The Beholder in Charge

So, last night we all watched a movie as a family. As the boys get older, they want to watch movies that are not necessarily appropriate for them, in my mind. Of course, they think they are old enough to watch practically anything. "I've heard every swear word that exists so many times" or  "I've already seen movies that have that in it, Dad" are familiar refrains.

My concerns are several. First, even if you have heard it, seen it, done it, said it, etc., that doesn't automatically mean you should have or should continue to be exposed to that kind of language/behavior. Second, Mary Beth said something meaningful last night, "Once you see something, you can't take that image back. It is burned into your brain forever."

As a parent, it is my responsibility to keep my children safe - emotionally and physically. Part of keeping them safe means that I set limits on what they can say and do. This is not easy, and the rules are somewhat gray. What kind of adult-content is appropriate for kids to see and what isn't? When is something edifying or offensive or just plain stupid? These decisions kind of get to the nature of art itself, and may be in the eye of the beholder. In this case, as the parent, I am the "Beholder in Charge" and I make the rules. Tough job, sometimes.