How old to watch "Mean Girls"?

[Anonymous]

I'll say I got a 13 year old and she keeps being me to watch it, i said no- thinking about when i watched it. for my child i would recommend her being at least 14.

[Anonymous]

hmm ment *begging

[Anonymous]

Watched recently with my 15yo and 11yo. They are used to me pausing to clarify or discuss at various moments—movies are a great way to start conversations on difficult topics. But maybe that’s what I think cause I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.

[Anonymous]

My dd watched it at a friends house at 12. What I don’t like about the movie is the dieting references/calteen bars/not fitting into her dress and having to wear sweatpants thread of the story. 11 year olds don’t need to be introduced to all of that body issue stuff so early. And the fact that the gym teacher was making out with a student. I loved the movie when it came out, I just think it’s more for 13+ year olds.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine, as long as you talk about the more adult issues with her and don’t just leave them to what the movie says/describes. I took my 10yo to the Broadway show earlier this year and she loved it. I thought the play was actually less “inappropriate” in some ways, but both are clearly satire so we spent a lot of time talking about that genre as well. I let her watch the movie quite recently, after she turned 11.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Watched recently with my 15yo and 11yo. They are used to me pausing to clarify or discuss at various moments—movies are a great way to start conversations on difficult topics. But maybe that’s what I think cause I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.

That sounds like a really annoying way to watch a movie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watched recently with my 15yo and 11yo. They are used to me pausing to clarify or discuss at various moments—movies are a great way to start conversations on difficult topics. But maybe that’s what I think cause I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.

That sounds like a really annoying way to watch a movie.

+ 1

[Anonymous]

What's missing from this conversation is the factor of having, or not having, older siblings. Very often kids who have older siblings are going to be doing things, and seeing things, sooner than your kids because they will get included in stuff that their older siblings are doing.

It is a reality that will be in play all through high school even -- your kid will have friends with siblings who are in college or working.

It is a good thing to start discussing -- in small doses -- as your kid is growing up. So yes, she may well have friends who did xyz - largely because those friends have older siblings and they were included.

As all siblings can tell you, there is good and bad associated with the inclusion. Our oldest will certainly discuss not be allowed to do . . . when he was young. And, our youngers will certainly discuss being forced to go along to . . . . because they had to. It is part of family life.

[Anonymous]

My 10 and 12 year old loved it. They thought it was hilarious, a huge hit. My 12 year old said a lot of the cliques and gossipy friendships were things that happen at her own middle school.

LOTS of sex talk, though. All of that went completely over my 10 year old's head, and probably half of it went over my 12 year old's head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's missing from this conversation is the factor of having, or not having, older siblings. Very often kids who have older siblings are going to be doing things, and seeing things, sooner than your kids because they will get included in stuff that their older siblings are doing.

It is a reality that will be in play all through high school even -- your kid will have friends with siblings who are in college or working.

It is a good thing to start discussing -- in small doses -- as your kid is growing up. So yes, she may well have friends who did xyz - largely because those friends have older siblings and they were included.

As all siblings can tell you, there is good and bad associated with the inclusion. Our oldest will certainly discuss not be allowed to do . . . when he was young. And, our youngers will certainly discuss being forced to go along to . . . . because they had to. It is part of family life.


Yep. Planning to watch it soon w/my 11 yo and 13 yo DDs. I wouldn't have let the older one watch it when she was 11, but the younger one is more mature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Last night, during our quiet NYE at home, I decided to let DD watch Mean Girls with me. What a mistake. We got about 20 min. in and I had to turn it off - my DH was looking at me like, WTH? It's a very funny movie - for much older kids and adults. Not for 11 yr. olds. Or at least, not for my 11 yr. old.

Everyone's different, but we watched when my daughter was 11 and I thought it was fine. Loved the Broadway version too.

[Anonymous]

My DD watched it at 11. In truth, so did all of her friends. I also watched it with her. It was fine.
But to each his own.

[Anonymous]

DD and I watched it together when she was 11. There were a few awkward moments where I had to explain to her what a slut and a whore were, which was uncomfortable but I kind of turned it into a learning opportunity. The focus on weight bothered me but seemed to go over her head.

I think back to when I watched Grease as a tween and I can't believe all the sexual references in that movie that went way over my head!

[Anonymous]

My 3yo "knew" what a whore was because her older sister was obsessed with Hamilton. There are ways to explain just about anything in an age-appropriate way.

[Anonymous]

We watched it when my kid was in 6th grade... precisely because that was when 'mean girls' started treating him like they can. Middle school sucks.