Logan has never been to a movie either, and my dad's on vacation this week and wants to take Logan to the Scooby Doo movie. I've read up on it and I think I'll probably let him do it, but I have already warned my dad in advance that Logan's never been to the movies and I have no idea how he'll react or if he'll even have the attention span to sit through the whole thing.

We do allow limited TV so it's not so much that we're trying to avoid all media, but I always felt movies were more of an experience for older kids. (Logan's also never seen any of the "kids" movies on video...like Shrek, which many of his friends have seen but I will not allow.) The IMAX movie on space sounds like an ideal compromise...I really wish we had that here! Logan's space obsession is still going strong. :)

We are not avoiding all media either. Gavin watches TV once a week - Bob The Builder, Little Builder and sometimes Dora the Explorer. I read about, for example, Return to Neverland, that said the war scenes were too graphic for 4 year olds and that the emphasize heavily kids getting taken away from their parents due to the war. Lilo & Stitch I read has some "inappropriate" content due to the fact that Stitch is actually an evil alien pretending to be a dog (but I'm not sure exactly what the inappropriate is). I haven't read about Scooby Doo other than it was an "older kid" movie. You can check out the trailer for the space IMAX here: http://www.imax.com/spacestation It looks pretty cool but I'm wondering whether Gavin will sit through the whole thing, in a dark theatre that is really loud. It might be sensory overload for him.

None of our children have spent any time to speak of at the movies either - the three older ones have been to the cinema maybe four times in their lives and Rosie not at all. They've lobved the things they've seen (Harry Potter, A Bug's Life and Babe, I think) but really, I don't feel as if they've missed a thing.

We're still trying to keep a tight rein on the television, but I must say it's been slipping a bit - they all *love* the Simpsons and as hard ads I try to be disapproving, ummmm, it's too funny ;-) Still no TV until dark, though, and it goes off as soon as dinner's on the table. And I'm delighted that they all really enjoy the couple of educational programmes we've let them watch on Sunday nights - a great series about Elizabeth I, the docu-drama about the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, a really good series about Neanderthal and early homo sapiens have all been big hits. I don't muind television per se - but I DO mind endless, purposeless, habitual viewing and lots of commercials.

Gen

I've become MORE militant in my anti television feelings since we totally unplugged a few months ago but we do have a few movies that are well loved. But only watched once in a while.

Babe (good for 4 yr olds)
Milo and Otis (loved between 3-6 yrs)
Totoro (the only movie A enjoys and she only watches certain scenes but it is WONDERFUL for a wide range of ages, and the more mature themes in it don't seem to enter a child's consciousness until they're ready for them - this is my favorite children's movie ever)
Kiki's Delivery Service - ages 7 + (I think its an IDEAL movie for a 12 yr old girl)
The Indian in the Cupboard (better than the book because it addresses the racism of the book) Ages 7 +
Toy Story and Toy Story 2(4 +)

There are others but these are the ones that stick in my mind.

It really is so individual and you know your child better than anyone.

The first movie Xander went to was the Barney movie, he was about 2 I think. He ***LOVED*** it. :-D Xander was a rather sensitive soul and I knew pretty well what would freak him out and what he would really enjoy.

As far as Lilo & Stitch goes, they have some battling kind of scenes and in the beginning of the movie Stitch is not Mr. Cuddlebuns. LOL He gets more and more friendly as the movie goes on and he loses his "destructive" tendencies (this is part of the storyline, how he searches for the answers to What is his purpse and Who is his family/Where does he belong.)

And regarding your list there Kerr, I have heard a lot of good things about Totoro but have not seen it. I should rent it for the kids. And Xander did very well with all kinds of Disney/kid movies, but that kid was COMPLETELY freaked out by the Toy Story movies. Come to find out, he said in a very serious voice, "Mom, toys should NOT talk."

Colin is a very different child than Xander was at this age. He LOVES movies and never ever seems afraid. Then again this is the kid that is running and jumping in the pool, going 2 feet underwater and loving every second of it. Xander didn't do that until he was 4½. :-)

Hey Kerr, a friend around here just gave us a tape with all three of those on it! (Babe, Otis and Milo and My neighbour Totorro) Maia likes both Toy Story's too, but I don't like the first one as much, as the toys are just hostile in it. I also don't like children's movies that have words like "idiot" and say "shut-up" in them. Pretty much ALL Disney films have content like that.

Marc took Maia to see "Spirit" (the horse movie) and it was a big hit. I don't have any problems with her going to the theatre and consider it the HUGEST treat possible for her. (well, it's about on par with a musuem visit for her, but we might take her to a movie once a year) She loved seeing Spirit, but the sound level is too high for her sensitive ears. She just plugs them when it bothers her and doesn't want to leave.