Horror Films Aren’t For Everyone, And They Definitely Aren’t Made For An Audience Of Children, So Should You Allow Your Child To Watch Them?
When it comes to scary movies, there are two categories of people. The first are those who love the thrill and tension leading up to a jump scare. And the second are those who don’t find any fun in being frightened.
Horror films aren’t for everyone, and they definitely aren’t made for an audience of children. So if your child has been pestering you about wanting to watch a scary movie, you might be reluctant to expose something so gruesome to them.
However, scary movies can actually be good for your child. They’d have to be geared toward kids, of course, but they will still just be as effective.
For one, scary movies can help kids deal with negative emotions in a safe environment. If they can overcome their fear of watching a frightening scene play out on screen, it’ll be easier for them to conquer distress in real life.
This helps them practice being scared, and therefore, they will develop resilience. In addition, spooky films enable kids to work on their empathy skills.
Observing how fictional characters handle a terrifying situation allows children to put themselves in the shoes of others and learn how to cope in times of stress.
Whether or not your child should watch a scary movie also depends on their level of fear. Every child reacts to frightening films differently.
Some children are excellent at recognizing that what’s onscreen isn’t real, while others take more time to recover from watching something scary.
If you know your child is easily spooked, it’s probably not the best idea to introduce a scary movie to them until they’re older.
Pixel-Shot – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
Experts recommend that very young children should not watch scary films because of the possibility of them developing long-term anxiety.
Before showing your child a scary movie, prepare them for what’s to come. Explaining what will happen in the film and when it occurs can help make it less shocking.
Also, be sure to remind them that it’s okay to express fear. Even adults get scared, too. Tell your kid they always have the option to turn the movie off if it becomes too much, and offer to talk to them about the movie afterward as well.
If your child starts having an increase in nightmares, trouble falling asleep or has developed a fear of the dark after viewing a scary movie, these may be signs that they’re not ready for them.
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