Movies are easier to access than ever before, making family movie night both frugal and fun. A quick push of a button and the movie of your choice will start streaming. No waiting for the New Release to arrive at the video store is required.
However, the world around us is changing. Once upon a time, parents could pick up a family movie at the local rental store and pop it in without previewing. Reading movie reviews wasn’t necessary if it was a family movie. Sadly, family movie night requires more from parents than ever before.
How to Safeguard Your Family Movie Night
- Read movie reviews
I do not like spoilers. In fact, I avoid them at all costs for movies and shows that I watch. However, as a parent, I’ve had to let go and read movie reviews prior to watching movies with my children.
Common Sense Media is my favorite movie review site. They break down their movie reviews into different categories, including positive messages, positive role models and representations, violence and scariness, sexy stuff, language, consumerism and drinking, drugs and smoking. They also offer a free account that allows you to write reviews for any movie on their site. So, you can read movie reviews by other parents as well.
- Subscribe to VidAngel
Through VidAngel, you can stream movies available from Amazon, Netflix and they have their own content as well! This is my family movie night safeguard must-have!
They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for you to have time to check them out and see if VidAngel is a good fit for your family.
You have the ability to eliminate mature content, language, violence and/or alcohol, tobacco and drug use with VidAngel. BUT they take it a step further and allow you to pick and choose what you want to filter out in each category. So, if you only want to skip alcohol use, but aren’t concerned with smoking, you can! I’m ok with my teens watching most violence, but love having the choice to skip any violent scenes I find unnecessary.
- Sign up for an Amazon account
Having an Amazon account allows you to stream a lot of movies for free via Prime. If you don’t do family movie nights very often, you can easily rent one through your Amazon Prime account as well. New releases often are available to stream via Amazon before they come out on Netflix.
I encourage you to take time to thank VidAngel for the ability to filter movie content. There are a few large production companies that are fighting against their methods of filtering. Thankfully, they’ve been able to secure filtered streaming through Amazon and Netflix. VidAngel is fighting for parents’ rights to decide what is appropriate for their children – that is something we all should be thankful for.
Family movie nights are one of our favorite evening activities. We love to crawl into bed or sit on the couch watching movies. It brings the entire family together. Having the option to eliminate any unnecessary content that Hollywood tries to bring into my home…priceless!
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