Age Appropriate Viewing Alternatives for Your Tweens.
As a Netflix Streamteam member I received special perks for my participation. Opinions are all mine.
It's hard to say no to your kids when they ask to watch the "popular shows", especially when "all their friends get to watch them" (which may very well be true). But the truth is many of these shows are made for an adult audience, and although our kids think they are adults, they really aren't. Navigating the rating systems can be hard, especially when some episodes might be okay, while others contain content that's definitely not age appropriate for kids.
This becomes especially problematic for that challenging pre-high school tween age group. I'm not suggesting kids should live in a bubble or not watch shows depicting some of the very challenging issues tweens and teens face today. I'm suggesting that how those issues are presented may not be appropriate for viewing on their own without accompanying conversations about issues that help to put things into context and perspective. Since we can't be there with our kids all the time, what can they watch that doesn't require supervision or conversations?
In other words ... if not that, then what? I have watched, streamed, and hunted high and low for suggestions about popular themes that are age appropriate to help bridge the gap for you. Having said that I always recommend watching the shows yourself so you can decide if the content is appropriate for you and your child.
So If Not That ... Then This
Note: One Day At A Time: I have not watched all the episodes,
so not all may be appropriate for you and your child.
Here are some other streaming options (in my opinion) suitable for tweens:
- About A Boy (TV-PG)
- Big Bad Beetlebugs (Tv-7Y)
- Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV-PG)
- Full House (TV -G)
- Granite Flats (TV-G)
- Mako Mermaids (G)
- Roswell (PG)
- Victorious (G)
- Wizards vs Aliens (TV-PG)
- Worst Year of My Life, Again (TV-PG)
Just a reminder to parents: Kids are naturally drawn to animated shows and cartoons, but many are not age appropriate and contain mature content, for example Family Guy (TV-MA). It is important that you look at the content and the ratings prior to letting your kids watch them. What is acceptable for one parent may not be for another. Keep an eye out for a followup post with suggestions for animated shows and cartoon alternatives appropriate for tweens in the near future.
You can get social with Netflix on twitter and catch all the Streamteam adventures by following the #Streamteam hashtag.
Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about streaming alternative for tweens.
Disclosure: As a member of the Netflix Streamteam I receive special perks for my Streamteam participation, posts and sharing. All opinions are my own.
