Toddlers watching violent sports

Meghan - posted on 12/12/2010

I appreciate all your opinions...thought some would be a lot harder on me lol

Tara - posted on 12/12/2010

My opinion, if it's bloody or gory or people are hurting other people (even if it is staged) than I would wait until my kids are older. We wouldn't watch only because we're not into stuff like that, but if you and your hunny are, than share with him, but I would wait a little while still.
jmo

Amanda - posted on 12/12/2010

I don't let my 7yr old watch it but that's only because he's very aggresive, and already has issues with fighting I don't really want to encourage it. But if he weren't so aggresive I would let him watch it. It's fun to watch and we always have Saturday Fight Nights at my sister in law and brother in laws, and usually bring the kids but they typically play in another room. But I don't see any harm in it. They actually can learn quite a bit from watching it. So I have to say you're not doing anything wrong! :)

Barb - posted on 12/12/2010

WE sure did Dana! that was great popcorn! good memory.. remember the dog's farts? eye watering!

Dana - posted on 12/12/2010

Ah, I loved the old Hulk show with Lou Ferrigno. If I recall correctly, it was on Friday nights and we'd make a huge bowl of popcorn each week and watch it.

Barb - posted on 12/12/2010

Wow, i feel old, i had to google both names. I mean old hulk as in, Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby.

That is hilarious Dana.

Sharon - posted on 12/12/2010

For my kids - it don't matter.

Except it gave my dog a broken leg. Actually i don't know that and I kind of doubt that. My daughter used to run and throw herself on/against everyone. Most of us could stand up against her onslaught. She did it to my dog. she and the dog went rolling. The dog got up and dragged her around by her hair. (not far and not for long!) I was standing with my legs crossed trying to not pee myself. She was laughing, the dog was being goofy. She got up and did it again. Dog got up and dragged her around by her hair.

They loved to wrestle like that - the freaks. One day, the dog had a broken leg. go figure.

Jaime - posted on 12/12/2010

There's a new Hulk with Edward Norton? I know about the one with Eric Bana, but I clearly need to get out to the movies more! I feel so behind in the times.

Meghan - posted on 12/12/2010

not the old Hulk, the new with with Edward Norton which btw was a very strange concept for me...odd role for him.

Chatty - posted on 12/12/2010

Hmmm, I wouldn't let Roxanne watch UFC at this age.

Dana - posted on 12/12/2010

No, I loved getting the shit scared out of me, it just didn't help my imagination for the rest of my life. I still scare easily but, I love it! I also, to this day, do not step directly on the floor at the bottom of any basement steps. ;)

Barb - posted on 12/12/2010

Meghan, the old hulk used to scare me too, it was his eyes i think.. and Dana, yeah, no, Did you watch it between your fingers?

Dana - posted on 12/12/2010

Barb, my uncle let me watch Amnityville horror at the age of 6 or 7, not a good idea -at all.

Meghan - posted on 12/12/2010

LOL Barb...yeah Psycho wouldn't be a great idea. The Hulk was on the other day so we turned it on, but J got scared so off it went.

Jodi - posted on 12/12/2010

LOL, my boys weren't banned from watching the wrestling until they were about 7 and 8 :) Before that they were fine, but then they started getting big and their brains started getting vague. Banning it was my way of making it clear they couldn't be trusted.

Barb - posted on 12/12/2010

I remember watching the movie "Psycho" when i was 8.

I don't think i closed my eyes to wash my hair until i was 30.

Kate CP - posted on 12/12/2010

Yea, I'm not big on kids watching people beat each other to a bloody pulp. :/

Meghan - posted on 12/12/2010

haha thanks everyone. I guess we will have to see if we get any reports tomorrow morning from daycare. He kept saying all nite "hitting is not nice right mom?" So he knows but like some of you have said, boys do get caught up in the moment. When my nephew was younger my sister had to ban wrestling cause every time anyone walked into the room he would head butt or punch them in the back of the legs.
And for the record I do feel the sports are different than video game violence. I don't think war games and grand theft auto will be passing through the threshold of my house for many years to come.

Jaime - posted on 12/12/2010

I probably won't let Gray watch UFC or anything of that nature until he's much older and able to understand the difference between unwelcomed physical contact and sports. I think that's truly what it boils down to. I don't think it's wrong for you to let J watch UFC Megs, but it will depend on his ability to distinguish between acceptable physical behaviour when he's playing with his friends. I know that Gray has a difficult time being gentle, so it's not in his best interest to watch anything aggressive...but I think all kids are different. If you are confident that J can handle watching UFC then go for it.

~Jennifer - posted on 12/12/2010

My kids have been watching wrestling since they were born - both live and tv events- They've been around it so much, that it's just a normal part of their life...they both wrestle with dad, they know the moves, they know not to try them on anyone that doesn't know what they're doing....

I guess I'm just saying that mine have a healthy respect for the 'sport' because they've been around it all of their lives...

Shit, my son was in the ring when he was 4 months old....



....and having a 3 year old girl run in the living room yelling "suplex" and jumping on her dad is hysterical.

Bonnie - posted on 12/12/2010

I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and my husband likes football, wrestling, and UFC. If they don't learn about it at home, they will hear about it from other kids at school. We just tell them, these are not things to try at home. I mean my boys play wrestle all the time, even before they spotted wrestling on the tv. They have never attemped any of the actual moves though thankfully haha.

Dana - posted on 12/12/2010

We watch UFC and boxing but, we don't let our son, who's 2, see it. Nor do we let him see when we're playing violent video games. I think things like that are best to hold off on until he's older.

Rosie - posted on 12/12/2010

i don't care if my kids watch that stuff. they try to play fight with their dad, and each other as well, but they don't ever just go up to people and start punching them or whatever.
i don't see anything wrong with it at all. but then again i let my kids watch almost everything they want to. i use things as a learning experience. there are some things i'll censor, but pretty much for the most part, i could care less.

Jenn - posted on 12/12/2010

I'm against letting children watch violent cartoons, movies, tv shows, or sports. I know as a child I was haunted by images I had seen in movies etc. I figure you have a whole lifetime to watch stuff like that - why start so early? I don't generally watch any tv until the kids are in bed - otherwise throughout the day it's either turned off or there is a kids video on or CBC Kids or TVO Kids.

Barb - posted on 12/12/2010

I really like what Ebony has to say.
I understand he is just a toddler but even at this age pointing out to him the time and place, they only do it in the cage, these men are very disciplined, they work hard at their art form, they are trained to do this, they are professionals, etc.

With that being said, it isn't just sports. My husband loves the 3 stooges. My boys would watch it, with the neighbor kids over and they would all be Moe, Larry and Curly. That lead to some injuries as well. We had to point out these men are trained actors, they only do this on set.

Eventually, 3 stooges was banned to the bedroom where only Doug and Bob were allowed to watch them (husband and oldest boy)

C. - posted on 12/12/2010

The worst sports I allow my son to watch is football. I will NOT allow him to watch UFC when my husband wants to watch it. He either goes in the other room or records it and watches it after our son has gone to bed. He doesn't want our son to watch it, either (not until he's much older, anyway-- And by that, I mean when he's a teenager and knows that violence is wrong).

Jodi - posted on 12/11/2010

We stopped letting our boys watch wrestling, and they are now 13 and 11 and we have really only JUST started letting them watch it again. Unfortunately, they used to act out and "pretend" to be wrestlers, and they'd do it on my couch in the lounge, or jumping around on their beds, and someone always ended up hurt. Sometimes boys don't know where to draw the line. It isn't that they are aggressive, because they aren't, they just forget themselves sometimes and get engrossed in the game. Because we kept telling them to calm down, stop being so rough etc (I couldn't TELL you how many times), we just banned it altogether.

Stifler's - posted on 12/11/2010

I think what you're saying is true, we can't shield kids from violent tv or music because IT'S EVERYWHERE. They have to learn that just because the man on tv did it doesn't mean it's okay for them to do it.

♏*PHOENIX*♏ - posted on 12/11/2010

You can tell early on a child who has natural aggressive behavior/learned and a child that doesn’t…it will more then likely carry over into there early/late childhood, and on into teen years…then again it could also just be a phase.

With that being said, I think that it’s always important to explain things to kids…even at a young age, because the more you say it, the better they will understand.
As he sits there watching just reiterate that those men on TV never go and hit other people, only when they are in the “Cage” or “Ring” and that they practice…ect.

But if you do have a small child who is aggressive I think a person should wait to let him take part and watch violent TV.

~All just my opinion~

Rebecca - posted on 12/11/2010

I'm the wrong person to ask because I remember seeing Terminator in the theatre, I must have been like four years old. My parents just kind of let us watch everything. I don't think I'm any more violent than the next person...except that time I hit that homeless person purposely on that unlit back road in Arkansas..but I weighted him down pretty well, don't think he'll be popping up anytime soon.

Anywho ;).