ShareIs a parental guide for movies possible to achieve? A friend of mine who's a mother of teenage boys asked my opinion on this issue, and wondered if she is the only one who feels confused about the matter. I believe the concept of a parental guide is misleading. It is like the health warning on cigarette packs that says smoking causes death. It is pointless.
The world has become an open space, and it is very difficult and perhaps even impossible to limit the ability of children to access certain sites, especially with their smartphones on hand 24/7. We read and hear about the seriousness of some content on television, but the warning does not go far enough.
There is a belief that parents should have an opinion about what is right or wrong in a film, leading to the common feature of rating movies according to age, for example. But compliance is not an easy task. If children cannot watch something on TV or at the cinema, they will find access to it online - it is no big deal.
The truth is that today there is no home without a mobile device. We live in the age of technology, and we must keep pace with this development and progress. But what if children use these devices to watch pornographic or violent films? How to react if parents find adult content on their kids' mobiles?
The reaction by parents, especially in the Arab world, is very negative and can have an opposite effect from what's intended. If parents deprive their children from the use of their mobile devices or laptops, it can lead to an increased attraction to pornographic images and movies. The question here is what are the parents' concerns or fears? When a program is rated as 18+, it attracts more young kids, especially teenagers. Parents fear kids may be exposed to some inappropriate acts related to sex, violence, smoking, etc.
Sadly, many parents give a lot of attention to children until they reach the teen years. With plenty of spare time, especially during the long school holidays, social media and films become their means to spend the long days. It is very likely that the idea of these kids paying heed to any parental guide is a silly assumption.
I do believe parents can have a role in guiding their children towards social and ethical issues, because they are their role models. After all, children are sensitive and insightful, and pick up and record all their parents' actions, so the idea of parents preventing their kids from watching any kind of media is not applicable to our life today.
I gave my friend the tip to be a role model. If you don't want your children to be aggressive, do not use violence with them. The youth today know much about the Internet and how to download movies, and there is no need to fight the wind.
Deprivation is not the solution, and a little confidence in their judgment will not hurt.
By Muna Al-Fuzai
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