Parents Say These 13 Shows and Movies Are Banned at Home

The post Parents Say These 13 Shows and Movies Are Banned at Home first appeared on Crafting Your Home.

Every family has its own rules about what children can watch.

A show that one parent considers harmless entertainment might be completely off-limits in another household. Sometimes the concern is mature content or violence. Other times, parents dislike how a program sounds, behaves, or portrays family relationships.

A June 2026 article from Parents spoke with 10 parents about the shows and movies they don’t allow their children to watch. Their choices ranged from popular preschool programs to major movies and adult-oriented television series.

Here are 13 of the titles those parents singled out.

CoComelon

The popular children’s YouTube channel has become a familiar part of many young children’s viewing routines, but some parents interviewed by Parents said it doesn’t belong in their homes.

Their objections weren’t necessarily about the subject matter. Instead, some parents found the quick cuts, bright animation, and overall presentation overwhelming.

One parent described the rapid editing as stressful to watch, making the show a household “no.”

Blippi

Blippi is another popular children’s program that some parents have decided to skip.

For one parent interviewed by Parents, the show’s sounds were enough to make it unpopular at home. In particular, she singled out Blippi’s distinctive laugh.

It reminds us that parents don’t always ban a show because of a particular lesson or storyline. Sometimes the overall viewing experience doesn’t work for the family.

Caillou

Caillou has been a surprisingly controversial children’s show for years, and some parents continue to object to it.

One parent told Parents that she doesn’t allow her children to watch because of the main character’s behavior toward family and friends. She worried children could imitate what they see on screen.

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig may be a staple of children’s television, but it doesn’t appeal to every parent.

One mother interviewed by Parents said the repetitive sounds, particularly the pig noises, were enough to make her avoid the show at home.

It is a relatively simple reason, but it highlights how personal family media rules can be. A program doesn’t have to contain mature material to become something parents would rather their children skip.

Paw Patrol

Paw Patrol is another hugely recognizable children’s franchise that some parents have decided not to show.

One mother and teacher told Parents that she considers the program too fast-paced for her young children. Her concern centered on the amount of movement, colors, and rapidly changing images rather than a specific storyline.

Mean Girls

The original Mean Girls is a very different kind of title from children’s cartoons, and one parent interviewed by Parents decided it wasn’t appropriate for her children.

After watching the movie with her kids, she said she was uncomfortable with some of its treatment of body image, eating-related issues, and sexuality. She felt some scenes would require more discussion than she wanted to have with her children while watching.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Although Shazam! Fury of the Gods carries a PG-13 rating, one father interviewed by Parents didn’t consider it suitable for his children.

He was concerned that the movie contained more violence and profanity than he expected from a superhero film marketed to a broad audience.

The example also illustrates why parents sometimes look beyond a movie’s general reputation and consider its actual content before allowing children to watch.

Deadpool

Deadpool is another superhero title that some parents keep away from younger viewers.

One parent told Parents that graphic sexual jokes and violence were the main reasons she didn’t want her 12-year-old watching it.

The distinction matters because being a superhero movie doesn’t automatically make a film appropriate for children.

SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob has been entertaining children for decades, but some parents remain uncomfortable with it.

One educator interviewed by Parents placed it in the category of shows she considers overly stimulating and also pointed to adult-oriented themes.

That doesn’t mean every family views the show the same way. It simply shows how differently parents can interpret the same children’s entertainment.

The Simpsons

The Simpsons is frequently associated with family television, but it is primarily an adult-oriented animated comedy.

One father interviewed by Parents said he was cautious about letting his children watch it because of sexual suggestions and occasional graphic violence, while also noting that some of the show’s satire would likely go over younger children’s heads.

Family Guy

Family Guy is another animated series that can sometimes be mistaken for children’s entertainment simply because it is a cartoon.

Parents interviewed by Parents pointed instead to its sexual humor, profanity, and mature themes.

For families with younger children, the distinction between an animated program and a children’s program can matter.

Home Alone

Home Alone may be a holiday favorite for many families, but one parent interviewed by Parents said her family approaches the movie differently.

Her concern wasn’t primarily about the slapstick premise. Instead, she objected to the way family members speak to and treat one another at the beginning of the movie.

Rather than automatically rejecting the movie, she said she paused it to talk with her children about the behavior they were seeing.

Game of Thrones

For obvious reasons, Game of Thrones is another title some parents keep children away from.

One mother interviewed by Parents said she wouldn’t let her teenage son watch the series because of its graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and mature themes.

Unlike some of the children’s programs on this list, Game of Thrones was not designed as children’s entertainment in the first place.

There isn’t one universal family media rule.

What stands out about these examples is how different the reasons can be.

Some parents are concerned about violence or sexual content. Others object to language, behavior, overstimulation, or the way characters treat one another. And sometimes a parent finds a show’s sounds or style unpleasant enough that it doesn’t belong in the family living room.

Parents note that deciding what children should watch is ultimately a personal decision for each family. The publication’s interviewed educator recommends previewing content, considering its overall tone and message, and using parental controls and age-based media reviews when appropriate.

Parents also don’t necessarily have to choose between an absolute ban and unrestricted viewing. Watching something together can give adults a chance to explain confusing scenes, discuss characters’ choices, and help children understand the difference between entertainment and real-life behavior.

In the end, the same movie or television show can produce completely different reactions in different households. That’s part of what makes family viewing rules so personal and why a title that is a favorite in one home might never make it onto the screen in another.