Anyone's DC really sensitive - scared of films etc?

[parrotonmyshoulder]

DD is now 6 (in year 2). She has always been easily frightened - I've always put it down to a healthy imagination really. But I suppose I would have thought she'd be beginning to grow out of it a bit by now.

'Frozen' had us leaving the cinema in the first scene! Screaming. That was the only cinema attempt we've made. Every other Disney film has been too scary - not that she's really wanted to try any. I tried Merida last year, but it was a total disaster.

Now we're attempting Aladdin on a rainy afternoon before tea - mostly because I've had enough of housework and playing! DS (3) is loving it. DD, who read the story as a school reading book this week, is terrified. I'm trying to point out the funny bits etc.

She loves the Tinkerbell films, but nothing any more perilous than that.

I'm delighted that she's not into horror movies and GTA, and don't intend to 'toughen her up', but really? Aladdin? I'm finding it hard to sympathise today.

[Nataleejah]

I have a DS of the same age. He isn't scared of films or games (feel free to slap me his favourite is Pacific Rim). But he is extremely sensitive to real life ridiculous situations any joke, any telling off, not to mention petty squabbles with DS1 or other kids. He would sit in his room and sulk for half a day because DS2 squirted him with water or something of the sort. He wouldn't enjoy a fun day out because his raffle ticket didn't win. Very petty stuff like that and very frustrating.

As for your DD, was she always like that or something triggered this?

[KatyN]

Phew.. My son is about to be 4 and is really sensitive to programs on the telly. We have only just started watching tree fu Tom because it was petrifying before that. We can only watch about half of cbeebees because it's too scary.
Stories are generally ok, I can't think of one we've had to stop becuse it was scary, but we have shied away from traditional fairy tales which I think are fierce!!
I can't decide whether he should toughen up or just hold off.. 4 is clearly too young to be worrying!!!!
K

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Thanks. She's always been like this. I couldn't read fairy tales, the Gingerbread Man would have her in hysterics, that awful Peter Rabbit tv show made her run out crying, and I certainly couldn't read her the lovely Beatrix Potter books! Would you believe, there are chapters in Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree that are so scary they have to be skipped? My nieces of similar ages have read, or have had read to them, Matilda, the BFG, several Harry Potters! My poor DD would have nightmares forever!

She loves stories and always has, and is able to listen to and enjoy quite complex ones - so long as there's nothing perilous at all! I LOVE 'Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf' as it's so obvious that Polly is going to outwit him, but it mostly led to tears.

So many amazing books I want to read with her!

[parrotonmyshoulder]

X-post. I was fine with it at 4. My little DS is so different - he wants transformers and dinosaurs and is 'gonna be a weal baddie' when he 'gwows' up, apparently...

[BoogleMcGroogle]

My daughter is also 6 and similarly sensitive. She also loves the Tinkerbell films. The Sharks in Finding Nemo caused nightmares for weeks and I still can't believe DH attempted to show Monsters Inc! I was the same at this age and recall having to be taken out of every panto I went to between 1981-1986!

If you are looking for film ideas, we have recently had success with Japanese Anime (be careful, only some are suitable). She loves Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Arietty. Mary Poppins is a favourite. She also really enjoyed Moomins on the Riviera. I know it's not what most of them are watchin at 6, but she loved it and the animation is lovely.

Also, we do find that she can cope with more peril in books. I guess it is in smaller doses, so I do try to encourage her to read adventure books. She loves the Guinea Pigs Online series and, surprisingly, Ottoline and Goth Girl, both of which I think are quite grown up.

[BoogleMcGroogle]

I cross posted. Yup- Peter Rabbit is a no no in this house too!

I thought that DD would hate Roald Dahl, but listened to a whole box set driving across France, including The Witches, which still terrifies me! It seems to be more films and with her.

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Boogle - we should get our DDs together. Mine also loves Ottoline, although I haven't tried Goth Girl, and Moomintroll books have been well received. We haven't watched Mary Poppins yet but I have read it to her.

DH and I love Studio Ghibli but haven't shown her any yet, although I've just remembered she did go to a showing of Totoro with my mum last year at a small venue and liked it.

I'll have a look at mild adventure stories. She did, weirdly, really enjoy a couple of very old-fashioned Secret Seven books.

[cakesonatrain]

My 4yo Ds is scared of most films, but to be fair, most U films we have taken him to see have had an unnecessary amount of peril/scary faces etc. He often finds Peter Rabbit on the telly too scary.

[parrotonmyshoulder]

She's also sensitive to noise, hand dryers (and similar) and music in a minor key...

Life must be horrible! Poor child.

[Nataleejah]

For a 4yo i wouldn't worry so much. Myself i used to be scared of the most obscure things when i was little. I walked across the hallway with closed eyes because i was afraid of a... Lightbulb. Those things they'd grow out of. But later on... I'd worry about being something of ASD

[parrotonmyshoulder]

I have no concerns about ASD, being an ASC specialist teacher. Childhood fears and highly active imagination are certainly not diagnostic criteria, as far as I'm aware.

[Skang]

My 4yo is like this. She has got slightly better recently and we can now watch the Tinkerbell films (but not the extremely scary pirate fairy one).

We started watching Aladdin recently and had to turn it off. Tbh though it is pretty horrible. There was talk of slitting throats in the first five minutes! And that cat cave closing its mouth was enough to scare the living shit out of my DD.

She doesn't like anything with peril or baddies. So no Peter Rabbit, Tree Fu Tom, swashbuckle... Sometimes Octonauts is too scary.

I'd rather her be like this than the other extreme. I think it's a pretty good sign in some respects. My DD isn't at all nervous generally, just doesn't like seeing bad things happen to people.

[Skang]

Oh, just saw the faraway tree thing. I had to stop at the mere mention of Dame Slap!

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Yes, it is a nice thing really.

I'd forgotten about the Octonauts! She loved them aged 4, but then a new series came out. With a teeny, tiny bit more peril. And she couldn't go in the same room as the tv - for ages!

[parrotonmyshoulder]

And the scary snowman!!

[ShelaghTurner]

God yes. She left Paddington in tears, cried through Alvin and the bloody chipmunks at school, won't watch most of the Disney films although frozen is ok. She's terrified of dogs, cats, burglars, scary photos, the park and about 100 other things.

This week I bought her a worry eater toy which she's glued to now. She's full of woe and fears. She's 7, year 3.

[LongHairDontCare]

My 3 year old DS is like this. Can't watch Peter rabbit, if just the music in a film turns scary he cries to turn if off. We watched monster Inc and I told him what was going to happen next before it happened and it seemed to help!

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Shelagh - my DD's scho is ALWAYS watching films! She spends most Friday afternoons 'colouring in' in the corridor as she's too scared! Assertive enough, and always has been, to say this though, which I'm very pleased about. And apparently unconcerned about what others would think about her.

I had nightmares for decades over seeing Freddy Kruger at age 13, and my BF reading Pet Cemetary aloud at 15!

[ShelaghTurner]

DD1 is too scared to ask her teacher if she can read or colour instead... . I had a word with her teacher and she's going to run any future films past me! And she assures me Alvin and the Chipmunks won't reappear (she showed in it year 1, they've got her for the second time)

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Wondering where Alvin and the Chipmunks fits into the curriculum! But none of DD's do either.

How were fireworks? We had to watch from indoors with ear defenders! I love fireworks. Sob!

[Foslady]

Oh God - this brings back hideous memories of Dd and film watching - even to the point that the school knew to let her watch the film she could best cope with rather than putting her name in the hat (the stuff she bawled her head off at even she laughs about now). She's now 12 and heavily into Supernatural and loves watching the Tim Burton version of Sweeny Todd......

[cakesonatrain]

My Ds won't let me use hand dryers, hates loud noise. We went to a birthday party and it was a church hall disco - he spent most of the party sitting on my knee all snuggled up because it was too loud and it hurt I've told him we can say No in future when it's going to be that sort of party.

We ignored the fireworks completely this year - certainly wouldn't try to take him to a display. I love them too!

[VenusInFauxFurs]

Six is still really little. My niece is eight and doesn't like the cinema. Both because of the content and the ridiculously loud volume that our cinemas play at.

Watching films at home is easier for her because the film can be stopped or paused and she is in control of her own surroundings. She was upset by Matilda although I managed to persuade her to let me ff to the end so she could see the end bit when Matilda and Miss Honey are roller skating round the living room so that she could be reassured that it all ended happily. Not sure if this is the right approach. My own daughter was pretty nails about these things.

Its good that her school let her do colouring in instead of watching films (does that happen a lot? I'm sure we used to be shown films once a year tops when I was at school. No idea how frequent an occurrence this was when dd was at primary.)

Trying to think of non-scary films to recommend to your dd now. It's hard isn't it? Most Disney/Pixar films have traumatising and/or scary bits don't they? Personally, I'm still getting over Toy Story 3.

You could always check out capalert.com to check out how violent they think U rated films are. Its an absolutely BONKERS site, mind you. Run by an entirely too easily offended 'Christian'. And looks like it was designed by an overexcited nine year old in 1997.

Its quite entertaining in a warped way. And might actually be handy for gauging scariness for sensitive types. 'Up' gets 0 for wanton violence/crime on its WISDOM scale. Meaning it has ALL the wanton violence ever. 'Cars' however gets 91.

[HerdOfRhino]

VenusInFauxFurs, that site is mad!

I have just searched Wallace and Gromit's Curse of the Were Rabbit. Who knew it could be viewed as being so terrible!

[LoveMILbut]

Yes! My DD is much the same. Opening scenes of the Jungle Book, Ice Age, Despicable me, Tangled..... We got as far as the scary big snowman in Frozen and considered that a success.
Back to the Peppa Pig DVDs, Family Film nights will have to wait!