'My sister is fuming that I didn't take her 5-year-old to Barbie - no means no'

22 July 2023 , 16:51

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She didn't want to bring her five-year-old niece to the cinema to see Barbie (stock image) (Image: Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

With the release of Greta Gerwig's much-anticipated Barbie movie, it's caused many debates about what age is appropriate to see it. While some argue there are too many 'suggestive references' and some 'strong language', the Barbie star herself Margot Robbie said "it's for everyone".

However, when one woman said she fell out with her sister for not taking her five-year-old niece to see the movie, it re-sparked the debate. Taking to Reddit's AmITheA**hole forum, the anonymous 19-year-old said she was taking her niece, who is the daughter of her brother, to see the movie as a treat for her 11th birthday because she "loves Barbie".

However, when her 27-year-old sister found out, she asked if the woman was also planning on taking her daughter, who is five years old. In a recent forum post, the woman explained: "I said that she and [the five-year-old niece] are welcome to tag along and she said no, she's not coming, only [the niece]. I gently said no because respectfully I want to relax on my day off work and enjoy the movie and I don't feel like watching [the niece]."

She explained that the young girl is "quite a handful", and although she didn't say that to her sister, she could tell she was "getting annoyed". She continued: "I told her no and that's that. She said I'm excluding [my niece] for no reason and that I'm playing favourites, and I don't have to deal with [her daughter] being sad that she can't go see the movie with us, but said I obviously don't care because I'm so selfish."

Although her listed reasons didn't have anything to do with the 12A film age limit, the post has re-sparked the debate about whether or not it is appropriate for young children to see it.

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One person said: "[NotTheA**hole]. Mostly because it’s rude to assume someone will take a kid for what is essentially free babysitting, but also because Barbie is not a kids movie. It's rated PG-13 [in the US], and the overall theme will go way over a five-year-olds head."

Another agreed, saying: "[NotTheA**hole]. Firstly - that movie is NOT suited for a five-year-old. It's not the same Barbie. Secondly, if you don't feel like babysitting and are fine with chilling with an 11-year-old who can handle her own in a theatre, that's perfectly valid."

A third added: "I'm looking forward to seeing Barbie this evening but there is no way I would take my nieces of that age - completely unsuitable film for them. By all means arrange to take [your niece] to an age appropriate film."

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz