Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

I love the Cat in the Hat book, I read it weekly here, and I thought the movie might be interesting, like the grinch who stole christmas (origional version) but you know they couldn't leave it at that, I read about some production issues, they needed to come up with a reason why the boy had to clean up...I don't know what they finally set upon, but in my house you keep te place clean PERIOD! and trust me we play plenty, but when we are done we clean up, regardless of company comming or what.

there shouldn't be a reason to clean up a ship sunk deep in a cake, or a special reason to fix a bent rake...you broke it/messed it you fix it, and if the culprit is a reprobate who runs off, someone else has to..and that someone is YOU!

it is a classic example of what may very well be a good movie (like I said never saw it) that ruined its liscense...(I robot, hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, to name a few others)

[Kris10Leigh]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

The problem with movies like "The Cat in the Hat" is that people just assume that since it is based on such an innocent book, it will be a good movie. They don't read the reviews. Then too, you have parents who just don't realize that the kind of humor movies like that have are inappropriate. They trust the media to make those decisions for them. I really do think it is irresponsible of the media.

I'm so thankful for our DVR! It really allows us to know exactly what our children are watching! Everything they watch is pre-recorded without exception and they are all shows I pick with them. It's so nice! And for the most part, cartoon network is just awful!

[shelbylovesmelby]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

It is Hollywood's way of sexualizing our children and corrupting the morals of minors. Didn't that used to be against the law? Now we welcome it!

I agree! I dislike like this trend alot! What happened to letting kids be kids?? I thought I grew up too fast the generations since are wearing things I would of worn in HS in GS & I'm only 30!

[pearlieq]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

I'm so thankful for our DVR! It really allows us to know exactly what our children are watching! Everything they watch is pre-recorded without exception and they are all shows I pick with them.

DVR is a blessing for a concerned parent. If we ever have kids I imagine we'll have similar house rules. What I also love is that with DVR you can limit the amount of commercials they see for Super Sugar Neon Fruitiee-Ohs (Now with extra corn syrup!)

[Kris10Leigh]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

Pearl, you have no idea! My children truly never see a commercial, unless they are just being lazy after they watch a show and they don't turn it off right away. Then all I hear about is whatever rediculous commerical has just been shown. My two boys are even pursuaded to buy "My Little Pony" and other girlie things. It is so funny...and sad. The advertisements are so good it makes them want things they don't even want!! And just how many sugar cereals are there right now?! It's insane!

DH and I also never see commercials anymore, and when we do, it's actually entertaining. Some commercials are actually funny and we appreciate them more when we see them only once in a blue moon. As we flip through commericials, ocassionally one will catch our eye and we stop to watch it. I laugh and laugh at the Citibank identity theft ones! They're so funny!

[kealina]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

I agree! I dislike like this trend alot! What happened to letting kids be kids?? I thought I grew up too fast the generations since are wearing things I would of worn in HS in GS & I'm only 30!

i'm only 24! and i'm disturbed... sometimes i wonder what their parents are thinking allowing them to dress like that...
of course, i was fairly conservative compared to some of my peers too... my parents are old-fashioned and it does rub off...

[tabbycat31]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

I am 26 and appaled at the loss of childhood. I read an article a few years ago that said the toy industry is declining because the 8-12 set dosen't want toys anymore, they want fancy electronic items (digital cameras, ipods, cellphones, etc) that their parents and older siblings had.

I played with Barbies as a teenager.

And if I was a parent, I would never think of dressing my daughter to be a child porn star. And writing on the rear is just tacky./

[PauletteGoddard]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

At a screening of "Curious George," I was surprised to learn that my son, among his pals, had seen the most films. It was his first time at a mainstream theatre, we'd taken him to IMAX, and independent art houses for retro flicks and silent comedies, so he was unprepared for the fifteen minute onslaught of B-movie trailers and commercials... he shouted "THIS IS BORING" as the commercials played.

I love my child.

[Mathew Green]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

My children truly never see a commercial, unless they are just being lazy after they watch a show and they don't turn it off right away. Then all I hear about is whatever rediculous commerical has just been shown. My two boys are even pursuaded to buy "My Little Pony" and other girlie things. It is so funny...and sad. The advertisements are so good it makes them want things they don't even want!!

And if they are never exposed to commercials, how are they going to learn that commercials lie and all those people just want their/your money?

I'm not suggesting being reckless, but a certain amount of controled exposure followed by an age-appropriate reality check will do wonders in the logical-thinking department. Something as simple as taking note of what commercials they've seen, and when you're in a store letting them see the real toy and saying (as innocently as you can) "This isn't as ______ as it looks in the commercial, is it? And it doesn't ______ or ______, it just stands there. Is it really any different from the ______s you already have?" Of course you have to adjust that for your own specific kids, but you get the drift: Brainwash them to look at all commercials as selling tools, before the mass media has a chance to brainwash them into believing commercials are unbiased information.

[dragonfly]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

I occassionally like to take the kids for a day out at the movies. But, I am getting tired of the Disney shtick where burping, farting, etc take the place of any real humor. There are still some very good movies made such as Toy Story, Nemo, but they are getting fewer and further. Just my rant for today!

Not at all.... sometime kids movie teach kids many things which we can't teach them. There are lots of informative kids movie related to science and technology which educate not only kids but also adults. Don't compare money with knowledge.

[abowers]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

Personally, I find going to the theater at all a waste of money and time. I need to get there 30 minutes early to get a decent seat, buy some grossly overpriced snacks, then have the "show" start on time only to have the first 15-20 minutes be commercials and previews. Once the movie starts, I have to deal with deafening sound levels, other people talking, the back of my seat getting kicked, people talking on cell phones, etc.

When we go to the theater, we eat before we go, we wait til after the first couple weeks the movie has been out so we don't have problems getting a ticket or a decent seat, and it's not so crowded that people are talking and kicking our seats. And we show up 10 min after the movie "starts" to skip out on some of the previews. We go to matinee shows or we use our grad student id's to get the student rate ticket.

But I like Netflix too. We just find ways to make it less painful when we actually do go to the theater.

[pearlieq]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

And if they are never exposed to commercials, how are they going to learn that commercials lie and all those people just want their/your money?

That's a valid point. I personally suport censoring commercials like I support not taking your 7 year old to R-rated movies.

Kids should be exposed to commercials, but preferrably only when they're old enough to understand them in context and to view them with a critical eye. At a certain age they're simply not capable of that kind of thought--their brains are working on other things at the time.

But once they get old enough for critical thinking (late grade school-ish) it would be good for parents to sit down and watch TV, commercials and all, with kids and discuss the messages being broadcast. It's a very valuable lesson for parents to teach!

[Mathew Green]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

Kids should be exposed to commercials, but preferrably only when they're old enough to understand them in context and to view them with a critical eye. At a certain age they're simply not capable of that kind of thought--their brains are working on other things at the time.

But once they get old enough for critical thinking (late grade school-ish) it would be good for parents to sit down and watch TV, commercials and all, with kids and discuss the messages being broadcast. It's a very valuable lesson for parents to teach!

Late grade-schoolish? Methinks thou art underestimating thy children.

IMHO, which is only MHO, any child that is old enough to read, do math, eat lunch in the school cafeteria, and understand that running into the street is dangerous is old enough to be taught that not everything they see is true and not everybody who acts friendly is really their friend. It's sad that we need to do that, but it is the real world we live in.

So, I respectfully disagree and suggest 6-7yo as a reasonable age to begin teaching the basics of critical/logical thinking, if not sooner. I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed while I was growing up, but I was taught the basics bit by bit as soon as I could comprehend them, and by the time I was 12yo (6th grade) I was perfectly comfortable doing most of our family's grocery shopping by myself with just a basic grocery list.

I personally support censoring commercials like I support not taking your 7 year old to R-rated movies.

I believe critical-thinking lessons that involve commercials are just an extension of other basic-logic lessons like, "the more a person tries to carry all at once, the more likely they are to drop something."

The limited exposure to comercials and other ads that I'm talking about is something that should happen naturally, the same way other safety lessons are taught, with the parent as teacher/guide providing limited exposure that's well within safe limits, asking questions to assess understanding, and providing information when appropriate to stimulate thinking.

To use your analogy: it's the same as answering questions truthfully but with limited detail when your kid discovers the underwear section of a mail-order catalog. There's a world of difference between that, and taking them to an R-rated movie.

Happy parenting. At least we both have the comfort of knowing that there are no perfect solutions; only reasonable responses to common situations.

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

Ditto Greens statement, the US in general underestemates children, while I do not recomend all out comercial freedom, I do feel that limited comercials are good, the other day DS said something about an ad (not sure if it was print or video) and I pointed out it doesn't actually do that (fly maybe?) and we agreed it was sillly for them to depivct it that way..while I could tell from his expression he didn't believe me, planting the seed is better than ignoring it...

[cschin4]

Re: Kid's Movies - Waste of Money?

Parents can't always "sit and watch" everything that is going past their child's brain. My kids see these movies at daycare, friend's homes, etc. There is no getting around it even when we don't go to see them, don't watch them at home, etc. Society used to make an effort to "protect children".
There was and is no reason in the world to sexualize Cat in the Hat. And, I do read reviews before I go see anything. But, I find it completely disgusting that this garbage is even there in the first place.
Now, even Burger King, McD's etc are selling Happy Meals based on the characters of PG-13 movies. Many parents are trying very hard to stop the tide but it seems to be a losing battle when the media is intent on destroying childhood.