8, almost 9-year-old watching Call the Midwife

[Jourdain11]

Just went into the living room wondering what DD2 (8) was watching and found her glued to a birth scene in Call the Midwife! My immediate reaction was that it's too adult for her to watch and I said, watch something else or do something else. She has taken the huff ("You turned it off right in the middle of the breexh baby being born, mum!") because apparently daddy said it was fine and it's just nuns and people having babies, it's not like it's about SEX or anything.

It's easier with films - at least they have guidance! It's too long since I watched any of it but I remember the themes being quite hard-hitting. But I'm also not sure that it's actually on after the watershed? I'm quite certain that daddy hasn't watched any of it at all!

IABU - let her watch it, it's fine for a kid of her age (she's 9 in 2 weeks and going into Y5).

YANBU - it's not appropriate for her to watch it.

My dd loved it at that age. It's really historically accurate and very pro women and community. I think it's great.

Stillborn babies, the thalidomide babies, inc the one just left on the side to die. Huntington's. Some very sad stories even aside from the obviously abusive situations.

I wouldn't.

I don't see the issue.

It's a tricky one - because I do think it's probably generally fine, but there are definitely a few episodes I wouldn't really want her to watch. That Huntingdon's episode for example, that's pretty dismal.

YABU, by your own admission she is too clued up for it to go over her head so it may be high time to not put off conversations on the less savoury aspects of human life we wish didnt exist! CTMW is in my opinion actually a really good way of introducing these topics and starting conversations, its pre watershed and overall treats the topics with a softness that you won't get in many other programs (that your DD more than likely will be watching very soon!)

I think it is a brilliant show. Okay it could do with a few more female docs, but it shows lots of good female centred narratives and women in a work environment doing some fantastic stuff. Great viewing for everybody, but particularly girls IMO. At her age, she should be capable of seeing a birth scene without being traumatised.

I'm actually not at all worried about her being traumatised by a birth scene - more about some of the hard-hitting social stuff, whether it's appropriate for that age group. It's a while since I watched any of it myself. She's watched episode 1 and about three-quarters of episode 2. I told her she can carry on watching and she can come to me and ask if there's anything she doesn't understand.

"Actually, I have quite a lot of questions already, but I'll wait till you aren't working so that you can answer them properly" she tells me kindly.

Aaahhh she sounds as bright as a button.

My ds used to watch it at that age.

He didn't take in some of the more complicated themes, but was very interested in the birth scenes. Later he said he saw a cow having a calf and she made a lot of noise too 😀

To be fair, she's read most Jacqueline Wilson books (including the weird ones) and there's a fair amount of DV, casual sexism, social probs etc in those!

It's a good one to watch also explores dangerous themes safely

I'd say watch it together. As others has said, its not all babies and happy endings.

The original series based in books were 15 yr old working as a prostitute, illegal abortion and a graphic sex scene of men lining up to have sex with same woman in a bar. As series went on it got more heartbeat like but still issues. I personally think 9 too young.

There’s also a fairly graphic abortion on a kitchen table where mum of 8 sells her green curtains to pay the abortionist (one of the nuns buys the curtains to make costumes for the cubs play) in tv show she lives after haemorrhage in book she dies.

I think it’s a great programme and is suitable for a 9 year old. As long as you make time to answer any questions she has as honestly as you can.

I started my periods at 10. My DD at 9. Your DD will be starting her transition to adulthood soon - far better to do this with lots of trusted information so she can develop her own standards and values and make better decisions about her own life.

Very important they start to understand the world as it is and be able to talk through anything they find confusing or frightening.

I think when it was on live it was on after 9pm.

I would take your DDs interest and pre-watch some One born every minute episodes and then watch those with her. Theres nothing wrong with the biology of giving birth just some of the surrounding themes in CTM aren't appropriate.
For those who have watched it with younger children its quite different as children get older and their understanding increases. As children move from thinking things are fantasy to realizing they happen in real life.

There are some fantastic youtube videos of different animals giving birth too which she might like.

If she likes human biology there is also a youtube channel (cant for the life of me remember its name) at a mortuary/research centre in America where they show you different parts of the human body, ie how long your intestines are and what happens when you tattoo skin. Also Body Works in London is well worth the trip if she isnt squeamish, my DD did their junior Dr.s tour at a similar age. Glasgow Science centre is also great for things like that DD took part in a lung dissection whilst she was there.

Also, my DD found dissecting a heart really interesting, just get some sheeps hearts from Tesco, a pair of sharpish scissors and a plastic tray and print off a diagram of the heart, when she cuts into it shell be able to see the different chambers and the main blood vessels.

Some of it will go over her head.
My niece used to watch Casualty/Holby City at that age. She's training to be a paramedic now.

It’s more the social stuff I’d be concerned about not the birth scenes. I think she’s too young and I’m usually in lenient side but if you are letting her I’d be right there to discuss. There’s lots of topics that could be confusing to a child - incest, being arrested for homosexuality, forced adoption, racism.

She sounds mature for her age and clearly has an interest, whilst some scenes may be mature for her if you’re open to explaining I can’t see the harm. I was the same as a child, reading books well above my age because k was a bit more advanced than other my age, has I had Call the midwife then I would’ve watched it. These days I think eastenders can be a bit more adult than this

The brother and sister had been brought up separately in a workhouse. When they found each other again they wouldn't be parted. I read the book and watched the series. On the TV all you saw was a glimpse of a double bed and a midwife's raised eyebrow- no sexual details. It was a very sad story and the only abuse was what had happened to their widowed mother who worked herself to death (no welfare benefits then) and the cruelty of the workhouse. I wouldn't have a problem with my child (or grandchild) knowing about that.

All the episodes are explained on Wikipedia. If you’ve seen it it will probably jog your memory and can avoid any you don’t feel suitable and/or be ready to explain.
I loved Helen Forester twopence to cross Mersey books when I was a little older than her so can understand where she’s coming from.

Some episodes are fine, but others you might want to avoid until she's older - the suggestion of checking the storylines on Wikipedia is a good one. I would say she needs to watch with you, not on her own, so that she can talk to you about any more distressing issues. I also found with my DD it was often helpful for me to be able to explain bits of context, or how things have changed now. The fact that she already has questions suggests that she'd really appreciate having you there. (It can also be quite a nice bit of mum-daughter bonding.)

Point her dad at some of the storylines on Wikipedia, and suggest that he checks things out before agreeing another time!

I love Call the Midwife and have watched every episode 2-3 times over. However, many episodes are not suitable for children (or at least younger children under around 12/13). There's nothing wrong with children seeing scenes of childbirth, providing that they are comfortable with it. However, I think that age 8/9 is definitely too young to see graphic scenes of abortion, prostitution, child abuse, domestic violence and the birth of severely malformed babies (thalidomide).

I've decided I'll let her watch it, but I'll try to watch with her whenever possible. I'm also going to check the storyline of the episodes. I actually wouldn't mind her seeing the Baby Susan storyline because I think it's very positive and the mum (Rhoda?) is so lovely, but I'm not keen about some of the prostitution / illegal abortion ones.

So far she's asked what was wrong with the woman who had antibiotic injections and lost the baby (I think it was syphilis??) and why did the doctor say really rudely, "Get me an ashtray, nurse" when he could have just gone and got one for himself? She thinks Jenny Lee is stuck-up but she likes the nuns, Fred and Cynthia "because she is kind".

I have watched it with my daughters of similar age - and re watched it with them now a few years later. Don't think I would like them to watch it by themselves but when watching it together it stimulates discussion and understanding.