Do you think these books are appropriate for a 10 year old girl? Am I just a complete prude for saying heck no?
I was chatting with a mom of Dani's new friend, and I asked her what her DD would like for her birthday. The mom is talking, and says how DD just loves the Twilight books, and really wants her own copies of New Moon and Breaking Dawn. The girl is 10, and in 5th grade. I asked her if she's ever read them, and mentioned how I thought they were too old for Dani, and she laughed and said she checked with her cousin, who said they were totally clean.
Am I prude? I feel like the main theme of the last 2 books is the intense sexual tension, and that maybe it's too much for a 10 yr old? I'm thinking they are more for the 16+ crowd.
My niece read them, and she's 12. Her grade in English (which was a D-, mainly based on her lack of effort in reading) went up to a B+, because she sat with a dictionary and the book and looked up any words she didn't know. Not that I'm saying Twilight is a great teacher, but it gave my niece a huge desire to read, that has stayed with her for over a year, and I hope follows her for the rest of her life. Before that, you couldn't get the girl to read for ANYTHING.
Personally, I think its more of a maturity level thing, but I don't personally know any 10 yo that I think could really handle the subject matter, or really even understand the story enough to truly enjoy it.
I find Twilight itself pretty harmless if I am thinking back corretly.
Beyond that, I don't think it is appropriate...Especially Breaking Dawn!. Even Twilight seems a bit of a reach, but my frame of reference is a 4 year old...so not much help- everything seems too old from where I sit, lol.
Let's see... when I was 10 I was reading: Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High. Yeah, different times.
:umno no way in hell would i let a 10 yr old read these books. my 13 yr old niece read them, and even with that, i was like..hmmm... i agree on the 16+ thing.
Ok, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I just felt kind of wimpy while talking to this mom yesterday.
I think the books are pretty harmless, but man, they get kind of hot (even if it's not in a graphic way, kwim)? And she does end up getting preggo, and that whole situation is pretty graphic.
I just wanted confirmation from others that I made the right call in putting the books away for a few years. She's read the Harry Potter books (through 5), and I'm even holding back 6 & 7 because I think some of the stuff is a little rough for her right now.
I wonder how you can tell when they are ready for things? In my mind, I still see her as a sweet little 4 year old, so I'm super restrictive. It's tricky finding the right places to loosen up, kwim?
you know even if you were the only one who thought that toni, shes your child and you get to make the rules. Dont let peer pressure parenting make decisions for you. If YOU think they are too much for her at 10 that is all that really matters.
Jack my 9 year old has seen the movie and wants to read the book.
I have no problem with that.
My niece, who is 11 read them all last year and loves them.
There's nothing graphic sex wise in them.
I would be a fool to think Jack hasn't seen worse on TV and movies or heard worse from the kids at school.
I'm a more laid back mom about a lot of things though
But I understand moms wanting to protect their kids from the world as long as they can.
I actually don't mind the movie; she has seen it, and I would let her see New Moon no problem. I think those focus more on the action, less on the romance.
There is just something more intimate about reading it in a book, kwim? Like, you can see a movie, and there is clearly something sexual happening, but you don't get so into it. But with a book, you are kind of in her head, and the recurring theme of her wanting to have sex with him, and the times they are going at it, etc. I'm not sure these are things I want running through her head at night after she puts her book away, kwim? (At least not for a few years, lol)!
And actually, I don't think Twilight itself is so bad; it's not really until Eclipse or Breaking Dawn. New Moon was kind of depressing, but again, nothing that I think she couldn't handle.
It's funny, because I was talking to my sister about it, and she's never read the book and thought the problem was the vampire theme.
Who knows, maybe next year she'll surprise me and show an interest and I'll have to reconsider the whole thing!
The books were big in middle school last year(ages 11-14). I think it depends on the child. Stephen always read, played games and watched movies that didn't fit his age.
