SHOULD CHILDREN WATCH SQUID GAME?

Over the past few weeks, I have been bombarded with questions and opinions about Squid Game. I decided it was time to sit down and binge the series for myself after a 16-year-old told me, 

 "You will love it, Miss, but no one under 15 should watch it."  

With over 142 million households tuning in to watch the series, it clear that Squid Game is becoming a global sensation

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN SQUID GAME

This is a cross between the Hunger Games, and Battle Royal with a nod to the Lord of the Flies. A fight to the death game with Tarantino-style images of blood spurting as gamers are killed.  One player wins and receives an enormous prize of cash which is hanging above the players dorm room in a piggy bank throughout the games.  All other players are eliminated by gunshot when they lose. There are bright colors; the games that are played are pure, straightforward, and recognizable to all age groups, making this series even more alluring to the cross generational gaps we sometimes find in tv shows.

HOW I EXPERIENCED WATCHING SQUID GAME

Last week when I embarked on my Squid game adventure, I asked my husband to join me. I was dreading watching this show and had been putting it off. I thought doing this with him would be a better experience, as I do not like gore and blood. Surprisingly we both enjoyed watching the series. When we finished, we sat down and discussed our quest over a glass of wine, and my husband told me about a show he watched on German TV called Das Millionenspiel. He saw the similarities. I had never heard of it, and as we googled, and he remembered, he paused for a moment to think,

 "Wait, this was 1970; I didn't watch it, I wasn't allowed to watch. I remember now. We all were talking about the show at school. My parents watched it and explained the show to me and why I couldn't watch."

Bingo! My in-laws got it right back in 1970.

You should talk about this series with your kids, but they don't need to watch it to be informed. The same goes for you. If you don’t feel comfortable to watch this, inform yourself by reading articles and watch a trailer.

WHAT THIS SOCIAL WORKER THINKS

Children should not watch this. Teens, with discretion.  Even though I did enjoy it thoroughly, it is advised for those 16+ by Common Sense Media, and on the Common Sense Media kids say rating it is given a 14+. This is pretty telling information as usually there is a more considerable discrepancy between what the experts and the kids say. Here not! We should follow this sound advice. 

PARENTS ADVICE

It is always the parents' call, but I would highly advise parents of children who are interested to take the time to watch this and be informed. Then decide for yourself. I would wager that one of two things will happen. You will either watch it with your teens or you will follow the example of my in-laws' and talk to your children about the series explaining the show and why they should not watch it in full. You might even choose to watch a little section to help them understand what it is all about. Just saying no might spark more curiosity, so it is better to have conversations and explain.

ADVICE FOR SCHOOLS

My work is always with schools, teachers, and parents. I feel that we should all be working hand in hand. For teachers, I created a flyer with advice and the basics about squid game.

YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY ANYONE WOULD PLAY SUCH A GROTESQUE GAME TO THE DEATH

It is simple, the characters in Squid Game are all in debt and have problems at home.

This show can be used to have remarkable conversations about society and making poor choices in life with older teens. It is possible to link the discussions to classics such as the Lord of the Flies, and it might even remind you of something you have watched or wanted to watch as a child, like it did with my husband. 

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

Do feel free to reach out or leave us a comment. If you have or teach younger children, The Spooky Show is a perfect book to help discuss the importance of  saying no to scary shows. It is available on our website. We would love to hear from you or work with you or your school or PTA. All of our work can be catered to fit your school's specific needs.

–Allison Ochs, social pedagogue/worker, author, mother of three, wife

Photo by Vadim Bogulov on Unsplash

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