To let DS watch 'IT'

[Skrowten]

I really don't know what to do for the best. DS is 11. He is pretty mature. He has read a Stephen King book recently (short story collection) and has some certificate 16 video games, which I approved. He is begging and pleading to watch IT (the movie of the Stephen King book) and I am really torn. Any advice welcome!

Slight diversion, but which short story collection has he read? My similar age DS is always nagging to read Stephen King, but I remember the stories as being a mixed bag of some ok and some I wouldn't want him to read, so would be useful to know!

For context, I wouldn't let my DS watch It, and he likes horror and has seen other stuff (eg Quiet Place, Happy Death Day, Drag Me to Hell).

The old one is terrifying. I watched it when I was about 11/12 at a friend's sleepover and I had nightmares for weeks. I don't even generally find horror films scary but even seeing the ad for that still being freaks me out.

I hear the new one is pretty bad and therefore not as scary, but still I imagine it could be a bit much for a kid of his age.

You should definitely watch whichever one it is first!

I will never understand the rush for children to be allowed to watch or read things that are aimed at and written for adults.

In theory he is 7 years too young. What will the gain or benefit be for him to watch it now?

I wouldn't. I was 19 when I saw it (21 now!) and I was terrified. I couldn't sleep with the lights off, and constantly checked under my bed.
Wait until he's older

I may be on my own, but I don’t think a film about a clown that wants to eat children is suitable for children (and I class an 11 year old as firmly in the child category), let alone the sexual abuse aspects and the violence. I will admit that I haven’t seen the latest film, but that’s in part because the old film scared me and still does.

I like Stephen King and read many of his books as a teenager. But while some of them are suitable for younger teens, others are not, because of themes such as homophobia, sexual and domestic abuse, extreme violence, etc.

No chance in hell

It’s a 15 cert. He’s 11.

I think 11 is too young. 13/14 I’d be okay with if they weren’t easily scared.

My then 12 year old thought it was a bit lame. I'll let him watch it. A few jumpy bits but that's all.
The only thing is that it doesn't conclude very frustrating.

The only thing is that it doesn't conclude very frustrating.

That's because there's two parts to it though

Very difficult. Kids are impressionable, and the certificates are there for a reason. They say they enjoy it, and then they have nightmares.

I watched "The odd life of timothy green" last weekend (seen it before). I am pretty sure it would be a U, but I'm equally sure it would upset many 11 year olds. My son was upset by "Bridge to Terabithia" when he was older than 11.

Oh my god no way! I saw a clip from it on gogglebox last week and I'm traumatized by it!!

no he is too young

I definitely wouldn't let him watch it, I love Stephen King and horror in general but IT is a special kind of terrifying that stuck in my head for ages after watching it. At that age it would have given me horrendous nightmares.

IT is just a step too far in my eyes.

But I have got a huge phobia of clowns and cried when the trailer caught me off-guard; so probably not the best person to answer

Christ no. I saw the original at around that age and was terrified.

No way would I let my 10 year old watch IT, or read any Stephen King.

I did let my then 14 year old watch it. I would let her read the book, mostly because I don't think she would manage to read the whole thing though (she's dyslexic and would struggle, it's a huge book). I would prefer though if she was going to read a King book it was something along the lines of The girl who loved Tom Gordon.

I have read IT, haven't seen the film, but even by Kings standards it is shocking.

@NinjaInFluffyPJs it's pretty graphic. Detailing how big/small their penises felt inside her etc. A rather unpleasant read.

Say no. And explain why. And make it clear that this isn't something you'll be changing your mind about with begging and whining.

It's not just a question of whether it would upset him now or not, though that is an important questions.

It's also about what he becomes desensitised to. What else he'll want to watch. Whether he'll want to keep watching more and more horrific frames. 10 years old is VERY young and his mind is still being formed every day. It might turn out fine, but it might not, and I would not want to take the risk, especially since he's already playing 16+ video games and reading horror books.

I watched it at a sleepover when I was about 12ish. It’s the one movie that haunted me for years and years - I was afraid to go to the bathroom alone for ages!

I’m not saying not to let him but it really did scare the bejaysus out of me in a way none of the other horrors at the time did.

The only thing is that it doesn't conclude very frustrating.

Yeah, Chapter Two is out this September. The teaser trailer released looks creepy af.

Some people are ‘horror’ people and some people aren’t. Rightly or wrongly, my mother actively encouraged me to watch horror films with her when I was about the same age as your son. I loved those evenings and have very happy memories of them. Yes I felt ‘scared’ but not terrified, it was more excitement than anything else.

Has it scarred me psychologically for life? Has it hell, I love horrors and love being scared. Conversely for some reason my mum didn’t invite my sister to watch horrors with her, she has never seen one but she can’t even watch thrillers as an adult as they are too tense for her sensibilities

Absolutely not!!

My DD was on a sleepover around that age and the idiot parent let the kids watch it.

She was very traumatised by it. We had to take her to therapy.