Is Hunger Games Really a Game?

My daughter recently became obsessed with the book series Hunger Games. Considering she was so excited about it, I thought I should read it. So I did; all three, in a matter of a few days. I thought they brought some interesting points and made me think. A lot.

Later I took her to the movie and we watched it together.

I have noticed recently a lot of negative comments regarding the Hunger Games. Parents questioning how anyone could bring a child/teen to see a movie about a bunch of kids killing other kids?  That question has really made me think. Is it too violent? Shouldn’t I be more careful about what she watches/reads? Am I a bad mother? Have I ruined my daughter?

Hunger Games is violent. But Hunger Games also asks a lot of questions. It questions the classes we place people in. It confronts issues on starvation and gluttony. However to be perfectly honest the bigger issue to me is not whether Hunger Games is right for children, the question is “Is Hunger Games right for my children?”

Each of us know our children, we know what they can handle and what they can’t. Hunger Games for Mikaela and I provided us a story to share and discuss. It has provided us the opportunity to spend time together and debate big, real world issues.

Deciding to see or not see Hunger Games shouldn’t become a debate of good or bad parenting but a decision based on what you know about your child. It could also become a conversation about tolerating and accepting others who make different choices then you do.

Mikaela as an assignment for school was asked to write about a book that changed their view on the world, no surprise Mikaela picked Hunger Games. Here is an excerpt.

“Peeta and Katniss come from District 12, a district where most people are starving and when Peeta and Katniss were so full they couldn’t eat anymore, the people from the Capitol offered them a drink that would make them throw up their food so they could eat more. When I heard about that, I was bothered by the idea of starving while others are throwing up food so they can eat more. Suddenly, it hit me that the United States is kind of like the Capitol. We don’t do the same thing the capitol people do, but we are similar. There are many starving people in the world and we the United States, are sitting back and watching them suffer. 

The Hunger Games also changed my life because it encouraged me to go out and show the world who I am, and the little things we do makes a difference. Sometimes I wish I could tell every single person that they can help change the world into a better place.”

Her essay calmed my fears and reminded me it might take more than a movie to ruin her.