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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to let my 5 year old watch home alone?

31 replies

mmmmkakshch · 05/12/2025 20:07

So my ex husband who has zero input in anything to do with his daughter decided to pay us a visit. This is the first time hes seen her in almost 7 weeks

My 5 year is obsessed with home alone. Like obsessed. Weve probably watched it every day since the end of october.
Anyway he decided to offer me some parenting advice and told me how unsuitable it is and how much she shouldn't be watching it.
So I just wondered what other people thought?

OP posts:
Original poster
mmmmkakshch · 05/12/2025 20:08

Sorry edited. Its been 7 weeks since he saw her roughly. Not months

OP posts:
FunMustard · 05/12/2025 20:08

YANBU.

I suggest you have a stock phrase to answer with when he starts with that bollocks. I've found "thanks for the feedback, I'll take it under advisement" to be quite good.

And then ignore him. What a tool.

Zanatdy · 05/12/2025 20:09

It’s fine in my opinion.

Beedeeoh · 05/12/2025 20:09

I took mine to a showing at the cinema when she was 4, she absolutely loved it. I think it's fine.

AhBiscuits · 05/12/2025 20:12

I think it's fine. My children found it a bit scary at that age though.

ItsameLuigi · 05/12/2025 20:22

My 6yo was gonna watch this in class today(she's year 2). The class voted a diff movie, but I can't see how it would be not okay for a 5 year old! My kids have both been watching nightmare before Christmas and Coraline etc since they were babies though.

biteysaurus · 05/12/2025 20:24

DD watched it aged 5 and absolutely loved it. We’re watching Home Alone 2 this weekend. You know your child, and you can gauge how they might react to particular themes etc in films. Ignore him and enjoy yourself.

CraftyPlayer · 05/12/2025 20:25

Mine both watched it from a young age, I remember my daughter used to call it “Funny Burglars” because she couldn’t remember the title.

DarkSunrise · 05/12/2025 20:26

Of course it’s fine.

mynameiscalypso · 05/12/2025 20:26

DS is 6 and he and all his friends watched it last year (and loved it). We even had to sit through Home Alone 3 and 4. Home Alone 4 is probably the worst movie I have ever seen in my life.

nayals · 05/12/2025 20:27

It’s a film for children. It’s fine. He’s being a dick.
Kids love slapstick comedy like that.

somanychristmaslights · 05/12/2025 20:28

My DS8 has loved it for about 4 years!!!

thistimelastweek · 05/12/2025 20:29

Know your own child.
And watch with them.

pizzaHeart · 05/12/2025 20:30

I think it’s ok for 5 y.o especially if you are watching together. It might be a bit long for some 5 y.o.
You need a general strategy for advices though. I would stick to politeness in case you might need to offer him an advice in the future.

Moveoverdarlin · 05/12/2025 20:30

When I watched it with my 7 year old he was quite scared. The thing that threw him, and it was a scene I had forgotten was when the shorter burglar visits the house dressed as a cop right at the start of the movie warning the McCallisters to be vigilant over the holidays.

He kept saying ‘But I thought the Police were honest, do the Police rob houses? Do they scare little boys?

In hindsight I should have left it a year or two.

Original poster
mmmmkakshch · 05/12/2025 20:30

Honestly he reacted like i was letting her watch the most disturbing horror films. She loves it. It was actually on at schools breakfast club the other day.

I mean i try really hard to be civil but all I wanted to say was 'well at least we will be protected from any burglars'. I didnt. I gave a non committal shrug. She loves it. Home alone 1 and home alone 2.

OP posts:
SunnySideDeepDown · 05/12/2025 20:34

My 4yr old loves it. Just nod and let your kids watch what you deem appropriate.

comoatoupeira · 05/12/2025 20:38

Mine would be scared, I’m waiting a couple of years

BellaBal · 05/12/2025 20:39

I would just reply to all his shitty messages with a cryptic film quote

for example

” The world is not what it ought to be. But my world is what it is." — Scar, The Lion King

SnugglyJumpersMakeItBetter · 05/12/2025 20:39

I absolutely wouldn't because I know it would have upset me at that age - all that with the blow torch and the iron to the face etc. I think 8+ as they're better able to distinguish fantasy from reality by then.

FunMustard · 05/12/2025 20:41

My sister has just watched it (and 2, 3 and 4!) with her 4 year old. He loved them.

Maybe you could just give him a pitying look and tell him "it's a shame you don't know your own daughter well enough..." Grin

FunMustard · 05/12/2025 20:41

SnugglyJumpersMakeItBetter · 05/12/2025 20:39

I absolutely wouldn't because I know it would have upset me at that age - all that with the blow torch and the iron to the face etc. I think 8+ as they're better able to distinguish fantasy from reality by then.

Well OP knows her own child better than you do.

SnugglyJumpersMakeItBetter · 05/12/2025 20:44

FunMustard · 05/12/2025 20:41

Well OP knows her own child better than you do.

Show quote history

Obviously. She was asking for opinions, and mine is that Home Alone is not suitable for 5 year olds. But she's free to make the decision for herself!

superchick · 05/12/2025 20:44

Mine both watched it at around that age and its still a favourite. My DD was incredibly scared of almost all films when she was young, particularly the ones that had a lot of emotional trauma. She's 14 and still won't sit through a Disney film, has never watched frozen or little mermaid etc. However she loved the slapstick humour of Home Alone and I see it in the same vein as Tom and Jerry.

NorthenAdventure · 05/12/2025 20:58

No way are my kids watching Home Alone until they're older. But each to their own.