Dads weigh in on the ideal time to expose your kids to Star Wars, Star Trek, and how
Dork Daddy recently initiated a question for the ages on our dad bloggers group: how old were your kids when you introduced them to Star Wars? This is the clinical result of his trial, samplings from some of our favorite dad bloggers.
ABSTRACT:
Background and Overview: The influence of the Star Wars movies – and franchise as a whole – on popular culture is beyond dispute. Many, if not most marketing efforts are aimed at young children and they respond enthusiastically. Moreover, today’s generation of young parents grew up with the Star Wars franchise themselves and eagerly anticipate sharing their love of that material with their children. But conscientious parents also take note of some very adult subject in those movies, and thought needs to be given towards when is the appropriate time to expose a child to those images. No definitive answer has been offered beyond the “PG” rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Most parents agree those guidelines are nebulous at best.
Nineteen conscientious, actively blogging fathers were assembled and asked to respond to the question “What is the right age to expose your kids to Star Wars?”
Nineteen conscientious, actively blogging fathers were assembled and asked to respond to the question “What is the right age to expose your kids to Star Wars?” Subjects were given full latitude as to the tone and content of their responses, and were asked only to keep those responses to a reasonable length. The results were assembled in this paper, in order to offer the internet, and the worldwide parenting community some guidance when considering when to expose children to Star Wars.
Conclusion: Fathers answers ranged from “in the womb” to “never”, with an average suggested age of somewhere between 5 and 6. Fathers also cited innumerable variables to take into consideration which were not consistent from child to child, or from family to family. There was concensus among the sampled fathers that exposure should be determined on a child-by-child basis, taking into account that child’s emotional, intillectual and social development, and always under parental supervision.
Methodology:
Dork Daddy of DorkDaddy.com
Reccomended Age: 6
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
I don’t want my child the only one at the lunch table who doesn’t know what an X-wing fighter is, but I don’t want to field phonecalls from angry parents because my child was making a big deal about hacking, slashing, killing and shooting (kissing your sister)… for the full article click here
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Ron Mattocks of ClarkKentsLunchbox
Reccomended Age: 4-5
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
I’ve been fascinated with Star Wars since age 5 when A New Hope came out. Ironically, I never actually was allowed to see the first two movies until my teens. Our family’s church had a strict policy against supporting the devil’s “magic talking pictures”… for the full article click here
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Zach Rosenberg of 8bitDad
Reccomended Age: Any age, with parental guidance
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
This is a tough question. On one hand, you’ve got the by-the-numbers rule: they’re, for the most part, PG movies, which means “”Parental Guidance Suggested.”” So, that being said, as long as there’s a parent, you should be good. But on the other hand, there’s a whole lot of violence in the original trilogy… for the full article click here
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Alan Kercinik of AlwaysJacked
Reccomended Age: 4
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: I like both but if I have to pick, Star Wars
There are parents, perfectly reasonable people in probably most other respects, who would suggest that I have exposed Jack to entertainments that are not age appropriate. So far, he has seen The Princess Bride and The Karate Kid (Macchio, not Smith) multiple times. To the point that he can recite dialog. He has, only a couple of times, play attacked the dog, saying, “”Take that ROUS!”” Really. Play attack. Next on our list is Star Wars… for the full article click here
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Ron Fugelseth of A Toy Train In Space
Reccomended Age: 4 1/2
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
The first time I watched Star Wars was some time before the age of 5, and it marked the beginning of a magical time in my young life. Now that I have a son who is 4 1/2, going on 5, I figure he is now the same age I was so why not introduce him to something that was such an integral part of my childhood. Of course before I could even show him the film, he had already figured out how to turn every stick and cardboard paper towel tube into a lightsaber… for the full article click here
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Scott Behson of Fathers, Work And Family
Reccomended Age: 6
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars, geez is that even a question…
I’m a planner by nature, and I think the world is in a rush to have our kids grow up too fast. So, I delayed Star Wars until Nick was 6 (he’s now 7 ½). I LOVE Star Wars and wanted him to love it too- I figured premature exposure may ruin it… for the full article click here
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James Zahn aka The Rock Father
Reccomended Age: 2 1/2
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: STAR WARS
Although I wasn’t even four years old at the time, I distinctly remember seeing EMPIRE on the big screen. Taking a page from my own upbringing, I’d say by age three all children should be required to view STAR WARS… for the full article click here
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Ande Davis of & Squatch Makes Three
Reccomended Age: Maybe 4. Maybe 28.
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Marvel ((editor’s note for Ande: Marvel is owned by Disney… as is Star Wars. Ande narrowly escapes execution on this one))
I didn’t see any of the Star Wars movies as a whole, straight-through, until I saw Episode III in the theater with my wife’s family. I had no idea what was going on. I saw the first two movies (Episodes IV and V) for the first time when I was 28… for the full article click here
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Carter Gaddis of Dadscribe
Reccomended Age: 4-8, depending on the kid
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
My wife and I decided that our older son was ready for Episode IV (or most of it, anyway) when he was IV. Now, there were caveats. I fast-forwarded through the Vader strangulation scene at the beginning, as well as the severed arm and Greedo’s death at the hands of Han in the cantina scene… for the full article click here
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DadNCharge of dadncharge.com
Reccomended Age: 4
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
Much to the chagrin of my wife, I started showing my son the Star Wars series when he was four which was in 2009. Even though I still don’t like the first three movies over the last three, and any self respecting Star Wars fan will say so, I still thought he should see the movies in order so as to not confuse him… for the full article click here
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Todd Reed of dadlovesmovies.com
Reccomended Age: In The Womb
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Both, but personally lean a little more Trek, but Star Wars is more kid-friendly. I’ve been using it as a gateway drug and am now starting him on the original Star Trek series.
Q: When is is appropriate to expose your kids to Star Wars?
A: The womb… for the full article click here
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BloggerFather from bloggerfather.com
Reccomended Age: 3, no 4, no 5… *sigh* maybe 6
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Trek
I tried when my son was 3. It was a very exciting day. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it past “The Red People” — the robot traders ((editor’s note: Jawas)). Maybe the nerds have a more accurate name for them, but in our house they’re known as “The Red People… for the full article click here
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Bill from ihopeiwinatoaster
Reccomended Age: Never
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Mayberry, RFD
I have to think about Star Wars again. I don’t really want to, but, our American zeitgeist – think LEGOs and Saturday cartoons and models and the constant quoting and referencing and the endless “iconic” imagery – and the fact that I have nearly eight-year-old twin boys, makes it an imperative. I am not happy about it… for the full article click here
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Chris Routly of daddydoctrines.com
Reccomended Age: 4
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
“My general thought is that “”exposure”” to Star Wars can start from, well, birth. I mean, no harm in dressing your infant up like Yoda, or giving your toddler a stuffed Jawa, right? The Big Question for me is when I should sit down my boys to start watching the movies… for the full article click here
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Dad On The Run from the blog of the same name.
Reccomended Age: 5 or 6
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: What is this Star Trek you speak of?
My wife and I started discussing this early on, and when our oldest was a toddler we imagined that 5 or 6 would be a good age to begin training her in the ways of the force. Fast forward a few years and we are there… for the full article click here
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Tom Burns of buildingalibrary.com
Reccomended Age: 6 +/-
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: I visit both camps, but spent more time at Camp Star Wars as a child
“For me, trying to figure out the appropriate age to expose your kids to Star Wars is all about knowing your kid and knowing how they react to violence and death. I’m not saying that A New Hope is on par with a Tarantino movie when it comes to murder and mayhem, but, despite the fantasy trappings of the Star Wars universe, there is some really awful stuff that happens in the movies… for the full article click here
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Post Postmodern Dad from postpostmoderndad.com
Reccomended Age: 7-9
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Formerly both but now? Doctor Who
7-ish for Star Wars. 8 or 9 for Empire Strikes Back and then everything else can follow… for the full article click here
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Thomas Rogers, Awkward Story Dad of awkwardstory.com
Reccomended Age: 6, possibly 7
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Star Wars
One day in the distant future, I will be called into my son’s school for a parent conference. A secretary will inform me via phone that my child has been sent to the principal’s office for inappropriate behavior. When I arrive, a polite school administrator will invite me to sit down next to the adorable monster that looks like me, and ask the little guy to explain himself… for the full article click here
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Henry Elliss of Henry’s Blog
Reccomended Age: 6 or 7
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Mainly Star Wars, but JJ’s reboot has made me pretty bipartisan now.
“I just asked my 4-year-old son Robert, “When do you think you’ll be old enough to watch Star Wars with Daddy?”, to which he replied “Hmmm, when I am 6 or 7. They’re too scary for me now”… for the full article click here
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For the full white paper on such awesomeness, and other Dork Daddy awesomeness, visit here.
—photo by The Official Star Wars/Flickr
Whoa, John! Dark horse contender there. Including the Hobbit?
Star Trek vs Star Wars : Lord of the Rings , sorry
Because if you write a blog, you’re an expert, right? lol. At any rate, I appreciate the thoughts. This has been a serious debate in my household. We held off until my oldest son was 6 before he could see the movies. Our reasoning was very scientific: we were six when the movies came out and first saw them so if it was good enough for us, it’s good enough for him. It was a bit event on his sixth birthday, The whole party was star wars themed. Worked out really nicely, actually.