The importance of watching movies based on the age of the child (choose su or pg

Want more fun family vacation time? Try taking your little one to watch, whether it's watching a movie or on home TV. But remember, don't just choose the film that you will watch. Make sure the category of film you want to watch is appropriate for the age of your baby. Why should we pay attention to the category of films based on children's age?

The Film Censorship Institute (LSF) has determined a film rating based on age

Each film is produced to be marketed according to its respective target market, from children to adults. However, in order not to choose the wrong film for children, you must first know and understand the differences between each film category based on age.

In the past, the classification of film ratings was divided into three, namely "All Ages (SU)", "Youth (R)", and "Adults (D)". However, since the issuance of Government Regulation (PP) no. 18 of 2014 concerning Film Censorship Institutions, the classification changes in more detail to:

All Age (SU), but film content must be child-friendly.
13+: Minimum age when watching this film is 13 years (and over).
17+: Minimum age when watching this film is 17 years (and over).
21+: Minimum age when watching this film is 21 years (and over).

So if you are more observant, foreign film ratings are a little different from local Indonesian films. In America, the classification of film ratings based on age is divided into 5 categories, namely:

G. (General Audiences), equivalent to "SU"
PG (Parental Guidance) contains content or elements that may not be suitable for young children to watch need adult supervision.
PG-13 (Parental Guidance under 13) contains content or elements that may not be suitable for children to watch alone by teenagers need adult supervision.
R (Restricted) means that viewers under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult or parent.
NC-17 are SPECIAL films for adolescents 18 years and over and adults. Teens under 17 years and young children are prohibited from watching.

While at the cinema, you can see the film category listed on the poster or on the LSF warning screen at the start of the show. You can also ask the cinema clerk for more details. When purchasing a DVD, check the category of the film on the front or back cover of the package.

What about local TV broadcasts?

TV broadcast ratings are determined by the KPI

According to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission Regulation (PKPI) in Article 33 PKPI 02 of 2012, TV broadcasts in Indonesia are divided into five age classifications of viewers, namely:

SU (all people over the age of 2 years)
P (preschoolers aged 2-6 years)
A (children aged 7-12 years)
R (adolescents aged 13-17 years)
D (adolescents 18 years and over and adults)

You can find the category of films or television broadcasts in the upper right or left corner of your screen.

Why do children have to watch movies according to age?

Movies and television broadcasts are like two opposite sides of a coin. Both of them can be educational tools to increase children's knowledge. But on the other hand, watching television screens and big screens can also bring badly to their lives, especially if parents are not wise enough in choosing content according to children's age.

Take a simple example of a film that has a rating of 13+. This film may present a romance story in the style of teenage boys who might be understood by junior high school students who are in puberty, but for elementary school children aged 7-8 years, for example? All the turmoil and conflict of love from "monkey love" may not be the time for them to understand.

Moreover, television shows and movies which are categorized as teenagers or adults tend to be full of scenes that are inappropriate for children to watch. Starting from scenes of violence such as brawls, deviant behavior such as using drugs and drinking alcohol, offensive language, pornography, or other conflicts.

Children learn by imitating. Now, if he saw the fight scene from the movie he watched, he would likely follow that. Moreover, children's brain development is still not perfect so they still don't understand what is good and what is bad.

Reporting from the page Science Daily, a study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, reports that minors who are accustomed to watching teenage movies tend to be more likely and quicker to experiment with drinking, smoking, and sex. free.

In addition, fictional films are often depicted as exaggerating reality. So it is not impossible to watch movies even though they are not old enough to instill excessive expectations and bad images in children about real life so that they may cause trauma, such as fear, anxiety, or nightmares.

Then, what should parents do?

To prevent the harm from a film or television program from happening to your child, it is important to find out in advance how other people perceive the film. Many online sites provide information about film descriptions, be it the film category, genre, and the story line.

In addition to selecting which films to watch, also pay attention to how much time the child spends watching films or television shows. Not only watching movies, improving your child's relationship with you can also be done by watching music or theater performances.