Parenting Tips: Children don't learn as much from school lessons or their parents' knowledge as they do from observing and understanding the world around them. The role of screens in raising children has increased significantly today. They see, understand, and interact with the world through screens. Children often watch movies for entertainment, which impacts their minds and emotions.

Sometimes, young children recite famous dialogues from movies in their sweet voices, making their parents happy. These dialogues might be the hero's aggressive lines or romantic expressions. However, they don't just memorize the dialogues; the romance and action depicted in the film also influence them, raising many questions in their minds.

This inevitably leads every parent to wonder: Can children watch romantic or violent films? Is a child mentally prepared for such films? The answer lies in age, understanding, and guidance. Traditional parenting suggests that what is learned before the appropriate age can be detrimental to a child's mind. Let's find out at what age children can watch romantic and action films and what the effects are.

What is appropriate to watch at different ages?

Children up to 6 years old
Children up to 6 years of age should be kept away from romantic and violent scenes. At this age, children don't understand things; they only imitate. Scenes of fighting and violence can cause fear, irritability, and sleep problems. Keep them away not only from such films but also from similar cartoons. Show children of this age entertaining cartoons, poems, and devotional videos.

Children aged 7 to 10 years.
Children of this age should watch films very sparingly and only in the presence of their parents. They can watch films with light emotional stories, but violence and romantic scenes are still harmful.

Children aged 11 to 14 years.
Children of this age are entering adolescence. Hormonal changes begin to occur. Therefore, romantic films can create confusion for children aged 11 to 14 years. Violent films can increase anger and aggressive behavior in children. Content filters are therefore essential.

Children over 15 years old:
At this age, it's important to have sensible discussions with children. Because now they can understand and discuss right and wrong. So, instead of restricting them, engage in dialogue so that if they watch such films, they understand them as entertainment rather than learning something negative.

The impact of romantic films on children:

If children watch romantic films before they are mature enough, they develop unrealistic expectations about relationships. This can lead to premature emotional attachments and confusion. Their attention shifts from studies to curiosity about relationships at a young age. The glamour of films doesn't teach children that relationships require effort, not just dramatic scenes.

The impact of action and violent films:

Action films can foster anger and aggressive behavior in children. They may experience nightmares and anxiety. Children may also develop a tendency to hurt others, and their empathy may decrease. A child who sees violence regularly may not perceive it as wrong.

What should parents do?

Parents should decide what their children can and cannot watch, based on their age. Keep parental controls enabled on OTT platforms. If your child is watching TV, watch with them and explain things. When your child watches a film or a scene, ask them what they learned or understood from it. Also, limit their screen time and encourage reading, playing, and conversation.

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