Should you shield your kids from Scary movies and also reality?

Life imitates art. Art imitates life. There are movies that dramatize horrifying events like the movie about the the flight that crashed because the passengers revolted against the hijackers.

There are also events that come from movies or as they are better known as copycat crimes.

Since I don't have any human kids (my puppy behaves better than some children yet, my puppy can't enter most stores.) I am not qualified to give advice. All I can do it point out what I see.

I don't agree with kids watching scary movies and only an irresponsible parent would allow that.They are of no benefit to anyone let alone kids.The certificates are there for a reason.

An adult mind may able to process them better but to inflict those images on a developing mind is a stupid thing to do.

Yes,reality can be harsh but your childs reality hopefully isn't.

If you want to teach them about sonething scary try history books.Those times were harsh but there is some educational value to history.

maybe the reason their parents shielded them was that they were *already* scared of the smallest things. not everyone reacts to a movie (or life) in the same way, and most parents are fairly sensitive to what their kids are ready to handle. it does not make a lot of sense to have a blanket policy that all your kids have to see movie x at age y regardless of whether they'd enjoy it or how they'd react to it.

no, i don't shield my kids from reality, but nor do i think that in order for them to have a decent life i have some obligation to run out and take them to every horror movie ever made.....

I would say stick with age appropriate stuff don't let them watch SAW when they are 7. Keep things in a moral black and white zone until they fully understand right from wrong. Then get into morally gray movies. ie: Law abiding citizen and Saw.

Now for reality, you tell it to them, no problems there, but movies, you shouldn't. They have ratings, and normal thinking person would show these movies to kids only then they are old enough. You wouldn't show them porn, so why would you want to show them a movie which is rated "R" the same way as porn movie?

Sure, wrap them up in cotton wool and you'll have kids like Michael Jacksons.

I strongly believe kids should be locked in closets and thrown a bag of chips and bottle of water every day......