Creativity expert, professor, father and former day care provider Rustin Wolfe writes a weekly MinnMoms parenting advice column that uses creative punishments to put a positive spin on negative behavior.
Here's one of his creative solutions:
MAY THE *BLEEP* BE WITH YOU
Question: How old should my son be before I let him watch 'Star Wars'?
Behavior: Child wants to watch a film with adult content.
Problem: Don't want to scar the child.
Solution: Prep him.
Activity: My son was desperate to see 'Star Wars' when he was very young, and I struggled with your exact question. I was reluctant to show him a movie with so much fighting and death, if not gore (Cantina scene aside). I'm not a fan of unnecessary censorship, but you don't want to subject him to something he's not ready for, either. Not all children will be ready for the same content at the same age. In my son's case, instead of showing him the movie right away, I told him stories about the characters, emphasizing their relationships and personal growth. Over several months, we had so many conversations that he knew the entire plot and he could anticipate what was coming. As a result, there was very little left to surprise him and I was no longer worried that the movie would cause any meaningful harm. At that point, I knew he was ready. And when he finally did see the film, he saw well beyond the lightsabers and blaster rifles.



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