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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sometimes wonder what my mum was thinking?

334 replies

AintNobodyHereButUsChickens · 15/01/2023 22:52

I was born in '91 to give you an idea of just how young I was.

She used to let me stay up and watch murder shows with her like Jonathan Creek and Midsomer Murders Confused I'd actually go into my primary school the next day and discuss the previous nights episode with the dinner lady who also watched MM! I have an 11yr old and I wouldn't dream of letting her watch either of those shows! She'd also record stuff like South Park and Stressed Eric etc (she watched them herself so she knew full well what they were like!) so we could watch them in the mornings.

There is a particular episode of JC that gave me nightmares for years, I man had (I think) been trapped in a cellar which flooded and he drowned. I still remember the moment they opened the door and he was at the top of the stairs with his arm outstretched, and he was all yellow and waxy looking 🤢

It's only recently that I've begun to wonder what on earth she was thinking! I'm not sure if there's even any point asking her because she'd probably get all defensive and tell me I was attacking her parenting 🙄

OP posts:
MajorCarolDanvers · 21/01/2023 18:55

I was a child of the 80s so I got to watch programmes full of sexism, racism and homophobia.

MajorCarolDanvers · 21/01/2023 18:57

soraya · 21/01/2023 18:53

very simple. if they were before the 9pm watershed (which both of those were) then they are suitable for children. If after, then not.

Yes absolutely this

Newmum0322 · 21/01/2023 19:01

They don’t sound that bad if I’m honest. I remember being 8 YO and my mum letting me watch Halloween, IT and nightmare on elm street 😂😂😂

They didn’t scare me to be then to be fair to my mum, I loved them! I couldn’t watch them now though 😅

Pupinski · 21/01/2023 19:09

What difference would the answer make? It was her parenting style. It isn't yours, but there was no malice or ill-intent behind it. No point in trying to make your mum feel guilty. Just move on and parent your own child in your own way.

Bugbabe1970 · 21/01/2023 19:16

Nothing like watching Hammer House of Horror,
Tales of the Unexpected and Dr Who as a child in the 70s to scare you shitless
Not to mention the public I formation films!
You're fine OP!

GeorgianaMedowes · 21/01/2023 19:44

This is a brilliant question, because only today I had an episode of midsomer murders on when my three and a half year old wandered in from playing with her dad and asked what I was watching. Someone had just been koshed on the back of the head and I found myself thinking it was lucky she missed it, and that it wasn’t like when she was a tiny baby and I could watch what I want without worrying. Now she’s old enough to see what’s going on and ask questions. I reckon MM is probably a 12 rating, so vowed not to have it on again when she’s around until senior school!

As an aside, my mum was what I considered at the time super strict and I don’t think I saw an episode of South Park until I was 15. All my friends were watching it at 10! Wasn’t allowed to watch Grange Hill until I was 13

Zanatdy · 21/01/2023 19:45

I was born in 1976 and was definitely watching nightmare on elm street when I was in primary. It was a different time then I tell myself!

cavendishcute · 21/01/2023 20:07

My Grandma used to walk my sister and me to town on a Saturday and she used to point out different houses and tell us different stories. One house there were two sisters and one woke up one morning to find her sister with her head in the oven. I remember being confused and fascinated. Another story of how one women walked down a certain lane and stood on the tracks with her arms crossed in front of her. I was no more than 10 and my sister 8. She taught us how to bet on the horses, play twist for money, read teas leaves. The story that most freaked me out was across a deserted park a tree that moved on its own. She pointed out the tree, I don’t know, the way she told it, spooked me.

cavendishcute · 21/01/2023 20:10

Bugbabe1970 · 21/01/2023 19:16

Nothing like watching Hammer House of Horror,
Tales of the Unexpected and Dr Who as a child in the 70s to scare you shitless
Not to mention the public I formation films!
You're fine OP!

Takes of the unexpected, I used to love that! I’m sure it was on a Sunday night

LovelyIssues · 21/01/2023 20:11

I'm the same age as you OP and watched all these things, as did my friends. Never crossed my mind they were inappropriate tbh.

JustAnotherManicMomday · 21/01/2023 20:15

I think you should get a grip. I was born in 88. My parents used to let us stay up to watch the x-files. If you think JC was scary try watching a man shape shift, squeeze his way out of a prison scell door flap and else through the escalator steps. That gave me nightmares for weeks. After that I spent Friday nights watching it with a cushion just incase it was needed. Kids these days are far too soft. I say that as the patent to a 16 year old with a lot of growing up still to do.

TheFrozenCanal · 21/01/2023 20:47

I remember watching JC as a 12 year old with my mum and
No1 dancing around the room to the saint saens theme tune
And no2 hearing JC say "sorry?" For pardon? and thinking it was so sophisticated I decided to switch to using it 🤣

Toadinthroat · 21/01/2023 21:04

Being allowed to watch 999 in primary school gave me crippling fear of fire and possibly OCD even now. Still sort of mad about it.

ellyeth · 21/01/2023 21:09

I'm of a different generation. I started watching Quatermass and the Pit but got so scared that my parents stopped me watching it. The next day I'd ask my friend, who was less of a wimp, what had happened. I managed to watch A for Andromeda through my fingers but that scared me to. These were both sci fi series.

In those days - the late 50s/early 60s, I don't recall there being particularly gruesome dramas or films being shown. I think some of the films these days are really unpleasant but it seems quite common for children to watch them. I think Midsomer Murders is pretty tame though.

piliomachaon · 21/01/2023 21:11

Yea. Crazy. What was she thinking.

RoseHanBolo · 21/01/2023 21:12

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Winecrispschocolatecats · 21/01/2023 22:25

My dad let me watch Zombie Flesheaters, The Hills Have Eyes and The Texan Chainsaw Massacre at that age. Didn't bother me at all, but certain episodes of Doctor Who gave me nightmares - it's hard to tell what will hit a nerve.

T1Dmama · 21/01/2023 22:31

Parents will NEVER do right by their kids. We weren’t allowed to watch anything with any violence or swearing in…. Not even Ace Ventura was deemed suitable…
I’m always being told we lead too sheltered lives ..
what would be the point now in saying something? Other than to be spiteful!

Darlingx · 22/01/2023 08:00

elfd · 15/01/2023 23:28
I was born in 1981 and used to stay up to watch prisoner cell block H, full of grown up topics that must of gone straight over my head, sometimes it didn't finish until 1am onwards. I remember falling asleep and my Dad carrying me up the stairs. I also remember staying up to watch I think it was called great expectations, I loved the music and video at the beginning. A silhouette of a black female figure dancing possibly in a flame. Also remember the equaliser. Some evenings we would go to the local social club for a game of bingo, I used to take my homework for in between games, that went on until 11pm. I was never late for school. In those days people smoked indoors and I remember the social clubs being Smokey places, I must of stunk of smoke afterwards

The lady dancing through flames was Tales of the unexpected I think not Great Expectations but I remember one about a fox with rabies that worried me and I have been watching some again love the retro glamour . When I grew up everyone smoked and at one point everyone in the family smoked and my student job was all secondhand smoke when u went clubbing you came back with your hair and clothes reeking of smoky fags . I think it covered up a lot of grim hygiene in pubs and clubs as well 🤢 so I think the only toxin is Tech but it has good points children don’t have to watch rain falling against the window as in rain stops play

Stewball01 · 22/01/2023 08:17

I was born in 44. My sister and I were only allowed to watch suitable for children. If it was stated before a programme started that it was not suitable we were sent out of the room. Maybe that's why I'm scared of horror films. 🤔

Darlingx · 22/01/2023 08:18

I feel sad that when I grew up I had the brillant writing of Carla lane and I had Jill Gasgoine in the Gentle touch it was uk television in its heyday . Early 80s I think.

opencheese · 22/01/2023 08:25

Eleven is fine

NellePorter · 22/01/2023 08:57

Lots of primary school children watch programmes like Stranger Things and Friends, which have horror/language/sex content. I don't let me DC10 watch those, but they love Father Brown, full of murder!

Snaketime · 22/01/2023 10:56

I grew up on Jonathan Creek, Midsommer murders, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Diagnosis Murder, A Touch of Frosy etc. I loved (and still love) all of them. I used to watch them with my mum and dad. I also loved South Park and my mum bought me bigger longer uncut for my birthday one year, I listened to Eminem and watched Scary Movie and I am only 2 years older than you.

Imthegingerbreadwoman · 22/01/2023 12:09

That's nothing. My mum had me watching horror 18 films at 11!

I watched all the old classics, nightmare on elm Street, the exorcist and then all the new ones as they came out too... texts chainsaw massacre when I was 10/11.

The ring when I was 10. And there was one that made me feel sick! It began with an s. Can't remember the name but there's been sequels. People would pay to kill strangers who had been taken. I thought i might throw up.

I.was roughly the same age
It got to the point I was quite desensitised by the age of 14.

I stopped watching when I was 15 and she couldn't make me any more. Can't watch them now though!