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Common Sense Media Rates, Educates, and Advocates for Kids, Families, and Schools
Let’s face it; it’s hard to be a parent in the 21st century. Although the information revolution has made it incredibly simple to educate and entertain our children, it has also become harder to protect them from questionable content.
What we all need is a website dedicated to providing movie reviews for parents! A website that’s mission is to protect our kids from the harmful media that surrounds them.
When we were kids, there were a handful of television channels and that was it; but with online streaming there are so many choices available that it can be hard to even know what is and is not appropriate. That’s why whenever I plan a family movie night; I use a website called Common Sense Media to help make my pick.
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is a website dedicated helping people tackle the unique problems of 21st century parents. Unlike some of the more reactionary parental advisory groups of the 90’s, Common Sense Media subscribes to set of core beliefs underpinned by the mantra “Sanity, Not Censorship.”
Read their mission statement here.
They won’t install a V-Chip on your computer, but they will arm you with the knowledge you need to make informed choices for your children’s entertainment.
The website itself is really easy to navigate, and on the top bar they tabs for Reviews, Top Picks, Parent Concerns, and more.
Movie and TV Reviews
In the reviews section you’ll find information about recent books, movies, apps, games, etc and put them into age appropriate ranges… Like normal reviews, each title will get between one or five stars. But what’s most interesting is that each review will also included a handy chart of thematic elements; such as sex, violence, consumerism, positive role models, etc…
All in all, the reviews are pretty even handed and accurate.
For example, “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No” did (unsurprisingly) poor on pretty much every metric. But unlike other parent reviews, this one isn’t quite as heavy handed and even admits that your older kids (15-17) would probably enjoy it if they have strong stomachs.
If you don’t like getting surprises when you take your kids to the movies, the review section is very helpful.
Movie and TV Top Picks
The Top Picks section is great because it is perfect for planning a family movie night on Netflix. This section will have lists of different shows and movies split up into categories like you would see on the popular streaming service. For example, they have a section call Top Movies for Geeky Families and 50 Movies Every Kid Should See Before They’re 12.
The Top Picks section is a great tool for any parent stuck on what’s next for family move night.
Parent Concern section
Now if you’re struggling with the complex issues of being a modern parent, then you personally might like the Parent Concern section. In the Parent Concern section you will find a treasure trove of information to help you make the right decisions regarding your children and technology.
There are subsections dedicated to answering questions like how much screen time is too much, what to do if your child is bullied online, etc… Parents are faced with daunting questions that have never had to have been answered before, and in the age of information there is no reason why you have to do it alone.
Movie Reviews for Parents
At the end of the day, parenting comes down to your gut instinct and there is nothing in the world that can change that; but at the same time every little bit helps. Regardless of whether you’re worried about the content or just stuck on what to watch for family movie night, Common Sense Media makes a great tool and it’s worth a look.
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