I grew up watching professional wrestling like I assume most of you on this board have. I remember watching Dick the Bruiser and his crew with my father when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. That transitioned into watching WWF during the years of Rock and Rasslin, and the start of Hulkimania, and so on and so forth.
I feel like over the years, as I have grown up so has pro-wrestling. The content of shows are much different than the cartoon characters I grew up with, and that has probably been the reason why I have continued to watch.
Lately, my girlfriend and I have discussed having kids. And for whatever the hell reason, I started to wonder that if the content of pro-wrestling is still as it is today when my children are old enough to start watching would I let them.
Is professional wrestling for kids anymore? Or has it in fact grown up to be more adult entertainment than for kids as it were when we were younger?
I think you have to judge that sort of thing based on how you wish to raise your child overall, and on your own assessment of your child and of your ability to impart your morals and values on your kid. Personally I was raised very permissively. I saw the original Halloween movies when I was 8. I had no curfew growing up. I watched anything I liked on tv, and my mother made efforts to know what I was watching and explain things to me. And personally, while I know I'm not perfect I feel like I've done pretty well. I've never been arrested, I'm a college graduate, and outside of a bender or two every year I have no horrible habits. I really believe that dedicated parents will do far more in determining how a child turns out than any entertainment medium in the world can ever hope to.
Just make sure to teach him to be a workrate geek. We always need more of them ;)
I think there are too many workrate geeks already
I've watched it for about 20 years now, starting right around WM 1. My brother has watched it literally his whole life. We turned out well. Granted, I had to go to the hospital once for breaking my nose on my bed headboard imitating the Macho Man (don't ask).
It depends on what age you are talking about. I'd let my kids watch, as long as I explain to them and they understand that what's going on is fake like any other T.V show, and that they shouldn't emulate the wrestlers' moves around the house or at school.
Yeah I would let them watch it but I would have to watch it with them and explain certain things to them. Instead of just saying ____ is wrong, explain to them why it's wrong.
Originally posted by geemoneyIt depends on what age you are talking about. I'd let my kids watch, as long as I explain to them and they understand that what's going on is fake like any other T.V show, and that they shouldn't emulate the wrestlers' moves around the house or at school.
Yup. I'm a firm believer in desensitizing kids to violence, sex, alcohol, etc. No really, I'm serious. The key is to understand and think about behavior, not to be unaware of things. Children are bound to encounter some of these elements sooner or later, unless you lock them in the closet. I think being familiar with them and understanding them prepares kids to deal with them when their parents aren't around to guide them.
We always had alcohol around my house and I always got to drink wine on holidays if I wanted it. As a result I was less excited about the prospect of sneaking drinks at friend's houses after school. Access to liquor was no big deal, so I didn't feel like I had to "seize the day" when opportunities arose. We didn't have drugs around the house, but because I had never been shielded from seeing the effects of drug use on others, I had more knowledge than most kids my age when those opportunities arose as well.
There is plenty of garbage on WWE programs that I wouldn't want my son to emulate, but shielding him from it (or thinking that I am while he is getting exposed to it outside our house) isn't the answer. Knowledge is the answer. And who knows, he may not care to watch if given a choice. Lord knows I don't watch the WWE much these days.
Frank
(No, I wouldn't go out of my way to expose my son to x-rated materials, but I wouldn't shrink from a discussion of the topic, nor would I grab him and run out of the monkey house when they started balling at the zoo.)
They'll see a LOT worse things on daytime TV than what they'll see on wrestling. The only reason these groups leave the daytime shows alone is because they count on the housewives/househusbands to be the "morally outraged middle-class white people" that write letters to congressmen.
Your kids will be fine watching Kurt Angle, but keep them the hell away from "Days"!
Tribal Prophet
Wrestling exists in the eternal present. What is, has always been, and when it no longer is, it never was. It has no past and no future, and sometimes even today is in question. - Madame Manga
I have three sons, ages 7, 5, and 18 months. They aren't allowed to watch, even though I watched the AWA at age 7 (or earlier). The programming is very different now than it was then. There's nothing presented by the WWE that I feel my kids need to watch. They can get their junk tv in other ways, without being exposed to wrestling, or what is presented as wrestling.
I would not let my kids watch until they reach a certain age. I think 8 or younger is too young to be watching it, especially with all the innuendo and staged violence. I alwasy shudder when I see parents bringing their 4 year old kids to these shows. These are the same parents who let their kids watch R rated movies. I am not saying that all these kids turn out bad, but you only get to be innocent and pure for a short amount of time in your life an childhood is that time. Why force your kids to grow up by watching Freddie Krueger or a bra and panties match? There is time for that later in life. Let these young kids enjoy the simpler things in life before they realize what the real world is REALLY like.
Big brother representative: Now, Mr. Simpson, may I ask why you're here? Homer's Brain: Don't say revenge. Don't say revenge. Homer: Ummm... revenge? Homer's Brain: Okay, that's it. I'm outta here. [Sound FX: step step step step step... slam]
Originally posted by spf2119I think you have to judge that sort of thing based on how you wish to raise your child overall, and on your own assessment of your child and of your ability to impart your morals and values on your kid. Personally I was raised very permissively. I saw the original Halloween movies when I was 8. I had no curfew growing up. I watched anything I liked on tv, and my mother made efforts to know what I was watching and explain things to me. And personally, while I know I'm not perfect I feel like I've done pretty well. I've never been arrested, I'm a college graduate, and outside of a bender or two every year I have no horrible habits. I really believe that dedicated parents will do far more in determining how a child turns out than any entertainment medium in the world can ever hope to.
Just make sure to teach him to be a workrate geek. We always need more of them ;)
Not sure about the workrate thing, but that sums up how I was, except that I was raised on Freddy Kruger. But my mom took no crap from me or my brothers, so I turned out pretty well. Couple that with living in a really crappy neighborhood and you got the makings of the rare Female WWE Fan who survived 2002 with only a slight disdain. That's about as polite as I can make it.
Ringmistress
Proper planning prevents piss poor performance" William Regal
The following post expresses the opinions of a raving Jerichoholic. He is biased, opinionated and bitter. You have been warned.
That's probably the best advice I've seen given, right above. Do what you think is right, and od the best that you can. The best thing anyone can do for their children is to try their hardest to do what they think is right for their kids.
The preceding post expressed the opinions of a raving Jerichoholic. He was biased, opinionated and bitter. You were warned.
I swear, me and pieman were discussing This Very Topic about 3 months ago. There was some sort of drama going on about kids and WWE (There was prolly some racy storyline/angle going on at the time too) and it got me to thinking.
LONG VERSION: Before me and pieman talked about it, my GF (now my fiancee OMG) would see me watching WWE and say "You know our kids arent watching this trash, right?" When she said that, I thought she was crazy! HELL YEAH my kids are gonna watch wrestling! Like most of you, I GREW UP on WWF. I cant imagine my childhood without it. But then I had to remind myself that the stuff WWE puts on today is not the same stuff that the WWF was putting on in the 80s. I'm not too worried about the staged violence stuff. That topic is pretty easy to tackle. But I dont want to have to explain to a 6 year old why everyone keeps yelling "Puppies", or why those 2 ladies cant stop pulling each others clothes off and fight normal like everybody else, OR what "HLA" stands for and what it means.
I know, I know. I cant shelter my child from these things forever and there are ways to tell them about these things in a way they'll understand and blablabla, but I dont want to. I think I'd want my kids to be old enough to have some sort of understanding about what they were looking at without WWE being the first place they notice that some girls prefer to kiss other girls over kissing boys and so on.
SHORT VERSION: I guess it's all a judgement call. If you think your kids are old enough to truly understand what they're looking at, which parts are real/fake, which parts are right/wrong, and you think they're ready for *those* conversations, then go for it.
GET TO THE DAMN POINT ALREADY: Sadly, I'd have to say "No", my (young) kids are not going to watch WWE.
Originally posted by WpobWhy force your kids to grow up by watching Freddie Krueger or a bra and panties match? There is time for that later in life. Let these young kids enjoy the simpler things in life before they realize what the real world is REALLY like.
Wait, Freddy and bra and panty matches are part of REAL life? Well, you take the good, you take the bad...
Originally posted by Boston Idol
Originally posted by ges7184My advice: Don't get parenting tips from a pro wrestling message board!
I get tips from family and friends. If my friends happen to post on a pro wrestling message board does that disqualify their advice?
I can't tell if you were going for a cheap gag with that line or if you were implying that the people who post here are somehow "less than."
I don't think that's the point. Idol, we all know that there are some great parents on this Board (like DEAN), but one doesn't usually go to people one doesn't know for parenting advice unless the advice giver has some sort of degree posted on their office wall.
However, people who give their opinions here usually give a reason. If looking for advice, one might think this is a good place to come to see all sides of the story. I would tend to agree. However, there is a caveat: everyone who posts in this particular forum is a WRESTLING FAN. The reason you may not want to take advice on a subject like this is because everyone here is obviously biased. We say, "maybe" or "in this situation," but I can bet that any responsible parent who is NOT a wrestling fan himself wouldn't even consider plopping Junior if front of a WWE broadcast expecting a family show.
My opinion? Middle school. I teach middle school on occasion, and I feel that kids over 10 know what's real and fake, right and wrong and what not. Of course, during those first three years, it would be a moderated experience. Also, my kids might think wrestling is lame if I watch it. The problem may never come up.
Originally posted by Boston Idol (Would be happy if my son turned out to be like CRZ.)
(You can stop kissing ass... your level has been restored.)
: I don't think that's the point. Idol, we all know : that there are some great parents on this Board : (like DEAN), but one doesn't usually go to people : one doesn't know for parenting advice unless the : advice giver has some sort of degree posted on : their office wall.
I go to my mother for parenting advice. No degree on the wall there. My friends with toddlers come to me for advice. I have a four year old, so I've been through that period recently. Again, no degree.
: However, there is a caveat: everyone who posts in : this particular forum is a WRESTLING FAN. The : reason you may not want to take advice on a subject : like this is because everyone here is obviously biased.
Some are, no doubt, but I didn't like the blanket indictment of the whole forum. CRZ isn't a parent, to the best of my knowledge, but he isn't an apologist for the WWE or the industry either, so I wouldn't assume his comments were biased or tainted.
: We say, "maybe" or "in this situation," but I can bet : that any responsible parent who is NOT a wrestling fan : himself wouldn't even consider plopping Junior if front : of a WWE broadcast expecting a family show.
That's not the point. In my response I never claimed that the WWE was a family show. I approached the question with the assumption that WWE programming was "bad" and outlined why I would let my son watch anyway.
For the record he prefers Thomas the Train or the Simpsons. I can remember when the Simpsons was also supposed to be "bad." Maybe it still is.
: My opinion? Middle school. I teach middle school : on occasion, and I feel that kids over 10 know : what's real and fake, right and wrong and what not. : Of course, during those first three years, it would : be a moderated experience. Also, my kids might think : wrestling is lame if I watch it. The problem may : never come up.
Yup. Like I said, my son doesn't watch it now, but if he comes to me and asks to watch it or sits down next to me while I'm watching it, I'll go with that "moderated" approach, regardless of age. My feeling is that he'll be exposed to things regardless of how much I personally shield him at home, so I would rather expose him to those things when I am around to explain them and discuss them with him.
But, no degree on my wall. No "Get the F out" poster either.
: (Would be happy if my son turned out to be like CRZ.)
(You can stop kissing ass... your level has been restored.)
Buy a vowel. That whole level thread was a joke between two friends. I've met Chris several times and I'll vouch for him as a person in any forum, not just this one. To tell the truth, my praise probably just embarrassed him. He isn't nearly as egotistical as he pretends to be online.
Originally posted by ges7184My advice: Don't get parenting tips from a pro wrestling message board!
Trust me. As much as I enjoy and respect everyone's point of view and opinions, I will not forge my children in the image that is on message boards.
Just thought I'd throw out a topic that didn't revolve around trashing HHH, how Paul Heyman is being demoted, and whether or not Booker T will win at WM.
In other words, I'm getting tired of reading the same ol' same ol'.
Simply put: The WWF grew up with me, someone who was a kid in the 80s and became an adult in the 90s, not with the kids of today.
When we wanted cartoonish superheroes, we got those. When we got hormones, we got Sunny. When we hated the WWF, they brought in Stone Cold to lash out against it, making us like it all the more again. WWE has changed its style according to my demographic's tastes over the years.
So, if I ever have kids, or somehow adopt an orphan after a sacred promise I made to his father should anything have happened to him, I can't imagine letting them watch WWE TV as it is today.
Not so much because of the sex and violence, but more because the shows are being written by idiots with no sense of where to even take the product today. The WWF I was raised on had an identity, a sense of purpose. Everything's going downhill now, just like life.
No prob CRZ, I won't post them here. Loosie. Your friendly nieghbourhood Canadian. The SWF: Our EZBoard Our WebSite We Think We Know What It Stands For.