Since we don't have cable, we have the opportunity to approve what content our kids watch before they watch it, whether it's a Netflix by mail, a Netflix Watch Instantly, a YouTube video, something on Hulu, or a DVD.
We don't just take the rating at face value. Something marketed as a kids' show may not be appropriate for our kids. (We're not big fans of Disney tween fare.) Something marketed to adults may be perfectly acceptable. (Our kids love Jane Austen adaptations. Yes, even Jude. While Karenna is a fan of the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice miniseries, Jude went through a Gweneth Paltrow Emma phase.)
We waited some time to decide on The Lord of the Rings movies. On the one hand, the kids love stories adapted from books. (They enjoyed the Harry Potter movies and now spend just as much time on the books as the movies.)
On the other hand, the kids are young, and the movies were considerably more scary and bloody. We didn't want the kids to be scared, or, just as bad, begin imitating the violent scenes all day. They like to act out everything they see, which means when Jude plays Star Wars I have to worry about light sabers hitting people and things all day. When he plays superheroes, he tries to somersault off of furniture or stand on the rocking chair until it tips. I wasn't eager to add more to the Jude Kauffman stunt show.
When we finally decided to let them watch, they were not scared after all. And, they do play Lord of the Rings. Here's how it works...
- Karenna wears her Halloween costume and pretends to be Arwen. She finds a toy ring and says it's "the one ring".
- Jude finds a blanket that I tie on like a cloak. His lightsaber hangs from it like Sting, Frodo's sword. He, too, has a "one ring".
- They walk around.
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