The PG rating is part of the Motion Picture Association's film rating system (you know, the MPAA). It sits right between G (General Audiences) and PG-13, and it's been around since 1972.

The official definition? "Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give 'parental guidance.'"

Cool, super helpful, right?

In practice, PG means the movie might contain:

But here's where it gets tricky: PG is an incredibly wide umbrella. Paddington is PG. Jaws is also PG. Let that sink in.

The PG rating was created because there was a massive gap between G and R. Parents needed something in the middle — a heads-up that said "hey, this isn't Sesame Street, but it's also not Pulp Fiction."

The problem? Every family's threshold is different. What feels totally fine for one 8-year-old might give another nightmares for weeks. Your family's values, your kid's sensitivity level, what they've already been exposed to — it all matters.

This is why the rating system is guidance, not gospel. The MPAA is basically saying, "We're giving you a starting point, but you know your kid better than we do."

Let's get real about what PG means in 2026:

PG movies from the 1980s and 90s can be wild by today's standards. The Goonies? PG. Gremlins? PG. These movies have stuff that would probably push them toward PG-13 if they were released today. The rating system has gotten slightly more conservative over time, but older PG movies can still surprise you.

Netflix, Disney+, and other platforms often include additional content warnings beyond the MPAA rating. You might see "fear," "language," or "violence" listed. These are actually more useful than the rating itself — pay attention to them.

A PG rating tells you nothing about whether a movie is actually good or worth your time. Plenty of PG movies are absolute brain rot (looking at you, most live-action remakes of animated classics). The rating is about content, not quality.

Some 6-year-olds can handle Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (PG) without blinking. Others will be scared by Finding Nemo (G, by the way). You know your kid. If they're sensitive to loud noises, jump scares, or seeing characters in danger, a PG movie might not be the move yet — even if their friends have seen it.

Here's a rough framework, but again, your mileage will vary:

Many PG movies will work, but preview them first if you can. Look for:

Red flags at this age: Realistic violence, intense emotional themes (death of a parent, for example), or anything genuinely creepy.

This is peak PG territory. Most kids this age can handle:

Still worth previewing: Anything with bullying as a major plot point, or movies that deal with heavier themes like war, serious illness, or trauma.

By this age, most PG content is fine, and you're probably starting to explore PG-13 territory anyway. The conversation shifts from "can they watch this?" to "let's talk about what they're watching."

Here's what works:

1. Read the "rated PG for..." description. It's usually right under the rating and tells you specifically what content to expect. "Rated PG for mild action and some rude humor" is very different from "Rated PG for thematic elements and brief scary images."

2. Check Common Sense Media or parent reviews. Seriously, this takes 30 seconds and will tell you way more than the rating alone. Other parents will flag the specific scenes that might be an issue.

3. Watch it first, or watch it together. I know, I know — who has time? But for younger kids or sensitive kids, this is the move. You can fast-forward through parts, pause to explain things, or just bail if it's not working.

4. Have a family "tap out" system. If someone's uncomfortable during a movie, they can leave without judgment, no questions asked. This is huge for building trust around media choices.

5. Talk about it after. Even if the movie seemed fine, check in. "What did you think of that scene where...?" Kids process things differently than we expect.

The PG rating is a tool, not a guarantee. It's the MPAA's way of saying "hey, parent, you might want to actually parent here" — which, honestly, is fair.

Use the rating as a starting point, not an endpoint. Combine it with your knowledge of your kid, a quick Google search, and your own gut instinct. Some PG movies will be perfect for your 6-year-old. Others will be too much for your 10-year-old. That's not a failure — that's just parenting in a world where "one size fits all" never really fit anyone.

And remember: if you put on a PG movie and it's not working, you can always turn it off. There's no award for powering through a movie that's stressing everyone out. Find something else, make some popcorn, and try again next week.

You've got this.