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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

DD wanting to watch Harry Potter

26 replies

SageInspo · 15/03/2025 10:57

DD is almost 9 and wants to watch the Harry Potter movies.

Would you let your 9 year old watch Harry Potter? Would you let her watch up to a certain one and then stop?

On a side note - DD isn't particularly sensitive and I don't think she'd be scared/nightmares. I'm just concerned that the movies get darker and darker as they progress.

YABU - DD is too young and it's inappropriate
YANBU - It's fine to watch

OP posts:

KnickerlessFlannel · 15/03/2025 10:59

Absolutely fine, dd (5) has seen the first 3 as dd(10) is obsessed. Older dd had seen them all by her 9th birthday, although had read the books so nothing was particularly surprising - she knew it would turn out 'all right'

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 15/03/2025 11:00

Absolutely let her watch them, maybe start reading the books alongside as theres so much more going on in the books. Mine were indoctrinated from birth!
Bit of a HP house here, the cats are called Hermione and Sirius!

FloppySarnie · 15/03/2025 11:01

I’m amazed a 9 year old hasn’t seen the first one. The later ones are darker, as are the books, but not for a good few films.

JMKid · 15/03/2025 11:01

DC is 9, has watched all the Harry potter films. When he was younger I did skip certain bits but now he watches it fully.

PrincessBing · 15/03/2025 11:02

I'd started reading the books at that age. I don't see the problem with watching the films if you think she'll cope.

InALonelyWorld · 15/03/2025 11:03

Harry Potter is our pleasure in this house 😂 it's absolutely fine for children, and at 9 should be okay with all of them. Also, if she hasn't already, I would also encourage her to read the books at some point too as there is so much more to the story that the films miss out.

CaveMum · 15/03/2025 11:04

Totally fine. I insisted that they had to have read the books (either themselves or had them read to them) before they could watch the films. DD had read all the books herself by the age of 10 so has seen them all. DS (8) is currently reading Order of the Phoenix so has watched the first 4 films.

SemperIdem · 15/03/2025 11:05

They are, primarily, children’s films. You’re overthinking.

MyDeepPlayer · 15/03/2025 11:05

It's fine. Basically the fact that there are 8? Films means that at the end of each one the key characters have to still be alive! Let her watch the first one and take it from there.

LittleHangleton · 15/03/2025 11:06

The first 3 are fine.

But I'd read the books with her before watching thr movies. I did that with DD from about aged 7 - read a book, then watched the movie, them went to the next book.

I paused after Book 3 though. While the majority of GOF (book 4) is fine, but the ending section is very dark and frightening. I had planned on waiting longer to let her read the rest, but actually relented at aged 10 - she then read all the rest of the series within 6 months and wasn't too bothered. I had prepared her for the emotionally tough bits though.

She's now a massive Potter Head

potplant · 15/03/2025 11:07

we read the books before watching the films so they knew what to expect.

they were 10 when DH2 came out and I pre warned them about the snake scene at the beginning, as I had read that it was a bit gruesome.

Tiswa · 15/03/2025 11:08

Has she read the books? First 3 are absolutely fine 4 gets darker and 5 onwards are quite heavy (the books grew massively in size)

but yes first 3 no problem

Mamofboys5972 · 15/03/2025 11:09

I had my 10 year old niece for a sleepover and asked her mam if I could put one on for her or is she too young, to which she replied "too late she's seen them all" haha

Caroparo52 · 15/03/2025 11:10

My dd had read all the HP novels by age 10. Didn't give her nightmare

dontforgetme · 15/03/2025 11:12

We are a massive Harry Potter house! Both of my two have watched them all the way through 3 times, they are 10 and 7 now. We do a re watch every November through to December for family movie nights. As @ranoutofquinoaandprosecco said, mine were also indoctrinated from birth

FrumptyHumpty · 15/03/2025 11:13

I think it depends on your DD and her personality. When I was a child I wouldn't have been able to watch it. I would have been afraid of the dementors and Voldemort. However, my DC is 4 and watched all 7 of the HP films over Christmas. She did mention that the last two had scary music but she was fine and DC is a very different child to how I was and I think that's what's matters. You are best to know whether you think she can watch them or not yourself based on what she's like.

Apollo365 · 15/03/2025 11:17

The first three absolutely - although watch out for Lupin as that really frightened mine. I think it was just unexpected!
my 10 YO has watched the fourth and half of the fifth but then we stopped as it was too scary (for them)

SassiestPants · 15/03/2025 11:18

Oh she's at the perfect age for them! My son listened to the books on audible from around 7yrs, in stages as they got darker, and read the books prior to seeing the movies at about 9. Interestingly, I took him to HP studios when he was just gone 9 and we had the best time. He made a comment to me that he isn't expect Hagrid to look like he does... I was a bit perplexed until I remembered he hadn't watched the movies yet. We let him watch them all then and he was absolutely fine. Hope your dd enjoys!

Ddakji · 15/03/2025 11:19

Has she read them? I’m all for reading the book first.

knephew · 15/03/2025 11:19

We’d read and seen them all by about 7 - nothing wrong with them at all

Sickoffamilydrama · 15/03/2025 11:23

My DS 8 has watched them all, they learn about the WW1 and the trenches, plus horrible histories is aimed at their age group.

We are currently reading the books and it gives some great talking points, like how people can appear bad or even do grumpy behaviour and actually be good (Snape). How good people can also behave poorly (All the main characters do this).

How people behave around authoritarian regimes and the slow drip of them, that even people involved in them are often scared and reluctant to actually do the bad things (Malfoy).

Newbie5652 · 15/03/2025 11:29

My ds was 8 when we watched them all in the Christmas holidays one year with his older siblings. But I'm not sure he really understood the story past about the 3rd or 4th one. I mean he understood good guys fighting bad guys but so much of the story went over his head. So he wasn't traumatised, just a bit confused. He's 12 now and watched them again and understood and enjoyed much better.

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 15/03/2025 11:29

Mine watched the first one when they were 6, and was absolutely fine.. A few 5 to 7 year olds were there, and did scream a bit at a few of the scenes though. It depends on the child obviously, but a child of 9 should be fine.

ShadowTheHedgehog · 15/03/2025 11:30

My mom got me Philosophers Stone on VHS when I was 6, I loved it

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/03/2025 11:30

Still remember taking our then 6 year old daughter to the premier at our local cinema. Not a seat to be had. Great experience.
The first film is very tame.

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