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Original poster

5 year old sensitivity... does this mean anything?

30 replies

cjt110 · 30/08/2019 20:51

My son has always been sensitive...

Cries at sad things on the TV.

But also things that are normal..

The Disney ad where a duckling would read the paper and then meet Donald duck had him diving behind the couch.

Fair enough he got sad at the Lion King but he wa hysterical at the scene where Mufasa died. Sp much so we had to leave.

Same in Toy Story 4 when 2 characters left.

Today he was hysterical at angry birds 2 when a character was squashed under a door. Even though you saw they were ok after. We had to leave.

Is this normal or something more?

OP posts:

granhands1 · 30/08/2019 22:58

My daughter is the same, her dad had to remove her from the cinema when they went to watch a film about a cartoon squirrel. She was hysterical. When I asked her what was wrong she said she just didn't know what was going to happen and that it might be sad. She still has her moments now she is nearly 10, I just think she is a kind hearted person who can't deal with others being sad or upset. She is just delightful and so lovely

DarkDarkNight · 30/08/2019 23:06

My Son is like this. He’s been in tears at 2 of his bedtime stories tonight. He refused to watch the tv adaptation of The Hughway Rat after the Rat stepped on some Ants.

He is in general a very sensitive child and is easily startled, easily hurt and upset. I’m not sure it means anything, he’s just very empathetic.

EmmiJay · 31/08/2019 00:42

My DD gets like this with Spider Man the Universe one or whatever its called. She will bawl the place down. Then is right as rain as soon as the scene is over. However, she insists on watching it again . Its bizarre because she watches The Addams Family and thats a hoot to her! I think they just get caught up in the moments and react I guess.

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Bloodybridget · 31/08/2019 00:50

DGD was like this for years, not so much about "sad" things but she refused to watch any film or read any book that she thought could be "scary". She is 8 now and slowly getting a bit more adventurous! I think she just wanted things to b very safe and predictable - she loved the books I used to read as a child, Milly-Molly-Mandy and Teddy Robinson!

MonaChopsis · 31/08/2019 00:52

My daughter was like this aged 5, now can cope with more but still has noticeably less capacity to watch/witness sadness, anger or violence (and I'm talking cartoon violence!) than her peers. Still won't watch Brave for instance because the Mum and daughter argue so much in the first scenes.

I just think she's a really kind, empathetic child. The world needs more of them... Their thinner skin helps them feel things from other's perspectives. Just let him set the pace for what he reads/watches and reassure him if he gets teased by her peers in later years.

MonaChopsis · 31/08/2019 00:54

*his peers!! Too used to having DDs 😂

HysteryMystery · 31/08/2019 07:07

When you say " you had to leave" do you mean the cinema? Because my kids find films in the cinema far scarier than films at home. I think it's due to the volume and darkness which amplifies the scary bits.

HysteryMystery · 31/08/2019 07:09

but she refused to watch any film or read any book that she thought could be "scary"

I'm an adult and I do this too. I see no need to scare or upset myself just for the sake of it.

SoyDora · 31/08/2019 07:14

My 5 year old DD is just like this. She won’t even watch the new Dumbo film as she says she knows it will make her cry. And there’s no chance I’m putting her through Lion King! She doesn’t just cry at sad things, but also things she calls ‘happy sad’. So happy endings, people falling in love, people doing kind things for someone else etc.
She’s very aware that other people don’t feel things as strongly as she does!

GloGirl · 31/08/2019 07:30

I have a child who is weirdly hysterical in odd situations. So knowing mufasa will die is really sad (for everyone) but in a capable way. But in a movie where a friend is betraying someone to the baddie say and making a wrong decision, or doing something acutely embarrassing he will run right out of the room!

I think as other people have said it's a form of empathy and how they feel the shame and sadness in a stronger way that other people do. Ultimately this is why we all watch movies, because we understand them on some level, it stands to reason that some people feel it stronger or differently- just as some people will watch a film and not even blink an eye during Dumbo (how very fucking dare they)

LutherRalph1 · 31/08/2019 07:33

I cried many times at the Donald Duck advert. I was a few weeks post partum

Poetryinaction · 31/08/2019 07:34

My son would not watch any of the things you mentioned OP. They are too scary.
He watches My Little Pony and things like that. At 5, their imaginations are amazing. He doesn't want nightmares. I'd stop showing him scary stuff on tv to be honest. Switch it off.

SoyDora · 31/08/2019 07:36

Meant to say mine also cried at the Donald Duck advert! And when I showed her all the John Lewis Christmas adverts on YouTube last year she was a wreck.

mnahmnah · 31/08/2019 07:39

My son was like this. He’s 7.5 now and still occasionally gets upset but generally ouch better. He’s very kind, caring and considerate generally. Loves animals and nature. I just think it shows their softer side. As they mature and understand things more, they’re able to control their emotions more

Poetryinaction · 31/08/2019 07:39

Lion King and Angry Birds are PG and not really suitable for a 5 year old.

Kelvingrove · 31/08/2019 07:58

I think the OP should be more considerate about the child. 5 year olds don't have enough life experience to make an informed choice about films they watch and what to avoid.

Just because something is a cartoon does not mean it is lighthearted. There is a big emotional difference between Peppa Pig and Bambi for example. If the child is becoming upset, they are watching the wrong films.

Iggly · 31/08/2019 08:09

My youngest is similar and I just don’t take her to anything that might upset her. No to Lion King, Toy Story etc.

She gets upset looking at old photos of goo times!

I’ve got a very active imagination which gave me terrible dreams as a child and I don’t want that made worse for dd. My mum was incredibly unsympathetic with my fears and tried to shrug them off - I think it’s normal for many children to be like this.

Tv and films don’t have to be part of growing up - learning about different emotions can come from friends and family alone, so I don’t think they need to get used to watching stuff that scares them.

SoyDora · 31/08/2019 08:15

She gets upset looking at old photos of goo times!

Yes mine does this too!

MoltoAgitato · 31/08/2019 08:20

Agree with PP who said that if they are getting upset they are watching the wrong things. PG does not mean child free for all! Some of the cartoons are quite scary - my DC couldn’t watch Frozen (they are early primary) - and I can’t blame them, what with the parents being killed off so early.

If she’s getting upset, she’s too young. It’s not at all unusual from experiences with my DCs peers.

Catalicious · 31/08/2019 08:20

I have a self-imposed ban on any animal Disney films and David Attenborough docs. I just find it too upsetting and firmly believe they should be rated 18

SoyDora · 31/08/2019 08:21

I also agree with PP’s. Mine is very sensitive so there’s no way I’d let her watch The Lion King, especially not at the cinema where everything is heightened.

Fatted · 31/08/2019 08:30

I cried in Toy Story when a particular main character ran off at the end. I'm 39. But I was also really annoyed by it because I couldn't help but think of the underlying message that it's OK for the middle aged man to dump his kids with someone else and run off with the attractive blond. . But I'm going off point now.

My kids do get a bit more emotional in the cinema as others have said. It's not as easy to ignore or distract in the cinema. I do prefer to watch things at home with them if I don't I know how they will react to them. I personally wouldn't take my kids to watch the lion King because of the bit where the dad dies.

ImTheCaddy · 31/08/2019 08:42

DD is 13 now and still needs to know if characters are going to be ok and won't watch anything where they aren't!

She's a lot better (obv!) at dealing with stuff than she was but is still very empathetic. Which is actually a lovely trait!

Booboostwo · 31/08/2019 08:58

I am 46yo and refuse to watch Dumbo after seeing the original ages ago as a child. Some people are just more sensitive than others.

SudowoodoVoodoo · 31/08/2019 09:10

DS struggled with themes of characters being eaten. When I was reading The BFG and The Enormous Crocodile to his brother, we had nightmares after. He's never sat through Trolls long enough to watch the Trolls get the upper hand. He now loves the Enormous Crocodile though.

PG is Parental Guidence, but a very sensitive child could be triggered by a U if it's the wrong theme, it's just less likely.

Sometimes it's just trial and error discovering what is suitable for the individual. I've never had any issues with my older one, and he's seen films at a younger age than his brother is able to deal with.

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