don't make sense, and especially make sure that they have the right idea of what is right and wrong.

But if I had to put a number to it I would say about 5-6 for FF, and about 7-8 for Serenity (Dependng how comfortable you are with the "Sex-Talk")

Really all you have to do is what any parent does. Love your kids enough to spend time with them explaining life. Whats right or wrong, what is acceptable, and how to be a good person.

If these areas are covered I don't think that they will have a problem handeling FF or Serenity.

-Bravery is not the absence of fear, that is foolishness. Bravery is bieng able to make the right choice when you are afraid.-

BELOWZERO

Monday, January 23, 2006 6:48 AM

My son is 8. He watched the entire series except for "War Stories" and the one with the bordello, because his godmother, whose boxed set it is, felt I should preview them first. His dad let him watch "Serenity" with us and had him close his eyes at the Reaver scenes. He has watched the Harry Potter movies and Lord of the Rings which IMHO were far scarier as fas as a kid is concerned. He doesn't *get* a lot of it, but he looooooves Jayne, and I'm not gonna deprive the kid of decent TV. I think it would be far more damaging to raise him on a diet of sitcoms. :P

He also knows he can ask me about anything he is having trouble understanding and I'll do my best. He watched "Saving Private Ryan" too--war is hell, that is the truth, and sheltering him from that is not going to do any good, I think. There is worse on the evening news, which is why I rarely watch it.

So: having said all that, I would also say as a caveat: it depends on the kids. YOU know your child. If they had nightmares when you saw Harry potter wait on the Serenity bit.

"Do not go gentle into that good night....
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. . .

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night. . ."
--Dylan Thomas

CHRISISALL

Monday, January 23, 2006 8:47 PM

Well, my son's a mite sensitive, he can't watch The Empire Strikes Back, by his OWN word.
I guess when he can handle that, he'll be ready for an upgrade in quality sci-fi, heh heh.

Chrisisall Vader

RAVENHAIR

Monday, January 23, 2006 9:02 PM

my own kids are 5 and 6. They've watched edited scenes of both the series and the BDM and I explain a lot. They know all the characters and really want to watch the whole thing, but I think some scenes are just too much. (Just watched Ariel with my husband and there are scenes in there that I covered my son's eyes for).

Every kid is different, though. Use your best judgment.

note: my son has seen all of the Lord of the Rings movies and got a little bothered by all the non-human characters until we watched the extras and he saw all the actors in costume and make up. Now he has no problem differentiating between what is real in the movies and what is make up or special effects.

STEALTHGUY

Monday, January 23, 2006 9:04 PM

I like using the Movie Mom reviews on Yahoo Movies for such questions. She reviews the movie and let's you know what themes from the movie can be discussed with your kids. She rates such things as Profanity, Nudity/Sex, Alcohol/Drugs, Violence/Scariness and Diversity Issues.

Here is a link to her Serenity review...
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808583132/parentsguide

SPINLAND

Monday, January 23, 2006 9:05 PM

Start 'em in the womb with a tummy speaker. Let 'em cut teeth on the scratched-up DVD as you break out the next fresh one.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"That's what governments are for, [to] get in a man's way." -- Malcolm Reynolds

FOLLOWMAL

Monday, January 23, 2006 9:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Spinland:
Start 'em in the womb with a tummy speaker. Let 'em cut teeth on the scratched-up DVD as you break out the next fresh one.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"That's what governments are for, [to] get in a man's way." -- Malcolm Reynolds

I love it!

" I start fighting a war, I guarantee you'll see something new. " Mal

SHINY1

Monday, January 23, 2006 9:18 PM

My son is 8 and he will watch parts of an episode. Though he has taken to trying to cuss in Chinese when he gets mad...LOL Though nothing he says makes any sense, but I gotta say it is funny.

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