Kids and saying no

I enjoyed reading David Shaw’s review of Common Sense Media (“Media Giants or Parents -- Just Who Is in Charge?” Feb. 22). I too have a 14-year-old son, as well as children ages 19, 11, and 5. During the past four years, if the three older kids have wanted to see a movie rated PG or above, they have gone to www.kidsinmind.com. The website uses three ratings numbers for a film (for Sex and Nudity, Violence and Gore, and Profanity, respectively). Our kids read the review and then plead their case. This process includes them in practicing our family morals and standards, and involves them in the decision-making. While they are sometimes disappointed at the ratings on kidsinmind, they have come to understand that they are objective reviews of the content of a movie, and accept the review as valid and final.

Sure, it’s “just a movie, it’s not real.” Yet my 5-year-old is still trying to figure out if the tooth fairy is real. Should she watch “Harry Potter”? We don’t think so. Should our 11-year-old watch “Pirates of the Caribbean?” No, not when she already has nightmares. Will they miss out on the marketing phenomenon their friends talk nonstop about? Yes. But marketing has no culture, values or morality. It’s just capitalism.

It’s our duty as parents to teach our children how to make good moral choices through research, dialogue and example, and by saying no, despite how cool the ads look.

David C. Moss

Rolling Hills Estates