At what age does Sex & The City become appropriate kiddie viewing?

If you answered 'never' and shuddered just a little, then you are in agreement with my friend C. We had a cup of tea yesterday and she told me how her eldest daughter, aged 6, had been on a playdate where the little girl had older brothers – aged 10 and 11. The boys (yes, boys) were watching SATC and my friend's daughter and her little friend wandered in and caught some of it.

When my friend arrived to collect her daughter, all four kids were plonked in front of the TV watching Carrie and Co. She was horrified and told the other mother she thought it was totally inappropriate. The other mother was non-plussed. She couldn't see the big deal. "Oh they see all that kind of stuff, anyway, don't they?" she asked rhetorically.

My first question was "Why would little boys want to watch a show about four New York women in their forties?". But C pointed out that there were sex scenes and rude words. And boobies. All grist for the curious minds of pre-pubescent boys. Not unlike finding a dog-eared copy of a Playboy magazine I guess.

Where do you draw the line with kids and what they can watch? I must admit, I'm a little slack with Luca who is 11. Not that he'd want to watch SATC. He'd rather eat a box of hair.

But last week he went to see Jim Carrey's new movie "Yes Man" – or something. I assumed Jason had OK'd it. Jason assumed I had OK'd it. And it was only as Luca walked out the door that I thought to ask what it was rated. "M" he said. "Oh" I replied. "Well, um, make sure you cover your eyes if there are any rude bits and text me about anything you don't understand."

"Sure will, Mum" he said and no doubt didn't.