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Original poster

Who is letting their five year old what the film IT?!

56 replies

Readysetcake · 01/12/2020 19:31

My DD in reception told me tonight that a class mate was telling her all about pennywise the clown and a boy George who made a boat that went down a drain and he fell in and the clown ripped his arm off and then ate him. This has made me really sad that my poor girls innocence is being ruined as soon as she starts school.

Who the fuck thinks it’s ok the let a 5 year olds watch that shit?! Or am I somehow being unreasonable to think that is crazy. This girl must have seen it as my DD was very specific about details (boys yellow coat) and there is no way she has come across that by herself by accident. She has no access to you tube or movie channels etc.

A bit bloody fuming to be honest.

OP posts:
MsChatterbox · 01/12/2020 20:34

Not the point of the thread but I thought the title said ET and I was really surprised how many people were passionate about this.

magvdamme · 01/12/2020 20:36

My daughter when she was in class 1 had been on Netflix when I was doing tea she was year one so able to read bit and pieces and had watched several trailers on there without me knowing. The following day I got asked to speak to the head mistress as my DD had told her friends she had watched several horror films with me and explained the trailer to them. I would never let my daughter watch horror movies or anything I wouldn't deem age appropriate however when kids have access to different media options things be seen without parents even realising. I hope your daughter is OK OP but sometimes our DC don't always tell the full truth xx

DowntonCrabby · 01/12/2020 20:37

I’m not saying YABU OP but my 7 year old would know those details about the film, despite never having seen it.

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DobbyTheHouseElk · 01/12/2020 20:37

Speak to the head of school tomorrow. This is a safeguarding issue. This is not ok and needs reporting. They will take it seriously.

GrumpyHoonMain · 01/12/2020 20:39

Let the school know the child’s name and make a formal complaint. Parents who do this will do other stupid / neglectful shit too so you should help them build a nice big file.

bookworm14 · 01/12/2020 20:41

Fucking hell - my five year old finds Toy Story 3 a bit too frightening. That poor child.

nancybotwinbloom · 01/12/2020 20:42

Fucking no one should be letting their five year olds watch it!!

Xiaoxiong · 01/12/2020 20:43

Was It on TV around Halloween this year or something? A couple of weeks ago DS and his cousin (same class, Y4) both came home asking me fearfully about Pennywise, they heard about it from another kid in their class. DS then had a nightmare that night about it.

I watched it in my first year of university and had nightmares myself so I was furious my 8 year old was now scared by it as well.

Ginnymweasley · 01/12/2020 20:47

So my dd has never seen IT however I got bought a pennywise light as a joke present for my birthday and so she knows the name of the character if that makes sense. So if someone was to mention the film she would be able to say it was about a clown called pennywise. And will probably tell you that mummy likes to hide her pennywise light behind curtains to make daddy jump.
Everything that the child has said is in the trailer as well tbf so they might not have actually seen the film at all. Obv the trailer is not ideal but would be easier for a child to come across innocently I imagine. Mention it to the teacher.

Drogonssmile · 01/12/2020 20:47

Jeez I can't bring myself to watch IT and I'm 39!
When I was 9 my best friend tricked me into watching nightmare on elm street by telling me it was a PG. I had nightmares for months Sad

Original poster
Readysetcake · 01/12/2020 20:48

@insancerre no I’m in wales. Wonder if it’s being promoted for some reason so the trailer is floating around on you tube?

@Juanbablo that’s so appalling!

I did think perhaps the child has an older sibling or come across it unsupervised on standard you tube. I find it hard to believe anyone would willing let a child that young watch it. I haven’t ever seen the trailer or film as I really don’t like horrors. Just seen the poster. It remember begging my mum to let me watch the original when. I was 7/8 as my friend had seen it, and she refused which I’m so grateful for as I know now it would have traumatised me!

I’ve messaged the teacher and told her what the child said and that DD was upset so at least she is aware and can speak to the parent about it. DD has been sleeping terribly lately and wanting the light on so I hope this I isn’t related and been going on a while.

Good point about her having no frame of reference for these horrible things @TenShortStories. I obviously go straight to thinking about the horrors I’ve seen over the years and she won’t be able to imagine that thankfully! Hopefully it’s all forgotten by tomorrow.

OP posts:
callistography · 01/12/2020 20:50

This needs to be reported to the school who will raise it as a safeguarding concern.
No child of that age should even have the slightest inkling that IT exists

AccidentallyOnPurpose · 01/12/2020 20:50

DD heard about it at school too. She was quite scared but we just talked about it, how it's a movie , what the storyline is, it's all made up and make up and showed her a few (not too bad) videos about makeup,green screens etc. She was fine afterwards.

3/4 of my Y3 class have heard of it,seen a trailer or possibly watched the movie. Some even included it in their English writing. I don't agree with it but it is what it is. And sometimes there is no bigger picture, just parents that are too permissive, have bad judgement or have no idea what their kid watches when at dad's/mum's/nan's/cousin's etc.

AccidentallyOnPurpose · 01/12/2020 20:52

@callistography

This needs to be reported to the school who will raise it as a safeguarding concern. No child of that age should even have the slightest inkling that IT exists
OP's DD now not only knows about it, but with enough detail for someone to assume she might've watched it. If she says anything to another child next week should that be raised as a safeguarding concern too?
TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 01/12/2020 20:53

@DowntonCrabby

I’m not saying YABU OP but my 7 year old would know those details about the film, despite never having seen it.
Mine would have at that age too. He could (and did) share the plot of a few horror films with his friends. The teacher called me in "for a chat". He hadn't seen any of them! I'm a total wimp so don't watch them. I have no idea how he knew so much about them tbh!
YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 01/12/2020 20:53

I saw the original at that age, it's still one of my favourite films. Would I let a 5 year old watch it, no freaking way.

Queenofthemadouse · 01/12/2020 20:55

Yea this happened to us too! A girl at my DC nursery is 4 and her mum took great delight in telling us how her DD favourite film character is penny wise and she likes to watch it on the iPad. I was just 😳.

She asked which school my DD will be attending next year. Answer: not the same one as your DD!

zeddybrek · 01/12/2020 20:56

This is awful, poor children. I couldn't watch it, I'm too scared as an adult. Definitely agree with others, report it to school. Makes you think if these parents are letting small children watch IT what other horrors are the kids enduring. Very sad.

Muddybuddy · 01/12/2020 20:57

Every child I know had had this same thing with this same film. Some kid claims to have seen it (likely they haven’t at all, older sibling, cousin etc) and it does the rounds of the class and school and everyone gets outraged about it. In all likelihood no one involved has seen the film.

Original poster
Readysetcake · 01/12/2020 20:59

I was a bit upset when I first wrote the post and think it highly unlikely the parents would let her watch it. Accept it is much more likely that it was a trailer seen while unsupervised or heard second hand from another child. I just told the teacher what the kid said and didn’t accuse the parent of letting her watch it. That’s up to the teacher to investigate.

I think I’m a bit naive as to what kids can come across online at this age as my DD is quite sheltered when I comes to the internet. She doesn’t even really know you tube exists and doesn’t play many games. I thought I still had a few years before they were at risk of seeing horrible shit online. It’s going to be a steep learning curve for me.

OP posts:
KnockThatVolumeDown · 01/12/2020 20:59

My son came home talking about penny wise. I've never seen the film but knew who he was talking about. Turns out one of his classmates (5) told him all about it. 😭

MrsArchchancellorRidcully · 01/12/2020 20:59

My DS knows that info about IT. His class is obsessed!! He's almost 9.
No idea where from. I suspect older sibling. It's a 15 so he's set himself a reminder on Alexa to watch it the night before his 15th birthday 😂😂

WannaBBetter · 01/12/2020 20:59

@Readysetcake IT at 5 and full blown porn at 10...report ASAP you can't not. This child is being exposed to neglect or worse.

heymammy · 01/12/2020 21:00

My youngest is 8 and could tell you all those details about the storyline of IT. He has never seen the film but I think a combination of being exposed to the chat of his teenage sisters and YouTube (and me forgetting that 8yr old ears are listening!).

As ds has much older siblings he has been exposed to subjects and language that my older two just weren't so it could have come from a sibling in this case too.

MrsArchchancellorRidcully · 01/12/2020 21:01

It's only a 15 btw and not scary. But then DS and I share the same taste in films it seems ( not that he's seen anything like that). Dd, 12, on the other hand won't even watch avengers endgame 🤦🏼‍♀️