To think that Chernobyl is not suitable telly for a 9 and 13 year old. At Christmas.

[WakingUp55643]

Dh has put it on to watch, but the kids were in front of the telly too. I haven't seen it myself but I don't think it's really very cheerful, horrifying in fact. Especially at Christmas. I've taken the youngest upstairs out of the way, dh thinks I'm making a fuss over nothing. Am I?

13 years is old enough for that. It's reality, it happened, still has an impact. A 13y old should be able to process it, less a 9y old.
Can't see where it has something to do with Christmas. Btw, DH is watching Falling Down now.

Ok for 13yo but probably not the 9yo.

I've seen it and it's not as awful as I thought it would be. It's more a drama about the politics of it which kids would probably find boring

Oh gosh no. Definitely not the 9 year old.
It’s really good but not for kids

I think they’d most likely be bored to death! It’s not very gripping for a child. I loved it though.

It's the most incredible tv series I've seen in a long time. But no, not child friendly at all.

What difference does it make if its at Christmas?

Those saying it’s ok for a 13 year old, have you seen it? The bits in the hospital?! I’d think older.

The whole thing is pretty traumatising.

I'm still traumatised by an animated movie about a nuclear accident that I saw as a kid. I'm pretty relaxed about movie content (witin reason) but really wouldn't show it to a 9 year old.

9yo no way at all.
A mature 13 yo, perhaps

It’s a heavy watch, but thought provoking. I’d be okay with my 14 year old watching it if she wanted to, but probably not much younger than that.

Sorry but “I haven’t seen it myself but I don’t think it’s very cheerful” really made me laugh!

@DoubleHelix79

I'm still traumatised by an animated movie about a nuclear accident that I saw as a kid. I'm pretty relaxed about movie content (witin reason) but really wouldn't show it to a 9 year old.

Was that When the Wind Blows? I remember watching that as a child and finding it haunting

I'd let my 13 year old watch it with me - so you can talk about some of the issues. But I agree a lot of it is about politics and the human interest angle so I'm not sure they would get it?

Maybe not the part where the firefighter dies in the hospital. That's really upsetting.

I agree with pp that they'll probably find it boring. It's an amazing show and I loved it but it's not "action packed". There's a lot of political discussion and boardroom stuff.

Good God no
Not even the 13 yr old in my opinion
With the people with their skin peeling off in the hospital.
No. Really no.

The DVD box set of it is 15s.
I think perhaps some 13 year olds may be old enough to see it but I guess it depends on the child.
I would say not so suitable for a 9 year old.

Thanks everyone. I just would hope we might have a few Christmas movies on rather than terrifying nuclear disasters, that's all. . . I remember seeing Threads when I was very young and I still can't get it out of my mind! I just think dh doesn't consider what they might want to watch or not want to watch. It's a relief from his usual Brexit though. Oh, and last Christmas day, he put on something about authors writing about death. Nearly forgot about that. . . .

Why does he get to choose what’s watched? Do a vote?

Freaked the fuck out of me and I'm 44 🤷‍♂️

I was about 10 when it happened and saw it all on the news. That was a lot scarier than anything in a dramatised version over 30 years later. I'd say the 9 year old would be bored of the drama before they'd get to be traumatised. My 9 year old loves history and had watched loads of documentaries on Chernobyl but even he would be bored by the dramatised version.

As someone who was a child in 1986 I'm eternally grateful for the secretive USSR behaviour that hid from us all how terrifying the situation was and only gave us the fake news version. That really would have been traumatic.

13 maybe but depends on the child really. Definitely not a 9 year old.

I am in no way a pearl clutcher but some of the things that the 9 year olds in the DCs class have watched makes me cringe - IT, Love Island, the Annabelle films. Entirely unsuitable for 9 year olds IMO.

When the Wind Blows was brilliant but absolutely heartbreaking and really upsetting to sensitive souls. A fairly typical 9 year old would not follow Chernobyl properly and also could be frightened but would more likely be bored and wander off.

I was surprised that my DCs primary school friends were watching Stranger Things - even as an adult I found the first series scary.

No there are some very graphic scenes

I'm not suggesting we all sit our 9 year olds down to watch horror films but I think it's worth mentioning that some people, children included, just don't find things on screen to be scary or realistic. I probably saw all sorts of things that I really shouldn't have when I was a child and I honestly never saw anything that scared me because I just don't have much imagination and find it hard to suspend belief and get into things. I know my 9 year old is the same. Whereas my much more sensitive teenager would be upset by things she saw on screen. I've rarely ever been moved to tears by a film or TV programme. Maybe three or four times in my entire life. Books on the other hand I can get very absorbed by and find them incredibly upsetting.