It's not the same...

Charlie has announced he wants to watch Shaun of the Dead, as some of his friends have and said it was very funny.

So I hired it and watched it myself first. I did think it very funny in parts. But the language is appalling.

Bernie, who has been watching my deliberations with wry amusement points out that there are no words in it that Charlie will not have heard (and probably hears frequently) at school.

However, my contention is that it's not the same. For me to allow him to watch the film would be parental sanctioning of his exposure to such language: that sends a different message from the fact that there are foul-mouthed kids at school.

A similar argument applies to classroom discussions of sex and perversion: it's one thing to hear about these things behind the bike sheds, but I really don't think the teachers should be legitimising such discussions.