What childhood favourite did not go to plan when you shared it with DC?

[ImImmortalNowBabyDoll]

DD6 is quite strong in her understanding of books and stories and I've been reading my own childhood favourites to her for a few years now- Narnia, Five Children and It, The Borrowers etc. She's not particularly sensitive and not prone to get upset by stories usually.

About a week ago I pulled A Little Princess off the shelf and thought that the language is quite complex but I think she'll like the story.

Anyway, we got to the chapter where Sara's Dad dies and she's removed from her own birthday party, stripped of all her possessions and sent to live in the attic as a servant and she was absolutely devastated. First off furious, ranting about Miss Minchin, and then in floods of tears. She said she hates the book so I asked if she wanted to stop and pick something else but now she needs to know what happens next, so she's furious with me too. 😳

Oops.

I mean, that book is horrifying. It's quite a leap from a bit of Enid Blyton.

I guess it is, maybe I read it so many times I got desensitised to it! I haven't felt this bad since I Iet her watch The Lion King when she was sick from nursery 3 years ago. Didn't bat an eyelid when they killed Aslan though!

Dd was 11 and loves history and was doing about ww2. We're both big book worms and I told her about Anne Frank's diary and how I'd enjoyed reading it at her age. She said her teacher recommended that. So I fetch my copy she starts reading it, she got upset half way but insisted on finishing it because she needed to know the ending and told me never to recommend a book again (i do and she reads them). She's nearly 18 doing history alevel and still reminds me of how I upset her and she can't reread it.

Oh God, at least I know Sara does get a happy ending, unlike poor Anne. And I can tell her it's just a story, not real.

I tried to watch the 80s classic film "Gremlins" with my DC over Christmas, expecting they'd be as entertained by it as I used to be. They were so furious at the lack of concern Billy showed when Gizmo was distressed at getting wet that they refused to watch any further, and still remind me of how I traumatised them by making them watch it. Oops.

My kids hated The Box of Delights when I tried to watch it with them, they thought it was creepy. Not helped by DH agreeing with them.

Well you’re doing better than me as neither of my DC tolerated any of the books you’ve mentioned. They were all boring. So they’re now back in the box in the loft awaiting the birth of the grandchildren… it might be a long time wait as the DC are 16 & 13 at the moment!
I also somehow created monsters who don’t like cake or hot chocolate.

Well done for your daughter getting into Narnia! My 7 yr old refused as soon as we got to the white witch and what happened to Mr Tumnus! We’re going through the BFG together with lots of reassurance Sophie doesn’t get eaten. A complete fail was the Secret Garden (parents dying right at the start) and Gobbolino the witch’s cat (rejected kitten!)

Oldest DC hated Narnia books. But DS loved them and devoured the lot during lockdown. Turns out DC just doesn't like fantasy at all.

Not a book but I showed DD my favourite TV series as a child, Sapphire and Steel. Never seen her so horrified! I must say, I didn't remember it being so scary!

She's usually takes an almost clinically detached interest in the story, asking lots of questions but rarely emotionally invested. There's this book about a tadpole and a caterpillar who are best friends and then they grow up and the frog eats the butterfly, not knowing it's his best friend. I read it to her when she was 2. It took her a beat to join the dots and then she laughed hysterically and wanted it every night for a week. Truth be told, I was slightly concerned she had a bit of an empathy problem until this book!

My stepdaughter was the exact same. Hated anything "old-fashioned". It was all Diary of a Wimpy Kid and David Walliams.

Just stick the film on for her

I told my daughter what happened in the end as she started getting quite attached to Anne while reading the book!

Also a gremlins one put it on for my daughter when she was about 8 now 17 thinking I loved it she was terrified.had a pet degu at the time for about a week she kept saying dont get her wet or feed her after midnight

I had romantic visions of watching Labyrinth with my (then) 7year old.
He sat uncomfortably for about 15 minutes, said the owl was rubbish and then got really upset about the baby being really scared of the goblins. In fairness when you watch it again without the nostalgic eyes, that poor little Toby is genuinely terrified.

@Legopotamus my 7 and 3 year old both absolutely love Labrynth luckily, and hocus pocus. However they think Mary poppins is so beyond boring (understandable for my 3 year old as they’re little bit I was hoping my 7 year old would love it like I did as a kid!)

I loved Brambly Hedge when I was little. I loved it so much, the beautiful illustrations of their little homes in the tree and hedgerows. Couldn't wait to read it with my DC. Neither of them are remotely interested! 😭

Little House on the Prairie- my daughter said the were always either building things or cooking food! Gutted as I loved them as a child. Also Ballet Shoes.

Famous Five, I loved them as a child, I tried reading the 1st one to my kids, it was so boring.
Camberwick Green, again it was great when I was a child, my kids hated it, too slow, no action.

Mine was having none of Famous Five, Secret Seven, Faraway Tree etc. She did love the Naughtiest Girl in the School though. I was disappointed she didn't want to watch Top Gun with me 😁

What about the scene when the girlfriend tells the story about her dad breaking his neck coming down the chimney dressed as Santa - "and that's how we found out there's no such thing as Santa". My then 8 yo didn't seem bothered but we were like - how did we forget about that???

I’m planning on watching that with my 12&7 year olds. But I may just watch with my eldest because I think it will terrify my youngest!

I also loved goosebumps and point horror but they haven’t got into my copies.

I read sooo many books. There is just too much tv now! 🤣

I have got them into watching some old tv though!

I think it was the secret garden or something else where a baby disappears into a maze or garden at the start? My eldest then couldn’t sleep imagining it was her sister!

My DD also hated Labyrinth. On the flip side I wouldn't let her watch Return to Oz until she was well into her teens as I remember being traumatised by the headless princess as a small child and when we did eventually watch it she just laughed and said it was daft.

I had an evening with just my eldest daughter and I had been waiting for years till she was old enough to watch my favourite film with me. Got the popcorn, put on dirty dancing- - and settled in for a good evening. She was totally bored, talked all the way through and then I started seeing it through her eyes - and the terrible age difference - and now I don’t like the film so much- last time I share a favourite with my kids!