What do you think of your kids watching professional wrestling?

Question

With all the violence in it and sexual innuendo, it's not the entertainment I grew up with, watching Wahoo and Andre the Giant. Is it wrong for me to keep my 12 year old daughter from watching it? I adopted her and she used to watch it all the time. I have since discovered that she is emotionally disturbed and is on medication for now. I have since decided to ban all shows that have a lot of violence in them. I think wrestling shows are too graphic and the language is not so good either. What do you say?

She is not disturbed due to watching wrestling, but she does seem to have a craving for movies and wrestling because she says "i like to watch them fight" I think watching violence is a form of escape for her, I'm trying to bring her back to herself.

Answer 1

I would say that no form of "professional wrestling" is acceptable for any child, but especially not for girls. The attitudes demonstrated toward the Women on the shows, and yes I know they are fictional characters, is unacceptable to me and in my home. Women are sometimes objectified more in wrestling shows than in some porn and that's not something that I want my daughter to deal with.

I watched a few shows when I was younger and one that I can remember very clearly was "Lita" in the back taking a shower and one of the male wrestlers barging in and trying to ask her out. To me, it looked like a stalker barging in and trying to molest the naked young Woman while she was in the shower. I found it disgusting and degrading that people cheered while this happened, that it was considered to be acceptable and even understandable. Another one they brought out a mop bucket and poured it down the shirt of one of the blonde Women. The stuff they poured looked like it had come from the sewer and that, too, was unacceptable.

I think you are right to not let her watch. The program is violent and the way Women are treated on it is yet another reason. I support your decision.
Peace,
Jenn

Answer 2

My parents tried to ban certain tv and music and so forth when I was that age. I really hated it because I liked the stuff I was watching and it really just made want to watch/listen even more out of rebellion.

Tv isnt causing her emotional problems. And chances are she is exposed to just as bad if not worse material at school from friends.

The best thing for you to do is the following in my opinion.

- Make sure she knows that it is just a soap opera. Make sure she knows that while the actors do need good strength and ability, most of the moves are fake and the actors are trained in stunts and how to fall, ect. and that she shouldnt attempt to do any of the stunts without the proper training and without professional guidence.

- Make sure she knows that the use of that type language is appropriate only in certain situations like hanging with friends and the like.

As for being emotionally disturbed.. a lot of kids that arent adopted til they are older have emotional issues. Many have been swapped bw foster homes, some have been abused, and some just have natural issues of why dont my parents want me. Be there for her when she needs support, make sure she knows you still love her, even when you are mad or giving punishment. Make sure she is seeing a psychologist and anti depressants are a very good idea.

This won't be something you can change over night be restricting her tv. This will take a while and requires love and patience.

If you do decide to ban the wrestling, be prepared for a fight. However, you must stand your ground. If you give in she will see it as a weakness and will realize that if she throws a fit she can get what she wants all the time.

Answer 3

I have watched wrestling with my 12.5 year old daughter. Yes I am a mom and I love it. When we watch it together I actually use it as a way to talk to her about woman and how they are treated and regarded. We look at the outfits and I ask her what she thinks of the divas and which ones she would most like to be like. She is old enough to look at these women and make her decisions and she tells me that the ones who are dressed trashy aren't what she wants to look like. We've been out shopping and she's looked at outfits and said hey that looks like what so and so was wearing and I didn't like the way she looked. I know this doesn't exactly fit into what you were asking, but it's what has worked for me. She has never tried to imitate the wrestlers in any way(either moves or the way they dress), she also has problems too. Sorry if I got off topic just my opinion.

Answer 4

My younger brother loved watching wrestling as a kid, he was a couple years younger than your daughter, and was definately influenced by it. He was always trying out moves on me, our sisters, and friends. Wrestling offers nothing positive to its viewers especially young, easily influenced ones. Go on with the ban, and perhaps offer her a more positive option like playing a game together or watching something you can both get into. She'll thank you later.

Answer 5

i hate those wrestling shows and i think they're awful. My 11 yr old son wants to watch them and he said the funniest thing when I asked him why -- he said, "oh, mom, all the men my age are into watching thme now." anyway, it's not an out and out ban from the house right now but, I just canceled the cable tv for the summer so it doesn't matter at this point.

Answer 6

i would agree with you especially with the recent news of the wrestler who murdered his wife and child and then killed himself!
there is alot of violence...and especially if shes on meds, even if u tell her fighting is wrong she may not be able to distinguish what is real and whats not.
i personally was into it for a while but not anymore...i mean staging peoples deaths to promote it? and then a tragedy like what happened all within a couple of weeks...i think it has gone down hill...but then again if im going to critisize wrestling i would have to criticize movies and other tv...as well as violent sports.....there is alot in our society that is violent and it may be hard to prevent children from watching but we have to do what we think is right

Answer 7

all my brothers (ages 4-12) watch it all the time and are always trying to reenact what they see. its pretty annoying when my 5 year old brother tries to batisha bomb me. but other then that i don't see the problem with it. i cant watch it though. theres to much violence and after seeing that guy get thrown into a pile of thumb tacks, i realized how stupid it was. i still cringe when i think back to seeing all the thumb tacks in his body then him getting slammed over the head with a metal chair and a ladder

Answer 8

How does she act after watching it?
Also, You are the parent, if you think it's too much, then don't let her watch it.
I also grew up watching wresting, Andre the Giant, The Funks, Dusty Rhodes. etc, and wrestling isn't what it used to be!
Its an OVERBLOWN SOAP OPERA now.

Answer 9

Dont go too crazy with the banning of violent shows. If she really enjoys watching them she might resent you and start acting out more. Take it in stride. Dont do anything too drastic all at once. As far as wresling goes, its all a wast of a time slot. Its garbage TV and I wouldnt want my child watching it either.

Answer 10

(Edited Answer) Okay, if she thinks violence is the answer after she watches wrestling, it's good to make her stop watching them. The same goes for any adolescents that couldn't tolerate watching violence on TV...
But personally, I think it's okay for anyone to watch them as long as they are not influenced by it. Adolescents should know what they are watching on TV...