Nature programmes & sensitivity

[BabydollsMum]

Hi all,

DD is coming up to 19 months and one of her very favourite things is watching David Attenborough with Daddy. She asks for 'Daddy ammals'.

Whilst I think it's awfully cute to see them both together - and I'm glad of the educational side of things - she knows her pine martens from her weasels - I'm just wondering at what age she'll start to become upset (if at all) about all the bloody killing?! I don't like to watch them myself for this reason. At the moment she seems to be immune to it. Is there an age when they become more sensitive to these things? Is this just completely inappropriate viewing for her?

Maybe 8 or 9 years old?

Really? Oh OK, I've got a while yet before I REALLY need to worry!

As someone who grew up on a farm I say it's always fine and appropriate. We took my stepsons to my uncle's place and they fed the piglets we later purchased meat from. In a world of crazy sensitivity I wanted them to understand where meat comes from.

We have cats so they've had to deal with the fact that some animals hunt.

I've always found adults more squeamish. Kids tend to be quite bloodthirsty in my experience.

yes my boys have always enjoyed these things and its what happens in nature so i think its perfectly fine for them to learn about it.

obviously if your child gets upset then you will need to have a re-think but mine have all been fine.

i had the delight today of watching a prog about ants, it was suprisingly gory as it showed how they woudl attack much larger animals and bite them to death! anyway all the creepy crawlies made me itch, but my 13, 10, 7, 4 and 21mths old all watched it quite happily!

My DS will happily watch an animal chase and bring down another animal and kill it, but was watching Playschool the other day and announced "Playschool teddy bit sad" as Big Ted had tubes on his arms and was pretending to be a seal.

Kids are weird.