Would you allow a 6 year old to watch IT?

[Emiliago]

Ok, hear me out...

My son arrived home from school yesterday and pretty much told me the ENTIRE plot of IT.

The Stephen King's clown horror film...

Whilst helping him into an awesome, but ridiculously awkward and not thought through swimming costume for his swimming lesson he whispered, rather sinisterly, "they all float down here".

He's still scared of the dark! But he told me a child in his class has seen the film and they were playing games in the playground themed around a 'killer clown'.

It got worse than that...

His age group is 5-6 years old.

Maybe it's just me, but are there any parents out there that think this is ok?
Am I being overprotective?

I'm into horror etc. But any parents letting such a young child see this are mad.
Both versions start with a child that age being violently killed (newest one is particularly graphic).

No way. DS started watching horror films last year at 15 but asked his dad to watch with him as his friends were all scared!! I can't watch horror films and I'm 53!!

Hell no. I love horror films and personally didn't find the new one scary but it is a 15 and is graphic in places especially for kids. I mean the whole premise is kids getting killed. I'd have a word with the school.

I could have written this post myself. I know it was just before Halloween but my daughters friend was playing killer clowns in the playground and there were references to the film IT. My dd decided she didn't like the game.

Mentioned it to the teacher the following week when talking about some other issues. From where they were stood it would have just looked as if they were running around so guessed they wouldn't have known what they were actually playing.

Same child also suggested drawing a picture of Elsa's head with blood round her neck. My dd didn't like that idea either.

They are both 6.

My cousin made me watch american werewolf in london and Marjories baby, at 5 and I am now 39 and I still cant sleep with any doors open a crack due to it. It really did scar me :(

I love horror films but this early watching did something to me that I have never recovered from

I'm into horror, huge SK fan but no way would I let my 10yr old watch it let alone a 6yr old!!!!!

Thank you everyone.

This time last year, I was having to talk him down from knowing the full plot of Childs Play; that was in reception class.

At the mention of both of these films, I've spoken with the teachers immediately.

You're right, whilst they're running around in the playground, it's hard to see they pretending to play with knives, stabbing one another because that's what the clown does, he kills children. At the end of this game, they have to whisper "you'll float too".

I've only seen the old version, and that was some time ago. My son explained too much to know it was just a trailer, as they play 'Georgie' in the playground. I've asked him to stop and speak to a teacher and he'd rather pretend to be Batman anyway.

Sometimes you mention it to parents and they don't seem to see the harm?

But personally I think allowing children (as in putting the DVD on for them) to see this is damaging!

Thank you everyone 👍🏻

I think 6 is a bit too young for it. Its a bit too scary and because of the part that reveals the relationship with the father and daughter, it should not be encouraged to be watched by children at all IMHO.

Was it a girl who said she saw it? My 6yo niece has seen it. My BIL and SIL don't have brains, just a single turd each with electrodes running through it and think it's somehow fine for her to watch IT she still doesn't sleep through the night. Can't imagine why.

No, it was a little boy in his class. I watched every trailer on YouTube (that was fun 👍🏻) in the hope that my son's friend may have just stumbled across one. But sadly the details my son has repeated means at some point this little boy has seen many parts of the film.
They still have difficulty at this age separating fact from fiction. I just don't understand how any parent would do this deliberately?

Ya know, aside from having turds where the synapses should be firing 👍🏻

My 8 year old had trouble sleeping a few weeks back, and it went on for days. Until he eventually said that when he was at his friend's house, they watched the trailer for IT and he was literally terrified. Couldn't put the images out of his head. Took us weeks to help him forget. I asked him where they watched the trailer, and he said they were on youtube. And the other boy's parents? One was out, the other was downstairs. No supervision and letting someone else's child watch whatever is not on. I'm not letting my boy go to theirs again.

Something have you let the parents know? Because they can't fix it if they're not aware. They shouldn't have been on YouTube unsupervised, but sometimes mistakes happen.

Omg no. I watched Psycho aged about 9 or 10 at school and i literally had to pull the shower curtain back at home before I went for a wee until I left home at 18.
But I have a scared of everything 6 year old!!

Yeah, my eight year old loved it!

Fuck, I'm glad you've seen sense. That movie ruined my childhood. I watched it at a friend's house when I was 7. I was scared of showers, drains etc for years and years. My DH asked me to take the bin out earlier tonight (usually his chore but he's poorly) and I was scared the whole time. My 33 year old brain still jumps straight to "killer clown" when it's dark.

@theonetruesarah I'm delighted your 8 year old loved it, maybe it's just my son being overly sensitive 🤔

I'm not judging other parents. I'm a realist when it comes to parenting. We all make mistakes and other parents claiming they don't and pushing their children are perfect is great an all, but I think we should be supporting one another instead of deliberately setting out to make other parents feel like failures. It's hard work and ultimately you're never going to get it right no matter how hard you try.

I spoke with my son's teacher as soon as he mentioned this. Just incase there were other sensitive children in his class.

Some of the children are probably tough as nails; my son isn't one of them. Having been in the year previously because of 'Chucky', his teacher said it best to bring the matter to them so they can monitor the situation and approach the parent in the event it was a 'trailer' or maybe the parents had some rare adult time and the child creeped downstairs when the film was on...children can be magically ninja-like at being quiet...sadly it's never when you want them to be 😄

But I have heard parents introducing horror films quite early on. So just wanted some other parents opinions.

Thank you everyone 🙌🏻

NoSquirrels I haven't, no. Mainly because I haven't seen them since. Maybe next time I see her I'll mention it in passing.

I thought it was bad all my 13 year olds friends had seen it!! 😮