For years, the Motion Picture Association of America has rated movies according to content so that parents would know which movies were suitable for younger viewers. In the beginning, there were just three ratings-G, PG, and R. Movie theaters were also much more careful about admitting children that were too young into a movie that was intended for more mature audiences.

Now there are additional ratings and the movie theaters are not that careful about who they allow in. As a parent trying to determine a suitable movie for your children to see, you may be confused as to what the ratings are and exactly what they all mean. Below is a description of each rating and how it is determined.

The G rating stands for General Audiences, although this does not signify that it is a “children's movie.” It simply means that there is nothing offensive in the theme, language, or content that would be unsuitable for young children. The presence of violence in the movie is minimal, and there is no nudity, sex, or drug use depicted.

The PG rating stands for Parental Guidance Suggested. While there may be some violence and brief nudity in the movie, it is entirely up to the parents as to whether their children should view it or not. The Motion Picture Association does not feel that the content is intense enough to strongly caution parents. There is also no drug use depicted in a PG rated picture either.

One of the newer ratings is the PG-13 rating, which stands for Parents Strongly Cautioned. These pictures are not recommended to be viewed by children less than thirteen years of age as they often depict violence, nudity, sensuality, adult activities, and other elements that go beyond the PG rating but are not deemed to warrant an R rating. Drug use in a movie will automatically cause it to have at least a PG-13 rating.

An R rating on a movie stands for Restricted, which simply means that children under seventeen should not be admitted without a parent or adult guardian. These pictures include adult themes and activities, hard language, intense violence, nudity that is sexually orientated, drug abuse, and other adult situations. Parents are strongly discouraged from bringing young children to an R rated movie and should check it out carefully in order to determine if it is appropriate for older children.

Another one of the newer ratings is NC-17 which stands for No One 17 or Younger Will Be Admitted. The Motion Picture Association feels that movies with this rating are too mature for any children to view. This rating does not necessarily mean that the picture is pornographic. It simply means that the amount of violence, sex, drug abuse, and other adult situations are too mature for the younger audience.

Once you understand this ratings system, you should be able to choose movies that are suitable for your children, whether it be in a theater or in the comfort of your own home. For a more detailed description of the rating system, you can visit the Motion Picture Association of America's Website to find the answers to any questions that you may have.