Is Heartstopper Age-Appropriate to Watch With Your Kids?

Considering that Heartstopper has become one of Netflix's most popular teen shows since its premiere in 2022, it's only natural that people of all ages have decided to check it out to see what all the fuss is about.

However, given the show's focus on an LGBTQ+ romantic couple learning about the world while experiencing all sorts of issues, including self-harm and eating disorders, some parents have begun to wonder at what age it is appropriate to watch Heartstopper.

While it goes without saying that teenagers can watch the show on their own, as it was created with them in mind, children under the age of 12 are in a completely different position. Here's what fans think about watching Heartstopper with your kids.

The show can start a conversation

First of all, you should think about whether you want to expose your child to the world of romance at all, as children of 7 or even 8 may not be interested in such a show. However, if you think your child would be interested in its story, you should watch it together.

While the first season is completely harmless and even feel-good, simply depicting the blossoming love of two students, the second season is really different. In it, the writers have decided to highlight some of the important issues that teens around the world are experiencing – self-harm and eating disorders.

While these topics may be considered inappropriate for children in some homes, the idea of watching the characters struggle and then recover could be quite beneficial for children.

It's obvious that such topics are definitely discussed by children themselves, and those discussions are not always safe. Perhaps the idea of watching the show with your child and then talking about it with them, carefully answering their questions, is much better than letting other kids talk about it at school in an unsafe way, don't you think?

In any case, it's best to watch the show by yourself first, and then decide if you want to show it to your children.