The Sixth Sense

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Michael038

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Should I allow my 7 year old to watch the sixth sense?(edited version of course)
 
The story is above and beyond a 7 year old’s comprehension and interest level. I can’t imagine why one that age would want to see it.

If he has expressed an interest I’d ask why…if you think the movie would accurately address his curiosity then it won’t hurt, but I suspect you could satisfy his curiosity in your own words or with a more age appropriate movie/book.

The opening segment of the movie has violence…for a young mind that alone might block out the rest of the movie…he might get stuck on that image/trauma and miss the point of the movie which comes much later.

Plus the segment with the girl is creepy, too, for a 7 year old, imo.
 
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YinYangMom:
The story is above and beyond a 7 year old’s comprehension and interest level. I can’t imagine why one that age would want to see it.

If he has expressed an interest I’d ask why…if you think the movie would accurately address his curiosity then it won’t hurt, but I suspect you could satisfy his curiosity in your own words or with a more age appropriate movie/book.

The opening segment of the movie has violence…for a young mind that alone might block out the rest of the movie…he might get stuck on that image/trauma and miss the point of the movie which comes much later.

Plus the segment with the girl is creepy, too, for a 7 year old, imo.
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My Child just has always liked morbid type of movies. She saw the clip on an advertisement on ABC family and has been hounding me to see it ever since. I’m leaning towards NO big time.
 
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Michael038:
My Child just has always liked morbid type of movies.
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This does not mean you need to encourage this fascination at such an age. This movie is not appropriate for small children as it tends to be a bit graphic. My opinion - you asked.
 
I personally love the movie, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for such a young child. Parts of it are pretty gross and the whole topic can be confusing to say the least. If you agree to let him watch it, I’d suggest watching it with him and talking about it during and after the movie.
 
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jrabs:
This does not mean you need to encourage this fascination at such an age. This movie is not appropriate for small children as it tends to be a bit graphic. My opinion - you asked.
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I value your opinion. Thanks.
 
Incredible movie, but I think it would scare the socks of a seven year old. Parts of it scare me, while other parts make me cry.
 
I love the movie, but think 7 is too young. I am an adult and there was stuff in there that gave me the chills as well as jump once or twice. Thats reason #1 to not let a 7 year old watch. #2 is that the subject matter is just too beyond their understanding. Has your child been introduced to Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein? Thats more the speed for kids.

Perhaps start them out on this directors other movie called “Wide Awake” its about a kid coping with his grandfathers death. Maybe this is too mature but theres nothing in it that is frightening and there is some supernatural in it as well.
 
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Michael038:
My Child just has always liked morbid type of movies. She saw the clip on an advertisement on ABC family and has been hounding me to see it ever since. I’m leaning towards NO big time.
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Ask what is it about the morbidity which fascinates her.
Of the morbid movies she’s already seen, what were her most favorite parts? Let her do most of the talking…you’re just asking guiding questions which help you to find out what question she’s trying to find answers to from movies.

Kids need to learn early on that their parents are the best source to help them find out answers to anything and they should be comfortable enough to turn to you first. Instead, in our society, for some reason, kids look to the TV and internet first. We need to slip ourselves into those situations so as to provide the answers they were seeking in an open and secure environment so next time they just ask you. It takes time and vigilence on the parent’s part (what doesn’t 😛 ), but the rewards later down the line are priceless, especially when puberty and dating years hit.
 
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YinYangMom:
Ask what is it about the morbidity which fascinates her.
Of the morbid movies she’s already seen, what were her most favorite parts? Let her do most of the talking…you’re just asking guiding questions which help you to find out what question she’s trying to find answers to from movies.

Kids need to learn early on that their parents are the best source to help them find out answers to anything and they should be comfortable enough to turn to you first. Instead, in our society, for some reason, kids look to the TV and internet first. We need to slip ourselves into those situations so as to provide the answers they were seeking in an open and secure environment so next time they just ask you. It takes time and vigilence on the parent’s part (what doesn’t 😛 ), but the rewards later down the line are priceless, especially when puberty and dating years hit.
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Thanks for the advice and thanks to everyone else as well.
 
I say absolutely not!
The movie is very good but NOT for children.
When I was 6 years old, my folks took me to see Disney’s Peter Pan. The next day I took my 4 year old sister’s hand and jumped from the top of a staircase. Trying to fly, you understand.
That was the end of movies for me till I was 13.
We didn’t have a TV till I was 9 and an episode of The Sid Ceaser Show scared me into nightmares - and it was a comedy!
Children do not process information the way a mature person does.
 
We only let our 14 year old watch it this year and it scared him. I think it is inappropriate for anyone younger.
 
Thanks everyone! I had a talk with her and told her NO, she handled it quite well.
God Bless!
 
I love the movie and dont think there is anything wrong with it. I dont think a 7 year old will understand it as much as someone older might, but it is a good movie.
 
Here’s the guideline:

If your child is not afraid of going in any room in the house by himself when it’s dark, then don’t start by having him watch any such movie that has spooky scene. If he’s already scare, don’t add to it by letting him watch it.
 
I chose “other”, as I don’t know the circumstances. Has your child asked to watch it? Or is there a good chance he or she will see it at a friend’s house anyway? If there were any chance that a child of mine that age would see the film somewhere else, I would definitely talk to him/her and let him/her (oh, let’s just say “he”, “him”…) watch it with me right there. This is a movie that would be frightening to a child, I’d think. One to cause bad dreams at the least, and lasting trauma to those who are sensitive. My first choice is a definite NO, but as I said, if there’s the slightest chance that he would see it anyway, I’d prefer to be there to explain things and calm fears.

Editing here to let you know I didn’t read the posts before posting myself. Otherwise I’d have known we were talking about a “she”, and that she had asked to see the movie… DUH! :rolleyes:
 
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Baptista:
Or is there a good chance he or she will see it at a friend’s house anyway? If there were any chance that a child of mine that age would see the film somewhere else, I would definitely talk to him/her and let him/her (oh, let’s just say “he”, “him”…) watch it with me right there. :
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I think Michael has already handled it in a good authoritative way.
I have to disagree with Baptista’s comment: if my seven year old were being shown R rated movies in someone else’s house, that’s the last time she’d ever visit that house.
I think most parents are smart enough not to show questionable movies to other people’s kids, even if they do stupid things with their own. But you have to keep an eye on things; my neighbors let their children watch all sorts of garbage, and you can see how it’s affected them. (But I suspect it’s more the teenage daughter, who watches them, who doesn’t know what she’s doing.)
 
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Viki59:
I think Michael has already handled it in a good authoritative way.
I have to disagree with Baptista’s comment: if my seven year old were being shown R rated movies in someone else’s house, that’s the last time she’d ever visit that house.
I think most parents are smart enough not to show questionable movies to other people’s kids, even if they do stupid things with their own. But you have to keep an eye on things; my neighbors let their children watch all sorts of garbage, and you can see how it’s affected them. (But I suspect it’s more the teenage daughter, who watches them, who doesn’t know what she’s doing.)
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I agree that Michael has handled it in a good way. As I edited the post to read that I had posted before reading what anyone had to say, it should be obvious that what I had to say was based on not knowing the circumstances. Still, I have to disagree with you that most parents are smart enough not to show questionable movies to other people’s kids…IF they do so with their own children. You’d be amazed what people do. Maybe not meaning to do something wrong, maybe just out of ignorance.

But aside from what the parents do or do not do, children have a way of getting into things they shouldn’t on their own. And with so many families today where both parents have to work to support them, they aren’t always there to see what is happening.

So I stand by what I said that if there was ANY chance at all that the child could see this movie, I would sit down and show (an edited for content verstion) of it while talking it over with him, or I would at least tell the child the basics of what it is about and explain things, listen to questions, etc.

When my son was 7, we didn’t have VCRs or cable tv. Luckily I didn’t have to worry about that, though there were other things to worry about. I was one of the strictest parents in the neighborhood, because I was leery of what my child could be exposed to. And I taught him the “yell and run” that they are teaching to children now, when strangers approach them. But I was a stay-at-home Mom. I luckily had that luxury. My grandchildren aren’t so lucky.

And when I was 7…well, we’re talking “Howdy Doody” and “Rin Tin Tin” on the tv. No R rated movies to worry about. And yet…and yet! One of my cousins who was the “saintly angel girl” of the family. The one who “could do no wrong”, was the one who knew exactly where the uncles and older cousins hid their pornography books and such. And a friend of mine was a victim of incest by an older brother and told me about what happened. I was a child! She was a child! Did we “tell”? No. She didn’t want to get her brother in trouble, and I didn’t know any better at the time. The point of all this is to say we never, ever know what our children may be exposed to, or where they may be exposed to it. So we need to prepare them to handle certain things if we think there’s a chance, and today, unfortunately, there’s a chance of them being exposed to more than I was exposed to over 50 years ago.
 
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