How to Explain Violence in Cartoons to Kids

The history of extreme slapstick within comedy has brought us such scenes as the Three Stooges hitting each other in the head, throwing pies into each other's faces and poking their fingers in each other’s eyes. Maybe you have seen older versions of theTom and Jerry cartoons, where they pulled each other’s tails and spun the helpless victim around in the air. Scenes like these have lessened in more recent cartoons, as has the promotion of cigarette smoking as something "cool" to do. However, while we consider ourselves smarter now than in those "good" old days, violence in cartoons is still accessible through online, DVD and TV sources, whether it's in old or recent cartoons. For children, it's important to help them realize that what they are watching is not something to be emulated in real life; here are some suggestions to get across this message gently and without nagging.

EditSteps

1. 1
   Be willing to discuss depictions of physical violence that your child has seen in cartoons, TV shows or movies. Avoiding mentioning it can leave the child with the impression that violence is normal, okay and to be expected. It is very important to help your child see that creative depictions of violence are not something to be transferred to real life.
2. 2
   Explain to kids that while they might see something violent treated as funny in a cartoon or movie, that it is not something that can be done in real life. For example, a 1943 movie depicted the Three Stooges putting a head into an electric saw and setting fire to the head. While it was intended purely as comedy, a younger child may lack the ability to discern that this is not real and can be upset by seeing it or might consider that violence is appropriate when you are frustrated or annoyed with someone or something.
   • Explain that violent scenes in comedy are very carefully put together to look real but that they are not real because nobody should ever do anything so dangerous in real life.
   • Spend some time showing your children how movie makers use props, tricks and special effects to make dangerous things seem real but don't actually do the real thing themselves even. Also discuss how stunt people are used to do dangerous tricks precisely because only people with very high levels of training and skill can do things like dangle off the edge of buildings or leap off moving cars. Showing children what is really behind these scenes may burst their unreality bubble but it's far better that they understand the mechanics than that they entertain violent thoughts and try to put these into action.
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   Explain to your kids that it is very easy to use aggression as a way of getting what you want but that it is something every person, including yourself, has to learn to overcome. Obviously, explain using language suited to your child's level but make it clear that anger is something we can choose to act out or we can choose to deal with in more constructive ways.
   • It may help you to borrow or buy books written for children about dealing with anger if this seems to be a problem with your own child. There are many good books available and one-to-one time spent discussing this with your child is never a waste of time.
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   Talk to children about what would really happen to an actor in a movie or show if the things shown were real. Some examples include:
   • Humans biting one another can spread germs. And that even though these germs are invisible to the naked eye, they can actually cause illness or even death in the person who is bitten.
   • Explain that is not appropriate to hit, punch, kick or pull the hair of other people.
   • Explain that pulling noses, ears or any other body parts hurts and can cause injuries.
   • Most children are aware that buildings falling on top of people who then get up and walk around or people who jump from a rolling car and act like nothing happened is just imaginary; however, realize that if your child has experienced living in a quake zone during a quake or has been in a car accident, that seeing such skits can cause deep upset. Talk to your child about his or her feelings and be reassuring.
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   Help your children to see that verbal violence is also not acceptable, including bullying language or concepts. In former times, many media used to depict poking fun at people's disabilities, handicaps or difficulties. For example, movies of a visually impaired man called Mr. Magoo showed that he would get himself into trouble but could not see how much trouble he was in. Then he would say, “Oh, Magoo you have done it again”. Today, this would not be acceptable as it would considered cruel to laugh at a person’s disability. Help your children to see that such depictions are very old-fashioned and representative of a time that we have grown beyond. Help them to see that human beings are always striving to be better as individuals and as societies, and that past attitudes are not always in sync with how we have evolved socially and ethically.
   • There is no need to get a four year old into a philosophical discussion; indeed, that won't do a thing! However, be conscious all the time when you notice that your children have seen something that is no longer a norm. For example, simply say something like: "Oh people used to say things like that. Fortunately, we are much kinder about X now and it's not right to say that sort of thing because..."
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   Show your children that it is never okay to harm a living thing. Tell your child that what they see in the cartoons, movies and videos is not real and should never try anything that hurts another being at home.
   • Don't just talk about caring for living beings. Show by actions that you care for animals. Have well-cared for pets, read stories about caring for animals together and visit the zoo or a nature park to discuss the conservation needs of animals. Immerse your children in caring about other living beings through actions.

EditWarnings

• Be sure that your stance on violence in shows and movies is aligned with how you treat children.