New Moon for young-uns?

[Gayletmom]

My son, who is an avid reader has read all of the Twilight series (he''s 14 and mature for his age). Now dd, who is 10 and in 4th grade, wants to read them as well. I read the first one and was okay with her reading that one but I haven''t gotten to books 2-4 and am wondering what others think.

I haven''t done much restricting of what they read but I do regulate what the kids watch. Maybe it''s my bias but books don''t worry me as much as movies and tv. With my daughter, I am open about sexuality and information in that regard. At the same time, I am clear that these are subjects that require a high level of maturity and responsibility and I don''t want her to be exposed to things before she is ready. My concern, after reading Twilight, is that I can see this rather intense, mature relationship developing between the characters and I am wondering if it is to much for a young, impressionable girl.

What do you all think? I would love to hear from those who have read the books.

 

[idreamofcushions]

First of all, I absolutely LOVE the series. In fact, I''ve read it twice!

I think it''s a very good idea for you to read the books first. As a parent, you obviously know what''s best for your kids. But since you haven''t read the whole series yet, my opinion is that it may not be appropriate material for a 10 yr old. I just feel like the intensity in the relationship is a little much for someone who is still a child, especially because the relationship does become physically more intense with each book I would say this series is more appropriate for ages 13+. Pre-puberty is just a little young for the subject matter, IMHO.

Hope that helps!

 

[Sundial]

Date: 5/2/2009 11:26:30 AM
Author: idreamofcushions
First of all, I absolutely LOVE the series. In fact, I''ve read it twice!

I think it''s a very good idea for you to read the books first. As a parent, you obviously know what''s best for your kids. But since you haven''t read the whole series yet, my opinion is that it may not be appropriate material for a 10 yr old. I just feel like the intensity in the relationship is a little much for someone who is still a child, especially because the relationship does become physically more intense with each book I would say this series is more appropriate for ages 13+. Pre-puberty is just a little young for the subject matter, IMHO.

Hope that helps!

I agree completely. These books are absolutely wonderful, but as a mother myself I do not feel that they are appropriate for grade school age children. While the author does not go in to detail about sex, it is a part of the story line especially in the final book in the series. This is not Harry Potter.

 

[Gayletmom]

Many thanks to both of you. You have both validated what I was thinking and confirmed my thought that I need to read the other books myself. Sometimes standing against the grain ("all the kids are reading it") is the tougher path but the right one. I appreciate your input.

 

[Smo]

I am currently obsessed with these books (I am 27 and so are several of my friends) and for me I don''t think it is the intense relationship between Edward and Bella that I would be concerned about (althought I do think that it is a big factor and relates to what I am about to say) so much as the fact that I don''t think that Bella is a good role model for young girls. The fact she gets so hung up on Edward and isn''t concerned at all about her own future. I don''t think this sends a good message to girls.

I personally would let them read it but then I don''t have kids. I think there are far worse things that are out there that I would be worried about for my kids. And hey at least they are reading!!!

If change your mind and you let her read them, could you sit down with her afterwards and have a talk about why you were concerned about her reading them and how it is just fiction etc? I don''t know, maybe this is a naive perspective but for me I would rather save my battles for other things than preventing her from reading a book.

I guess it depends on how mature your daughter is but I know I would have preferred this from my mum than just a banning of reading the book. I was a huge reader when I was a kid (still am!) and I would have been so cross at my mum for this, especially given that most of the world is obsessed with these books and her friends and younger have probably read them (and you let your son read them).

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 5/2/2009 9:49:01 PM
Author: Smo
I am currently obsessed with these books (I am 27 and so are several of my friends) and for me I don''t think it is the intense relationship between Edward and Bella that I would be concerned about (althought I do think that it is a big factor and relates to what I am about to say) so much as the fact that I don''t think that Bella is a good role model for young girls.

I would agree with this completely. I readily admit I didn''t read past the second book, but in my opinion the relationship is PG, however Bella sets a terrible example for impressionable girls. She''s very emotionally needy and only focuses on the superficial, which might be typical for a teenager, but not exactly something you want to romanticize. That being said, my 11-year-old niece loved the series.

 

[Gayletmom]

Date: 5/2/2009 9:49:01 PM
Author: Smo
I am currently obsessed with these books (I am 27 and so are several of my friends) and for me I don''t think it is the intense relationship between Edward and Bella that I would be concerned about (althought I do think that it is a big factor and relates to what I am about to say) so much as the fact that I don''t think that Bella is a good role model for young girls. The fact she gets so hung up on Edward and isn''t concerned at all about her own future. I don''t think this sends a good message to girls.


I personally would let them read it but then I don''t have kids. I think there are far worse things that are out there that I would be worried about for my kids. And hey at least they are reading!!!


If change your mind and you let her read them, could you sit down with her afterwards and have a talk about why you were concerned about her reading them and how it is just fiction etc? I don''t know, maybe this is a naive perspective but for me I would rather save my battles for other things than preventing her from reading a book.

Thanks, Smo, you have really helped to flesh out my concerns. I''ve only read the first but my reaction to the Bella-Edward relationship was the same. She''s so into this guy that she''s willing to sacrifice her own safety???

I am also not at all into banning books. I''m considering the approach of "read it and then discuss" or as one of my friends says "it''s a teaching moment". Thanks for your input.

 

[makemepretty]

The first three don''t have sex in them


***spoiler****



They don''t have sex until they are married and Bella ends up with some bruises because of Edwards strength. I think you could let your daughter read the first three and just hold off on the last one till next year. Some kids are more mature and it''s such a love story and the fact that they wait until marriage is a plus. I see nothing wrong with preteens reading that. I have 11 and 13 year old...boys and they would never want to read these books because it''s mainly a love story, not a creature monster series. My 11 year old loves reading zombie books and my 13 year old really really enjoyed the Vladimir Tod series. If you have a son, definitely have him check out those! It''s funny vampire books.

 

[galeteia]

I have some serious concerns about the books, namely the encouragement of a love triangle in which Bella dramatically wavers between two boys while being ''helpless'' in her attachment to one while leading on the other. This prompts some situations with unwanted advances that would probably escalate to date-rape if it was real life and not in the safe, fuzzy world of make-believe.

I can easily see impressionable young girls being caught up in the drama of having two beaus who are fighting over her, but that is not the sort of role model that should be emulated.

Not only that, but the levels in these books of empty-headed stereotypical romance-heroine being ''helplessly'' in love while in her teens ... it turns my stomach. Girls should be learning about their own power as individuals first and as females second. There is much more to being an adult than finding a pretty boy to sacrifice your life to.

(I read and enjoyed them, and watched the movie. I''m 28, however, and have no illusions about the undying love of horny teenagers.)

 

[makemepretty]

These books are much tamer than the Harlequin Romances I read as a teen.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 5/5/2009 11:59:00 AM
Author: makemepretty
These books are much tamer than the Harlequin Romances I read as a teen.

There''s a HUGE difference here, the person in question is 10.

 

[Sundial]

This isn''t about banning books. This is about setting guidelines as a parent as to what age it is appopriate for your child to read a particular book. You would certainly set limits on what movies they can watch or on what video games they can play. And although Bella and Edward don''t actually have sex until after they are married in the final book of the series, much of the earlier plot is about Bella trying to persuade him to sleep with her. And as others have mentioned Bella is probably not the best role model for very young impressionable girls. Probably the best thing would be for the original poster to read all of the books and form her own opinions as to what is best for her child.

 

[vespergirl]

I guess I disagree with most of you in that I find these relationships very unrealistically "Disney" and non-sexual for a couple of 17 year olds. I wouldn''t have a problem with a middle-schooler reading these, because there is no sex at all in the first 3 books, and in the last book, only after marriage. And, she gets pregnant the first time they have sex (just like the abstinence-only people say!)

I actually thought the series was a little lame (reading the books as an adult) because there wasn''t any sex in them. I really do see them more as teen/tween reading material.

 

[westjenn]

I read all the books & don''t see any issue with letting a 10 yr old reading the first 3 books really... but definately not the 4th one, it left me shocked............. and I told many of my coworkers many times "If I caught my daughter/son reading this book they''d be in trouble!!" They pushed these books for "Young Adults" and I just don''t get it for the reason below--- I guess I''d just worry that the 10 yr old likes the series, reads the first 1 or 2 or 3 and then wants to read the last one......
********** spoiler alert**********************

Yes, Edward and Bella consumate their relationship after marriage but its not all sunshine & rainbows-- far from it....Edward has super human strength and therefore Bella is left bruised and in pain afterwards. The tone of the book is very very dark. I honestly don''t think that a child under the age of 16 is mature enough to read this and be ok with it.

 

[Jas12]

Would your daughter really be interested and engaged reading Twilight ?? I would be quite surprised if she were. All four books deal almost exclusively with the relationship b/w one character and 2 boys. The plot and dialogue, other than a few suspenseful moments, goes on and on about the sappy attraction Bella feels for Edward. It''s the teen romance that hooks most ppl, so if your daughter is going thru puberty i could see her being drawn to it, but 10 seems really, really young to me. Does she understand what sex is? Does she talk about intimate relationships with you? If not, i would tell her to wait until high school to read it..

 

[vip0802]

i''m 28 and i LOVE this series...i think i''ve read them 3 times so far. anyway, i agree with you reading the books first to gauge what your child will understand and handle.

*SPOILER* - for me, it''s not so much the sex part in the 4th book that i''m worried about (even though it is a valid concern) but, it''s more of the "bloodbath" that is described when Bella gives birth and turns into a vampire herself...it was pretty intense!

 

[lala2332]

i was allowed to read pretty much anything that I wanted to growing up, because I read everything. I read nancy drew to anne rice to john grisham to little woman to the lord of the rings to things fall apart plus plenty other classics and contemporary fiction all while in lower to middle school.

I truly believe as long as you encourage your child to read and to read diverse things, not one book or one tv show or one movie will dictate their decisions. I adore reading and will read just about anything that is lying around and I think that I am more open minded and much more knowledgable than people who don''t read or who limit their reading to what someone else says is ok. I understand 100% that parents want to protect their children from bad influences, but if you TRUST your children and give them lots of books to read, one book is not going to influence them.

If you are worried about certain scenes, then maybe talk to your child about them after she has read them, and maybe get your son to as well. That way there is open communication about something that is happeneing in their lives.

Plus, your child wants to read! how amazing is that!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 7/9/2009 6:13:12 PM
Author: lala2332

i was allowed to read pretty much anything that I wanted to growing up, because I read everything.

I was, too. I remember that the school disapproved that I read Gypsy (I think that was the title of the autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee) in the sixth grade, which was then in elementary school. What age would I have been? 11 or 12. I must have had to write a book report on each book I read!

AGBF