For older kids you could drop the restriction on the PG-13 movies, but if you spend all week telling your child how to act toward others, it's not productive to then permit a weekend PG-13 movie that sends the opposite messages: that parents and other adults are dolts, problems can be solved in 27 minutes, and money is the root of all happiness!

R (Rarely acceptable for children)-rated movies can be good learning experiences and entertainment for children who are ready to understand them. Children under 15 are not ready for R movies and will only remember that sex was glorified, violence was intensified, and the language was terrible. Many movies provide a chance for productive conversations on sensitive topics that are otherwise too personal. Keep the conversation on the movie and resist the temptation to focus on your teen or his or her opinions. If good parental listening habits become routine, even a discussion of a bad movie can be a time when information flows to a parent and provides a better understanding of a son or daughter growing up.