Ask the Mediatrician: Should I let my child watch ’13 Reasons Why’?

My daughter is 13. Her friends in middle school have recently become obsessed with the Netflix show, “13 Reasons Why.” I haven’t read the book or watched the show, but have been seeing a few news articles that worry me that the show may be dangerous for kids to watch graphic depictions of suicide, bullying and forced sex. My daughter feels that it is only “drama” (in the teen use of the word), and she’s been feeling left out of the conversation with her friends. Is it ok for me to let her watch it? ~ Just One Reason Why Not, USA Dear Just, Your question is timely. Many parents (and educators, judging from the flurry of school-parent communication around the country) have been concerned about the content of “13 Reasons Why” and its massive popularity among pre-teens and teens. It is currently the most popular Netflix show on social media, in part because it’s being heavily marketed to adolescents, with a personal social media campaign from Executive Producer and powerful teen influencer, Selena Gomez. The show’s subject matter is titillating because it is, as your daughter says “teen drama.” The problem is that she and her peers may not yet be neurodevelopmentally capable of processing that “drama” in healthy, safe ways. Although it is based on a popular YA novel (for readers 12-18), “13 Reasons Why” is rated TV-MA (unsuitable for viewers under 17) and several episodes are preceded by an onscreen “graphic content...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Mental Health Parenting Teen Health Ask the Mediatrician Depression suicide Source Type: news