Remarks from the New Movie Superbad

There are a few things I can guess at as to why those kids were at a movie of this type. The first, which I can't really believe, is that the parents; even with the "R" rating were clueless to the content and didn't realize what they were getting into. The more likely scenario though, is what I'll call the 'Parent-as-Friend Syndrome' where a parent is so concerned with having no conflict with their children they will allow them to participate in almost anything to keep this misguided sense of "friendship" and the status of being a "cool" Mom or Dad. (For one minute, anyway.) I can just hear those two daughters spoken of clamoring, "But Dad, all our friends have already seen it and they said it's not that bad…pleeeeze!!?" The poor (I'm assuming divorced) Dad caves once again.

Though I haven't seen it yet, SuperBad is reminding me of the much coveted movies everyone was whispering about when I was in school like "Porky's" and "Fast Times at Ridgmont High". I know there is nothing I would have hated worse than to have seen these movies with my parents next to me, and I know at the time they would have felt the same way about having me next to them. It's just embarrassing somehow, and would take any fun out of it for the both of us. And, just like I felt, I know when my 16 year old son finally, somehow manages to see Superbad, the last people to be in the same theater or room with him will be my wife or I, and the feeling will be mutual.

Taking 7 or even 10 year old kids to movies where the humor and situations go (hopefully) beyond their experience may not do any life threatening harm, but it certainly might put a stain on young imaginations that doesn't need to be there yet.

Look, a lot of parents in this world needs some lesson in human psychology. They are just ignorant of the effects these movie will have on their children. They are too ignorant to understand why a movie rating exists.....I think we should blame the educational system. All High school students should be required to take general psychology.

I think that it is scary the things that we chose to expose ourselves to, let alone our children...I think its interesting that people believe that somehow when you become an adult you're immune to influence...I love the paradoxical idea that a child gets "tried" as an adult for some crimes...I think the way we raise our children has and will continue to change because there is no way to eliminate outside influence. Parents have to make cognitive decisions on how to present information to their children...another big thing I think children should be taught very strictly is the fact that movies are people acting like other people, and these people are in an alternate universe, and now matter how bad or destructive the movie gets its not nearly as bad as the real world...you might say "My sixteen year old already knows this..." Does she? I think a good way to tell is to find out what their influences are, generally people who acknowledge other people as an influence (ie Actor, Rap Artist, Rock Star...) they don't only take their clothes they take what they think is that Star's way of life. If a child can grab a hold on a good role model early enough it is of no consequence whether or not they go to such a movie because they already have a healthy perspective.