Am I too strict??

[BabyWestwood]

Parents of children around 3-6years,I would really appreciate your thoughts on the following...

Fizzy Drinks?
Swearing in music?
Watching movies that are not scary but are 12+?

Also, do you think having your children believe the magic of Santa, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy etc is wrong because you are just lying to them??

My answers:

Fizzy Drinks? Not until much older!
Swearing in music? Not until older
Watching movies that are not scary but are 12+? Not until 12 or over

Also, do you think having your children believe the magic of Santa, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy etc is wrong because you are just lying to them?? I go OTT and love creating the magic for my kids.

 

[ShowingPromise]

I don't have a child of that age, my lo is much younger, but He will be raised in a similar way to me and hubby were, so:

Fizzy drinks - 5-6 years plus as a special treat only
Swearing in music - if I can avoid it not until he is much older, 12+ I know he'll pick up swear words at school etc so I will teach him ok words and words we won't allow.
Films - I'll research anything that's an older rating than his age and take a view, some 12 rated films are ok, just have action scenes etc. They'd probably be a special treat.

As for Christmas, Tooth fairy etc I'll be making a huge thing of them, I want my son to have a magical childhood! I know I did and wasn't upset they were 'lies', it was just part of growing up and I gradually realised they weren't true... But carried on for the presents and the magic at Christmas etc.

Do what you think is best for your child and sod anyone that criticises your choices!

 

[kittyrooroo]

My LO is three and a half he has no fizzy drinks, I don't think he's ever even tried one. I'm quite strict with chocolate too actually, and sweets. Every time he eats something like that, all I can think of is the sugar! He sees fruit and jelly as a treat though so I don't feel like I'm depriving him.

Swearing, I'll admit I'm a massive potty mouth. I just can't control myself around him. I'd rather just be myself. There's been a few times where he has repeated me and I feel terrible. But I tell him it's a grown up word and he understands he's not to say it. I think I'm just lucky with him though! My sister is the same and none of her three children swear. My little boy is so polite and that's what everyone comments on. No one would know I swear so much! I do wish I could stop though. I might not be so lucky next time. As for swearing in music and tv, he isn't really around that. Day time tv is just Disney junior!

I wouldn't have him watch something for adults until older. I don't even like him being in the room when the news is on. I'm traumatised by the news sometimes! I know they get to an age when they just want to be like their friends and probably won't be able to stop it though.

Love creating the magic! I'm out putting footprints in flour to pretend it's Santa, we craft at Easter and Christmas and make a big deal of birthdays, all of us not just him. He's just had the Easter bunny and I'll be doing the tooth fairy. I would have done the dummy fairy but it wasn't needed! I just remember how magical it all was for me as a child and I want to create that for my boy.

 

[Ella1979]

My daughter is 4 and I also have a son, who is 2. I wouldn't give them fizzy drinks for a few years yet. My daughter doesn't even like fruit juices and drinks water, so she may not like them anyway! They also don't have sweets and have chocolate once a week on a Sunday and occasionally at other times in the week.

Swearing in music - they'd have to be much, much older. I have to admit I do occasionally swear in front of my two and say that mummy said a naughty word. They rarely repeat them, thank goodness. I think the worst my daughter's said - when trying to do her seat belt up herself and failing - was "bloody hell"!!!

Watching 12+ movies - not for a long time and definitely only once they're over 12. My daughter has a really overactive imagination and can't even watch Peter Rabbit without getting nightmares, so I have to be careful what programmes she watches on CBeebies!

As for Father Christmas, tooth fairy etc. I'm more than happy to let them believe in them. It's part of what's magical about being a child. Dreading telling them that Father Christmas doesn't exist though... I balled my eyes out when my mum told me (I was 9)...

 

[redbear]

Well the dentist has banned mibe from fruit juice and they have never had fizzy (well maybe once when the place had nothing else) so milk and water only for mine for the last 3 months.
Swearing-- I swear now and again, I try keep music pg but if they want to stand watching me have a bath my play list is staying on lol.
12 plus films will depend on the film and the kid. Like deadpool no way but some 12 films are quite kiddy.
Love santa and easter bunny. Yes it's a lie but it's a nice lie xx

 

[Phoenix85]

Deadpool is a 15 Just FYI x

Fizzy - no, not keen on it. My eldest is almost 12 (at the end of April) and nicked some coke when they were only 17 months! (On holiday and they took a sip of their dad's and loved it!) Didn't let them have their own though, no way.

Some time around 5 they did start having fizzy but only when we ate out and not every time.
They love it so much though so now it's like a treat thing. They maybe have a fizzy drink once or twice a week if we eat out or get a take away or if they go to the village shop for me I give a bit extra money to get a drink. I'm not keen though so I do limit it and some weeks they don't have fizzy at all.

At home it's water or decaf tea, occasionally orange juice but I rarely buy it and the two of them drink a carton in 2/3 days so then it's back to water only.
I also only do soya or almond milk (no dairy here), 9yr old drinks it, 11 yr old only has soya in tea and won't drink almond milk.

9yr old has never really had fizzy, I think they have had the occasional sip a while ago but don't/didn't like it so never even asks.
She drinks orange or apple juice when out, water or almond milk at home.

Swearing in songs, I'm easy going. I'm not adverse to it. I swear too much but I am trying to be better and think I am better now than a few years ago lol. My 11yr old swears too much but never used to. I blame youtube tbh as they watch vlogs and interviews and these youtube "celebs" videos and there is swearing in them, the 11yr old's swearing only really got bad this last year or so since being on youtube a lot, but whenever they swear in front of me I tell them to watch their language and remind them not to swear.

Films... depends on the content and the age.
At 9, no, too young for a 12+ film I think. But my 11yr old has seen 12 films (the first Twilight, and all The Hunger Games films for example).

I've even considered letting them watch Deadpool with me! I haven't seen the film though, only the trailer. The trailer doesn't seem too bad but of course it could be 'censored' so I've held off for now.
They "get" a lot of adult humour and stuff, and all the swear words they've heard before so not too bothered. Or about fight scenes. The only thing really off limits these days is sex scenes and some 'sex humour'/reference to sexual acts. That's the only thing I'm funny about and want to avoid exposing them to at 11/12. Which is why they've seen the first Twilight film but not later ones.

 

[redbear]

Deadpool is a lot of sex, his girlfriend even uses a strap on ������ it is not a kids film but some parents where took their kids thinking super hero film. It is not he is a hired hit man with a prostitute girlfriend who also wanks a lot. The trailer doesn't showuch because is on tv so got to be pg.
It's too far for me I wouldn't want to sit next to my mum and watch it and im 26 ������ xx

 

[redbear]

Btw I love the film it's amaze balls I mean it's too much for kids or to sit through with my mum haha xc

 

[Phoenix85]

Yeah I did worry that there was going to be stuff like that in the film which is why I decided against it.
It's a bit annoying though 'cos generally the trailers seem good & funny and just 'super hero'y so I can understand people thinking it would be fine.