Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be ever so slightly bemused that 4 yo DD was taught about ghosts in relation to the film Pirates of the Caribbean at school today?

55 replies

fettle · 03/09/2008 19:40

She was happily telling me all about her 2nd day at big school and her music class where they had listened to music. Some of it had scared her when the pirates were chasing Elizabeth, but when they had caught her, she liked the music.

I was amazed she remembered all the details to be honest! And she did seem to have enjoyed it, but then later just before bedtime she said that she felt scared thinking about the music and the ghosts! - have to admit that I was a bit scared by the film when I watched it and she gets scared by the baddies in Brum, so it doesn't take much! But still I feel that perhaps Reception is a bit young....

OP posts:
tiredemma · 03/09/2008 19:41

isnt it a 12 rating? Im surprised that they didnt ask if they could show it- its very scary in parts

Original poster
fettle · 03/09/2008 19:43

I'm not sure that they actually watched it from what she was saying - just listened to the soundtrack and discussed the story.

OP posts:
savoycabbage · 03/09/2008 19:44

I would be outraged rather than bemused! But then again my dd, who is starting school in a couple of weeks, is scared of Swiper the fox!

savoycabbage · 03/09/2008 19:46

It is a 12 amazon so watching it or listening to the soundtrack - it is an odd thing to pick. There are plenty of films with wonderful music.

Original poster
fettle · 03/09/2008 19:47

Have to say I was pretty cross at first, but now I'm wondering if I'm just being an overprotective mother and maybe I wrap her in cotton wool too much? But 2 responses in, perhaps I'm right to be a bit annoyed! Just hope she doesn't have nightmares about it!

OP posts:
savoycabbage · 04/09/2008 20:15

It's such a strange choice! Especially when she has just started.

christywhisty · 04/09/2008 20:21

If it's only listening to the music then I don't see the problem.

kitsmummy · 04/09/2008 20:30

But lots of books for 4 year olds have ghosts and monsters in so I don't really think you've got a strong basis to be pissed off with them playing a soundtrack.

Flamesparrow · 04/09/2008 20:32

they played some music and presumably talked about how it had a scary atmospheric effect. How is that bad???

LynetteScavo · 04/09/2008 20:34

Soundtracks can be very scary for some children.

But school isn't set up for "some children" is it.

The trouble is, if yhou bring it up you will just look like you are molly codling your precious child.

I hope your DD is OK fettle

ethanchristopher · 05/09/2008 09:26

YANBU

but i would sugegst next time they pick a more appropriate film

Jux · 05/09/2008 09:56

I wouldn't let dd see it until she was 8 and then I had plenty of misgivings - everyone else in her class had seen it by then. She found it funny rather than frightening and didn't have nightmares. I wouldn't have shown it kids in reception, I think that's irresponsible.

tortoiseshell · 05/09/2008 10:02

I consider myself something of an expert in this - ds1 is OBSSESSED with PotC. All 3 of them have seen the first film (including ds2 who is 2 ). THe music is FAB.

I can see what they might have been doing - the music is extremely good at creating an atmosphere - I wonder if they might have been doing some music and movement maybe - something along the lines of;

'We're all swordfighting - everyone sword fight while the music is playing'

'Now we're chasing Elizabeth - everyone run round chasing Elizabeth'

'This is the scary ghost bit - everyone be a scary ghost'...

Or they could have been spotting what the mood of the music was, though I'd be surprised if they were doing this first week in reception!

DS1 incidentally is absolutely fine with PotC - he is 7 - but still scared of NUmberjacks, so it isn't totally predictable what they find scary!

There was an issue at ds1's school when he was in Y1 where they showed clips of Harry Potter in assembly to illustrate stickers, and I know ds1 and one or two others were quite scared of the basilisk - but I think that was the last clip they showed - don't know if they had complaints, but I think they were aiming it at the KS2 children and sort of forgot that the 4 and 5 year olds might be scared.

tortoiseshell · 05/09/2008 10:05

Meant to add - I'm sure they won't have shown them the film!

We have the soundtrack in the car, and even ds2 who can't really talk yet can put the relevant words and sound effects into the music. There's one bit on the CD where the 'ghost' music comes back after Jack has defeated Barbossa, and they all go 'Huuuuh? Huuuuh? I thought the baddies were dead'.

Does my head in after a few hours actually! It's because the music is a 'suite' rather than just coming off the film, but to my kids it's obviously very evocative of the action, so it makes no sense to have that bit of music there.... (ponders freaky children)

DaphneMoon · 05/09/2008 10:09

Far too young for reception children to be discussing ghosts. My DS is 8 and would have nightmares if he had done this in class. He has not watched POTC and I will not let him watch it until he is 12 if he wants to.

tortoiseshell · 05/09/2008 10:26

They might not have 'discussed' them, but just used the word ghost iyswim! As in my above post - I can imagine a teacher saying 'let's all pretend to be spooky ghosts here'. And an imaginative child might find them scary.

My children have BOTH had nightmares about wild animals - ds1 at age 3 couldn't leave the house for 2 days because he had dreamt about lions. And was HYSTERICAL if I opened the front door - shaking, screaming, crying. Dd at age 4 wouldn't go to bed on her own because she was frightened of the 'bad animals' - ie wolves. Ds1 has to leave the room if the Puzzler comes on tv. But none of those things are things they are too young for, and I think most children are fine with a 'mention' of ghosts. Not in detail, but 'I'm a ghost, WOOOOO' is what they all do ime!

rebelmum1 · 05/09/2008 10:30

That's crap, how many wonderful songs and musicals out there and they choose the Pirates of the Caribbean!! I think it's appalling to be honest.

rebelmum1 · 05/09/2008 10:31

I beg to question what the objective of the lesson was.

rebelmum1 · 05/09/2008 10:32

Complain!!

Oblomov · 05/09/2008 10:43

I do not think it is reasonable to complain.

TheDuchessOfNork · 05/09/2008 10:45

Do none of your DCs dress up for Hallowe'en or watch Scooby-Doo? Warning: Plenty of schools have Hallowe'en Parties for KS1 to raise funds/run about screaming/eat aspartame.

I actually think the PotC music is a good choice for this age to listen to because it's so over-dramatic it's easy to 'read'. Saint-Saens would be far too subtle.

rebelmum1 · 05/09/2008 10:48

I would complain because there is no obvious point to the lesson, the material is questionable and the child was frightened. I don't think the child learnt anything of value from the experience, quite the contrary.

rebelmum1 · 05/09/2008 10:49

Of all the beautiful music in the world and you use POC ??!!!

DaphneMoon · 05/09/2008 10:54

I'm with you Rebelmum, there are some fantastic pieces of music out there. It seems really odd to me to choose POTC. Perhaps the teacher thought he/she was being terribly hip choosing this one!

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 05/09/2008 10:55

tortoiseshell my dd (5) has the dvd. i cant see a problem with listening to the music, but would be very annoyed if they had let her watch it.

my dd is in reception and i let her watch it at home after i have watched it and decided that it was suitable for my child. i would never let a friends child watch it without discussing it with the friend first.

i know my childs tolerance level to scary films i dont expect others to know that so i expect them to check with me which films are suitable if they are unsure.

i wouldnt bother complaining about the music but maybe ask the teachers what they did to establish whether or not they actually did see the film. though im sure given that it is a 12 they did not.

Swipe left for the next trending thread