Suddenly scared of children's TV programs/movies -Relationship between children

[Aeon6]

Not really sure where to post this. I guess that I am just after some advice and I am wondering if anyone else has gone through this.

I look after my 2yo Niece one morning a week and have been doing so for quite a while. There is less than a year between her and my daughter and they are both at a point where they can communicate and play together nicely. Suddenly, very recently my Niece started getting scared of every children's program/movie that we watch. (We don't watch an awful lot of TV but I will put something on if they ask for it.)

She has been watching the same things for a while but has suddenly become scared of them. Her Mum was here when my Niece last got scared and said that the program that was playing was too scary. I switched it off and put Pingu on instead but she got more scared. At that point her Mum did tell her that Pingu wasn't scary and that it was ok but it didn't help.

I'm not sure what to do as it is now starting to affect my Daughter and she has started reacting in a scared way to things that my Niece has reacted to that she would have happily watched previously. DH has become very annoyed about this and has pointed out that our Niece still watches Disney's 'Brave' at home and here without getting scared of the enormous snarling bears etc. (He doesn't have a good overall opinion of our Niece's behaviour or effect of it though.)

We usually go out to the Park or the supermarket but occasionally we do stay in to play and will have the TV on if we are playing downstairs and they ask to watch something. They will only play with toys/bikes/babies for so long and it is very hard to bake or do crafts as when together their attention span is quite minimal. I'm not sure what to do as it has started to limit our options, especially when it is raining or very hot as we can't actually go outside.

Sorry, that was ridiculously long. Has anyone had this happen or does anyone have any advice please?

don't watch tv then, they are not enjoying it, they don't have to

That's the thing though. They did both enjoy it. I wondered what the root cause was of my Niece's anxiety but can't figure it out.

On days when it is raining/very hot, (as it has been recently) we can't actually go out so it has started to limit our options as they will only play with toys/bikes/babies for so long and it is very hard to bake or do crafts as when together their attention span is quite minimal.

Whats your DH got against a 2 year old?

As above I would just not watch TV on the days you have her.

Put on a child friendly CD instead of telly?

At that age I think she could be testing the reactions to her reactions.

My DD is almost 2 and she's just started doing things while watching adults to see what they do about it.

Your DN might have been scared by one thing and worked out that being scared = more attention, so is seeing what other situations it applies in. Your DD is probably old enough to have worked out that if it works for DN it should work for her too!

I'd switch off with no other reaction every time, see what happens.

Or I could be totally wrong, as I say DD is not yet 2 and she's my first.

He has a problem with her behaviour as she hits quite a lot. I told him that it is probably just a phase but he said that it has been going on for too long to be a phase. I think he just gets concerned because our Daughter picks up on it.

If they were a little older then there would be so much that we could do but when they are together their attention span is minimal, especially if we are stuck in the house.

Thanks @AreWeDoingThisNow, I hadn't considered that. That's a good idea!

I think it's normal in a way OP, they're getting older so perhaps starting to realise it's not just pretty pictures and nice songs but understanding a scary story line. I know my son (similar age) used to watch anything but now I have to really watch with him/think ahead how scary it might be, btw Lion King is really scary - I don't know how I'm not scarred for life

@Stroller15, I hadn't considered that either. I wonder if that is it.

Me too in regards to the Lion King! My Daughter has heard the songs at Nursery on a Disney CD and has the book (we skip over the page where Mufasa dies!) and was asking to watch the DVD. I'm a little apprehensive to be honest but will watch it with her if she keeps asking.

@dirtybadger Thanks, that's a good idea. We just got Alexa! :)

Have you got a tablet or phone you could show her videos on?

Not to just plonk them down infront of it for hours, but just to see if it’s the same reaction and whether it is the actual cartoon or if it’s just the telly for some reason?

Are you sure she’s not seeing the telly as some sort if punishment? Maybe she knows when its Pingu time, playtime is over or something.

I’ve been told I used to cry at random things around that age, because of one bad experience. I used to be terrified of beetroot apparently, because someone tried to feed it me once. (I still don’t eat it, I guess this is why)