TV Show Appropriateness for Your Tween

Source: Tween Parent Staff

(20 ratings)

We're all familiar with film ratings of the Motion Picture Association of America (G, PG, PG13, R, etc.). And, we likely know that the same sort of information is available for video games from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (E, E10+, T, etc.). Armed with that kind of readily available data, it's easier to be aware of what we should steer our kids clear of. And since the publication of the ratings is prevalent, pre-teens have a sense of what will be off limits and what will be acceptable. As usual, each child/parent dynamic is different. There are situations that you may know will be disturbing for your child to watch; and there may be other visuals that you just don't want your child to be exposed to, based on their age. For example, if you know your tween is particularly sensitive to violence, you would want to find out the plot and understand what content might be objectionable prior to your tween seeing the movie or playing the game. Again, finding that information is not difficult.

But, there are other factors to consider when it comes to television. One of the complications is that we sometimes falsely assume that shows on a given channel or during a particular time slot will be appropriate, based on history and attributes we ascribe to those channels. For example, it used to be that shows before 9pm were considered to be appropriate for "the family." And that shows on the Disney Channel (or other similar channels, like ABC Family, etc.) would be appropriate for any audience. That's not always the case. For example, my daughter has been regularly watching "Make It Or Break It" on the ABC Family channel. Granted, the show is on at 9pm, but with the advent of DVR, that's not an issue! For my ten year old, "Make It Or Break It" has been an introduction to the modern day drama/serial. It happens to revolve around a group of gymnasts in Colorado, but the real meat of the show is the day-to-day family, friend, and boyfriend challenges. Based on my daughter's temperament and with me watching next her, it's an envelope-pushing experience, but one that she can handle. When there are terms like, "slept with" or "drunk," I'm there to initiate a discussion with her.

The bottom line is that there are resources available to help you understand the age-appropriateness of television programs, though not as extensive as with other media. In addition, there are a couple of basic suggestions that you can think about to give you a sense of comfort and help you decide what to sanction or not.

• The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has a section that offers ratings for many television shows, by clicking the drop-down arrow next to the title of the show. To help decode the ratings and provide more detail, TV Guide provides a quick reference summary.
• Talk to your friends and fellow parents to find out what kids and families are watching. Or, if you have concerns, get some input from an older child; you'll find that they'll likely give you the "low-down" on what's really happening on the show.
• Watch with your pre-teen. Not only will you get a sense of the material he/she is comfortable with, it will give you a chance to discuss objectionable content.
• Like any other privilege, develop rules related to television viewing and DVR. That way, your tween will know that you're concerned and involved in what he/she is exposed to.

On a lighter, personal note, I had an interesting experience with my daughter the other day. As mentioned above, she has been glued to the television to watch each episode of "Make It Or Break It" throughout the season. At first she was saddened and angry that each show left some unresolved issues. There were tears each week - the innocence of not understanding why they would leave the audience hanging was endearing. This week, since it was the season finale, I had to offer some extra coaching about the usual end-of-season cliffhanger. I told her about the summer of "who shot JR?" on the show, "Dallas." I thought she got it, but when her favorite character kissed another girl just before the closing credits, she burst into tears, banged her fist on the couch and exclaimed, "What an A-Hole!" That's my girl.