Twilight Advice

I've a question... a matter of advice, really. My Vicbowin wants to read Twilight.  My first reaction, when she was 8, was an absolute no, but Vicbowin keeps asking and I know she's been peaking looks at the thing.

So I begin to wonder whether or not it's a big deal for her to read the book. At 9 years old I don't think she'll pick up on half of the stuff that a 16 year old would and I don't think she would be in danger of the obsessive infatuation that most women seem to have with either Jacob or Edward.

But I also don't like the idea of my 9 year old reading something so sexually charged. And that's not even getting into the whole Edward-Bella unhealthy relationship thing.

What do you think? Is she too young to be reading such a book? Or am I just being uptight?

Lets discuss, I need some outside opinions to help me make this decision.




PS I'm totally team Jacob.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Let her read it. I'm pretty sure that she won't even pick up the sexually charged part. I think nine year olds are still all about romantic fairy tale love and that's what they read in to it
Jennifer said…
I have the opposite opinion. I have no intention of letting my daughter read the Twilight books until she's much older. Of course, she also just admitted to me that she has a huge crush on Harry Potter, so I can easily see her developing a crush on Edward or Jacob and I don't need that. Harry Potter is safe for her age. Twilight isn't.

Not to mention I don't think Bella is a good role model for how a woman should act, even a teenager, and my daughter is young enough to still be figuring out what she wants to make of herself - young enough to read about Bella's passivity and think that's appropriate behavior.

So, no. Not yet. Not until I think her personality is a little more mature, and she is not quite so impressionable. But that is MY daughter. YMMV since every kid is different. As her mother, you have a much better read on Vicbowin than anyone else.
Cannwin said…
@Jennifer

See I thought about the 'wait until she's older thing' but in reality how is she going to react to a book like Twilight at 13 or 16? We've seen how that age group reacts to Edward and Jacob... so would it not be better to get it over with now when she doesn't even understand half of it?
Skittles said…
I read the Twilight series and then I got rid of the books. Because I don't want my daughter to read them. She is 8 and a very avid reader. I think Bella is a very bad example to young women and I do believe although your daughter is young she won't necessarily forget what she read and may think that is how you behave when your in love.(then again she might not but it's not a chance I am willing to take) If my daughter wants to check them out from the library when she is older I would discourage her from reading them but she is then at an age where is better able to understand how different media effects her. I think we as parents need to stick to that which is age appropriate for our children because I see many parents that don't care if what their children read, watch, or listen to is age appropriate. I think we should never make it easy for our children to have access to media that will not improve them or have some sort of positive impact on them. I know as they get older they will see it and be around it and be more aware of it but I hope they won't feel comfortable around it because they are already used to that feeling and think it's o.k.
I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone but it does to me.

I remember when I was about 9 years old. I read some very "enlightening" romance Novels that my Mom had. They were given to her and they are not something my mom would read and I know she never did read them but she could not bring herself to throw away the books because she LOVES books. And in her mind you don't throw books in the garbage.
I know I don't want that to happen in my house so I know what books I have and any books in my house I would not be embarrassed if my daughter or son read them and I am certain they would be entertaining as well.
Carrie said…
No. NO. No. My daughter in 9--and I am a very easy-going kinda mom, but I have to draw the line there. It's just not appropriate, and I think the main thought I have is does it make her a better person? Will she grow..learn...love better if she reads it? Ultimately that is your call, but there are so many other amazing books out there--that I almost feel you would be settling to allow it.
Polly Scott said…
My husband and son are both named Jacob, so it's Jacob for me!
CB said…
I wouldn't - the fact that Edward is sneaking into her bedroom everynight is enough (and she will remember) without all the sexual tension. I was lucky and my daughters were 18 and 17 when they read the first book. Then they never read the others it was more of an "oh brother" thing.
I would try and get her interested in something else.
Oh for the days of Little House on the Prairie for the young girls :-D
Cannwin said…
@ cherie,

Too true, I'd forgotten about the crawling into her bedroom.

This is why I asked everyone, because I knew there had been a reason why I didn't want her to read them, but then after months and months of her pestering I was starting to forget exactly why.

It's always so nice to have some back up.
Polly Blevins said…
If you feel it is inappropriot then that should be the bottom line. Because it is not understood does not mean that it is not damaging in someway. It should be your opinion on it and not everyone elses but if you have reserves, why question them? You know what they say about justification don't you? If you don't, I won't tell you because it is not appropriot.
Amy said…
I won't let my daughter read them until she's older.
heather said…
feeling grateful that i don't have to make this decision!

i think if she did read it, or when she does read it, it might be a good place to begin discussing healthy relationships, and what is appropriate and what is wrong. it could be a teaching tool.
Claire said…
Sorry but Vicbowin is as precocious at 9 as I was. Not only will she pick up on all the nuances, she will asks you 100 questions about the parts that she didn't quite understand. When you deflect all the questions about Bella's skanky behaviors, she will just search the internet when you aren't looking. That what I would have done...oh, but I didn't have internet, so I hid in the library and read "Everything you ever wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask". That book has stuff in it that would make a hooker blush. Yup, I remember age 9!! lol

Get the books out of the house.
Cannwin said…
@Claire Wessel

So you're saying the next box I pack ought to contain the Twilight series. Hmm, that would definitely alleviate the problem. :)

You're right, she probably would have a hundred questions for me after every chapter.
Lynn said…
I'm afraid I disagree with many of the above answers. If she is already "sneaking peaks", she will read it--at a friend's house, or the library, etc.

My suggestion is read it with her or to her, or her to you, and discuss it as you go. Don't force your opinions on her, but ask her what she thinks of it. "What do you think about Edward being in her bedroom at night?" or even more specific, "Do you think it's right that he invades her privacy like that?" (if she says yes, follow up with "What if she was getting dressed?"

"Do you think you would like a boy like Edward? What do you like about him? What do you not like about him?" Get her to think for herself.

Incidentally, I am so not a Harry Potter fan--the attitudes are more subtle and just as damaging in my opinion.

When I was in high school the big book of the year was "Jaws." (I think) My friends' mom tore out Chapter 8. That must made them more curious, made all of us more curious...and people who had not read the book at least read chapter 8. So we all got the sex scene.
Cannwin said…
@Lynn

I love this idea! A friend of mine on facebook suggested the very same thing and I admit it's a perfect way to deal with the situation.

I have to admit to you that I was very hesitant to let her read the 7th Harry Potter book which was very dark.

She finished the first 4 books by the middle of 8y/o and I made her wait until she was 9 to go any further.

As for tearing chapters out... hmm, I'm not so sure about that. It makes me cringe. My brother in law some years back told me I should read Anne McCaffrey's Pern books. He told me his mom had read them to him as a child.

So I read the first book and when I was done I went to him and said, "Your mom read these to you?!"

"Yeah. Why?" he said.

"She definitely left some parts out."


Maybe I should read them with her.

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