How old is old enough...

[Thaxos]

ive been watching star wars since i can remember. i was born in 1991. me and an old friend that i used to have when i was little would always play star wars and talked about it. so ive grow up always having star wars.

Same here! I am guessing, but I'd say I was 6 or 7 when I watched the original trilogy. I was hooked after that!

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I was born in '72, so I saw the first movie, Star Wars, at a drive-in when I was four...didn't really get hooked on it until Empire was released in 1980. We used to watch them over and over again when they first came out on VHS....we had to rent a VCP from the library to watch them then, because video players were so expensive when they first came out....

[psab keel]

The problem with this mother's way of thinking is that if you shelter your child too much, then you're likely going to have your kid have a huge shock when they are exposed to violence and things like this. I mean, it's her child, and she must do what she feels is right of course. (couldn't resist.) The real world is full of disappointments, violence, ***, and all kinds of other things that don't fit into the sheltered view of the child who isn't exposed to these things early on.

It's not to say that these kids should be shown snuff films, or *****graphy, but a bit of exposure to something like Star Wars isn't going to hurt them in the least. There is a good amount of evidence to suggest that by allowing children to view films like this (which is who the intended audience is anyway) then when they act out scenes from the films, play with the action figures, and whatnot, they are working out their own ideas of right and wrong, good and evil. Children don't have the vocabulary or the mental capacity to wrap their mind around concepts like moral ambiguity and self sacrifice, compassion, empathy for others, fighting for a just cause, the same way an adult does.

By playing out things like Star Wars and enacting them, they have a better understanding of these concepts.

Just my two cents.

[Nightwing]

I'd say that the best time is whenever the child is old enough to fully comprehend the story. For me, that was at about age 6. If you get shown Star Wars too early, it just becomes "the norm," and you can't always think about it or understand it as well.

Besides, you want your kids to REMEMBER their first Star Wars experience.
So what you do is wait until they're old enough, then watch one movie a day, starting with the OT and then MAYBE the Prequels ('cause Revenge of the Sith is kinda mature).

[Col-mar]

I was about nine or ten and at a church friend's apartment for the going away party for my eldest brother going into the navy. And it was JEDI! Guess that's why that's my favorite of the OT. It wasn't until years later I knew what it was, just that I wanted to watch it again after it was over.

I was a year shy if Empire coming out and too young to see Jedi in the theaters (born in '81). But I wasn't really hooked unil ten years ago with TPM. Gotta love prequal jedi.

[sithlordfaust]

My dad brought me to all the on opening days. I was 4 when Ep IV came out. and besides my tonselectomy at age 3, its one one of my most vivid memories from my childhood. for a long time it shaped my idea of good/bad fairness, etc

my only problem with exposing kids to SW is... they CAN become obsessed! I showed it to my firstborn when he was three. now its one of 3 topics he ever talks about.
even overshadows my enthusiasm.
I think it can trap them in a fantasy land that can be hard to escape, especially as they get older and realize how mundane reality is. and for parents... besides Pixar's "Cars" its one of the most expensive interests a child can have, or an adult for that matter. lol

[Thaxos]

Yeah, definitely agree with you Nightwing, viewing order is for sure OT then NT
Psab, I agree completely, if they don't get some sort of context, they will have no idea what to do.

I wouldn't really talk about obsession on a site that sells machined aluminum parts (among other parts) for constructing lightsabers
It's not really an obsession unless you cannot do anything without it. Everyone here just VERY STRONGLY like Star Wars hahaha...

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

She may have a very very excellent ear for music. John Williams' music is brilliant... but... a 3-year old enjoying it and "knowing the difference" that well?! Hmm. Keep an eye on that, you must.

An ear, I guess.

Listen to Novastar you should...she may have a true *gift* and if so nurture it well; there are few things more fullfilling in Life than a great musical talent.

[cardcollector]

Wow, This is a very touchy subject. I was born in 1992.
I saw Star Wars with my dad when I was six.
It was a great experience. I don't remeber much about the actual movie back then-just I got to do something cool with my Dad.

One of my younger brothers however saw episode VI and had nightmares for about a week after he saw the Rancor part. (he dreamed it was eating him)

IMO I think the parents have EVERY right to determine what their child watches.

[Tenric Starkindler]

Wel I saw it in 1977 in the theaters (and each one likewaise as it came out). I was in 6th grade then.
However my son was about 4 when he saw the first trilogy and near 6 when he saw the rest (with me editing some scenes via remote). My youngest was humming The Imperial Death March in her walker and could spot the words Star Wars on a movie or book by sight when she was 3...we used to call her "Darth Diaper" when she chased us around the house with a toy saber and her hand in the "lightening" position........