Would you let your child watch wrestling?

Question

simple question.. would you let your child watch wrestling?.. fake wwf style wrestling?..

small kids (even some adults) think this stuff is real.. and it shows guys getting run over.. beaten with baseball bats etc....

i would ALMOST rather a child watch mixed martial arts (UFC) and tell them "these guys are trained athletes and this is a sport, dont try it.

please watch this video-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTgyUd9tycs

it shows wrestling star john cena getting "ran over" with a car

Answer 1

What's with all this "no" stuff I'm reading? I grew up watching wrestling (and this was during the WWF Attitude Era, when wrestling was far more violent and sexually suggestive) and it didn't do me a bit of harm.

I don't really see what the concern is (except for the fact that it's not as good as it used to be). Is it the violence? Because in all honesty, most television is a lot more violent. The violence in something like WWE is so over the top and cartoonish that it's difficult to take it seriously. I mean really, the suplexes, and powerbombs, and piledrivers...it's not exactly realistic.

So what's the problem? It's fake. You know it's fake. They're not really trying to hurt each other, it's just a spectacle, a show put on for the purposes of entertainment. And as far as television goes, it's really pretty tame, considering that no one dies, they don't use realistic weapons, if someone actually does get injured it's seen as unfortunate...it's harmless. A bit too harmless, really.

It may involve some crazy, over the top stuff, but in the end all it is is a show, and people recognize that. As far as people thinking it's real, the solution is to explain to your child that it's fake, if your child watches it. If your child is too stupid to tell the difference between fantasy and reality then I guess it could be a problem, but I don't think most children are. And for the record, the vast majority of fans (pretty much everyone over the age of 6) do recognize that it's staged, which is where the true appreciation for it comes...that is, as far as all the people I know who are wrestling fans (as well as those who aren't fans), people I've met at wrestling shows, and people I've encountered over the internet, I've yet to meet someone who thinks wrestling it "real."

Also, keep in mind that as far as the video you gave as an example:

1) John Cena didn't actually get hit by the car, even in the storyline

2) Vehicular assault is pretty atypical in professional wrestling

3) If a child were to see this, what's the worst that would happen? It's not as though they've never heard of someone getting hit by a car before. Are they going to try to run their friends over with their cars? Oh, wait, I forgot, they don't have cars of their own (nor can their feet even reach the gas pedal). On top of which, they may be children, but as I said, they're not stupid.

And why shouldn't children watch MMA? I myself am not a fan, but as you said, it's a sport. What's wrong with that?

EDIT: And in response to the people above me saying "kids learn from what they see on TV, it's happened before, etc." keep in mind that as I said, sit down with your child and explain to them that what they see on TV is fake, and that they shouldn't try it themselves. Over the age of 6, they should be able to understand that. If you don't do that, then it's not the programming's fault, but the parent's fault, and not for letting their child watch the programming, but for not taking thetime to explain the relationship between television and reality. (And this goes for pretty much all programming, not just wrestling)

Answer 2

no, i think it is lame but it is especially innapropriate for a child to be watching that violence. They shouldn't be watching a lot of tv anyways!

Answer 3

I don't let my daughters watch wrestling for 2 reasons, I don't want them to think that physical fighting is OK, and at 3 years old I don't want them subjected to so much violence.

Also neither my husband or I enjoy watching wrestling so it is never on in our house anyways.

When the girls get older (MUCH older) they can decide for themselves whether or not they want to watch it, but if they do decide to watch it I intend on having a talk with them letting them know that it's all fake and that in no way is fighting acceptable.

Answer 4

yea of course u should i watch it all time and like u said sometimes is fake and ufc its more boring no excitment and u probably meant wwe and john cena moved b4 jbl could ran him over wwe is fun and funny i see kids 5 years olds watching it school wrestling its not the same like wwe i watch it since i was like 9 and kids love it just like teenagers and adults

Answer 5

I let my kids watch wrestling, I grew up watching it with my dad and he explained to me at a young age and often repeated it that wrestling was staged and just a story and that I should never try to immmitate what they do on TV because I could get hurt or I could hurt someone else and I do the same with my children, Oh the play at wrestling but they never actually touch each other it's fun to them. As for violence wrestling is tame compared to whaat is on TV and  video games today, there was a lot more blood when I was a kid. And before everyone goes around thinking that I am a horrible mom, my husband has cousins that used to be professional wrestlers and he had a chance to become a professional wrestler but decided to go into the Army instead.  But my kids love to watch wrestling especially my girls.And I let them as I did whith my dad, I even let my step-son watch it when he spends summers with us.

Answer 6

No it is just trashy anymore.It can also be dangerous if they try to imitate the moves.Teach them to wrestle like they do in School.

Answer 7

NO! Children imitate what they see.

Answer 8

no, if i could prevent it, i would.

Answer 9

I've caught 8 yr olds practicing what they learned on tv on 3 yr olds, if no catches these kids "practicing" their favorite wrestlers moves, then these kids being practiced on would be dead or in a wheel chair half the time.  People hear about it in the news, kids getting killed because an older child is trying out the cool new wrestling move, they are being careful though, trying to be safe and not hurt the child, and sure enough, a few minutes later the child is seriously injured or killed.  Seriously-do some of these parents not think these days?  Kids learn from what they watch on tv, and seeing someone try to basically kill another person will lead them to want to try it.

Answer 10

I would not let my child watch it. I don't want my kid thinking this kind of stuff is funny or ok. I want my children to be sensitive about violence

Answer 11

No, it is violence, pure and simple.  The child will think it is normal to beat up another person.  Better, to bring the child to child-friendly games/sports.

Answer 12

My daughter watches it.  She is 10 yr old and understands that it is fake.