Parental Guidance: Choosing R-Rated Films for Teenagers

As parents, deciding which R-rated movies to introduce to our teenagers can be a challenging task. Our personal experiences with such films from our own teenage years provide valuable insights. Here, we explore some of the notable R-rated movies that younger parents might consider sharing with their teenagers and discuss the criteria for such choices.

Classic R-Rated Films from Adolescence

When I was a teenager, some of the R-rated films my parents let me watch included Alien, Aliens, Predator, The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Running Man, The Dead Zone, RoboCop, The Lost Boys, Blue Thunder, and They Live.

Interestingly, my mother was more concerned with violent content than anything else. She was uncomfortable with films like Porky’s and Porky’s 2: The Next Day. However, these films were tolerateable to a certain extent.

Modern Standards and Preferences

In today's context, things have changed quite a bit. I believe that Butterfield 8 would be acceptable to watch with teenagers, considering it is relatively tame by modern standards.

My friend Rick shared that he had been allowing his 8-year-old children to watch films like Saw, which are much more intense and disturbing. With my own children, I prefer to be selective and only allow them to watch R-rated movies if they show a strong interest and a readiness to handle such content.

Understanding R-Rated Films

It's important to note that not everyone fully understands what R-rated films mean. For instance, when I allowed my children to watch movies, I frequently paused the film to explain certain scenes or have discussions. Meanwhile, even graphic content was somewhat censored by pausing the film. Now that I am a granny, I find that even cartoons can be too intense for my tastes.

Personal background plays a significant role. My own parents would pack the family into the station wagon and take us to drive-ins in Houston, where we watched Barbarella and The Godfather. These two films left a strong impression. Barbarella was particularly jarring due to Jane Fonda's all-nude scenes, though I'm not sure if the current rating system was in place at the time. The Godfather introduced me to the concept of horror, with the decapitated horse's head leading to nightmares for weeks afterward.

Conclusion

Choosing R-rated films for teenagers is a nuanced process that requires balancing personal preferences, the maturity level of the child, and the current cultural context. The films we allow our teenagers to watch can shape both their understanding of the world and their cultural sensibilities. By being thoughtful and mindful, we can guide our teenagers through this important stage of development.