They Show Their Toddlers The Walking Dead

[Pestle]

"You know, Billy and Janey are talking a lot about 'Zombies scary.'"
Oh, are they? Heh heh heh. . .
"Yeah; I didn't realize they were actually watching The Walking Dead."
Well, they aren't watching it. Just playing around it.
"They're definitely picking up on it. They've been talking about it a lot for the last few days."
Oh. Heh.
"You know, when we were house hunting, our daughter was between Billy and Janey's age. She got very anxious and started telling us she didn't want to look at any more houses. Eventually, she started asking if the houses were brick, and we teased it out of her that she was afraid we'd buy a house and then the Big Bad Wolf would come eat her."
Oh!
"Kids this age get frightened of things that are make-believe. Since we're working to build empathy and reduce anxiety in Billy and Janey, I'm not sure a show like The Walking Dead, that shows humans getting torn apart and running screaming in fear, will really help with that. Even though the kids may know in their heads that it's not real, they don't have the emotional maturity to process the violence."
Heh. . . .

Would say I cannot believe I just had that conversation, but 10 years ago I babysat a kid for the afternoon and he spent the time talking about how he sits in his dad's lap while the dad plays Call of Duty. That's how I lost my "Surely parents wouldn't plant their children children in the way of gratuitous violence for their own amusement" virginity.
:confused:

[Baby Beluga]

Wow...

[Pestle]

Anyway, it's hopeless. I had that conversation with the mom, after the dad bragged to me that his kids love The Walking Dead and then left for work. Judging from his personality and the way he talks about parenting, I don't see how he'd take me seriously instead of getting his hackles up and increasing the viewing to show his dominance, and I don't particularly want to pit the parents against each other.

[Baby Beluga]

Anyway, it's hopeless. I had that conversation with the mom, after the dad bragged to me that his kids love The Walking Dead and then left for work. Judging from his personality and the way he talks about parenting, I don't see how he'd take me seriously instead of getting his hackles up and increasing the viewing to show his dominance, and I don't particularly want to pit the parents against each other.

Sadly, I find that most talks with parents are. If it (keeping their children away from such content) was important to them they would have had the sense to not do it in the first place. The poor kids though. To be exposed to such content at such a young age. And don't get me wrong, I love Walking Dead - but I'm an adult.

[Pestle]

And don't get me wrong, I love Walking Dead - but I'm an adult.

I know! A little introspection tells us that the cathartic experience of watching a horror show comes from the way it takes our own adult anxieties to a ridiculous extreme, and from the fact that we feel that relief that "It's happening to somebody else," and from the way that it riffs on all the other older horror movies we saw when we were younger. At least, that's how I see it. Kids don't have any of that experience under their belts.

And I think parents who see it as funny to show it to their kids don't get that it isn't making the kids precocious. It's not like the kids made the decision to start watching it in the first place. Kids just follow in step with the people they trust.

[Blackcat31]

I have a new 4 yr old (been in care since birth) that owns ALL the Grand Theft Auto games, Halo and Call of Duty.

Both parents brag that he has his own Youtube channel (he posts videos of his video game scenes) as well as his own Facebook page. :confused:

He has a TV in his room and goes to bed when HE chooses to. As long as he isn't bothering mom or dad, he is good.

They took him to see several rate R movies over the last few years, all of which had me going but..... I have learned that parents want to be their child's friend alot more than they want to be their parent.

Until they learn why it's to such a good idea, there is no amount of conferencing or discussing I can do with them that will make a difference.

I simply control what I am able to control here (in daycare) and try not to pay attention to much else with this particular family.

I do pray for the future though when I hear these types of stories so much more frequently.

[Pestle]

How come this fast track to adult material never seems to involve explaining investment portfolios to six-year-olds or teaching nine-year-olds the basics of defensive driving?

[Max]

I have a new 4 yr old (been in care since birth) that owns ALL the Grand Theft Auto games, Halo and Call of Duty.

And I'm over here wondering if letting my 4 year old play the Lego Star Wars game is ok :confused: :confused: I've always justified it b/c the Lego guys just fall apart and it's no where near the realism in GTA or CoD.

My son developed a love for Star Wars w/o ever seeing the movies and just recently we let him start watching the older ones (we talk him through some of the scarier scenes and fast forward if it's too violent).

My husband and I play scarier video games too but my son is never allowed to watch us play and he knows why. "I can't watch because it's not kid friendly?" "It's an adult game?" Yep that's right (sometimes he wakes up early from naps or gets up at night and tries to see what we're playing, one of us finishes up the game while the other takes my son elsewhere ).

He's also been interested in guns and what not for awhile (well before any video games) and we emphasize what is real and what's pretend (What would you do if you ever saw a real gun?) as well as what's ok during pretend gun play and what isn't. He knows what language is appropriate (for example, "I'm going to get you!" vs. "I'm going to shoot/kill you!")

Anyways... I think you have to be a very involved parent when it comes to the topic of violence. I'm not even sure we're doing it exactly right but his behavior at preschool is excellent (he goes to a church preschool, there's no weapon play of any kind allowed) and at home he listens to all the rules. So I think, for our family, our approach is working just fine.. But TWD and GTA at those ages.. NO way is that ever appropriate

[TXhomedaycare]

I had that issue here a year ago. I had ago 4 yo dcb who was 1 of 8 siblings and he was the youngest and shared ago room with his 16 yo old brother. He was exposed to everything and talked about walking dead, video games and rated r movies all the time (I dont watch any of those things so I was shocked). I considered bringing it up to mom but when mom and dad pulled up in their car they had zombie apocalypse stickers and fake blood all over the car . I run a Christian home daycare so I was worried about what he was saying making it home with the other kids but I just kept praying for him and working with him. He was a great smart kid just obsessed with death, blood and guns and he had absolutely no self help skills because his mom or siblings did everything for him but he was a good kid. The family eventually moved to Ireland about a year ago and I wonder how he is doing from time to time.

[Pestle]

I show my four-year-old daughter only a little TV--and only ever G-rated documentaries, song and dance collections, instructional programs, and short, simple stories that build her understanding of narrative, so that she'll be able to process more complex shows with a critical eye once her little noggin is further developed. When I'm watching a show with aggressive language, I wait until she's asleep. She checks with me when she walks through the room--"Are you watching your yucky scary show?" she asks suspiciously. No, baby; it's just Star Trek. "I don't like Star Trek," she says. "It's scary."

I like that she feels comfortable telling me that she doesn't think a show is good for her, instead of trying to imitate me or impress me.

[midaycare]

My 9 year old ds walks into my hubby watching Walking Dead and runs away and has nightmares. We've kept him sheltered, though.

Our favorite show is Cupcake Wars, so....

[Pestle]

My 9 year old ds walks into my hubby watching Walking Dead and runs away and has nightmares. We've kept him sheltered, though.

Our favorite show is Cupcake Wars, so....

Ernest Scared Stupid. I was like 10 and had a nightmare after seeing it.

[Annalee]

i watch Law & Order alot and my thirteen year old always ask me why I like watching people kill people:: I tell him that is not what I like, I like solving the crime He doesn't like any kind of suspense thriller.....my boys have occasionally played call of duty when at my nephews home but that is not often because they live a few hours away. I have not purchased those games for them....they like minecraft and sports games. My mind was opened up when my fifteen year old asked if I believed in zombies taking over the world Lots of stuff out there for kids to learn/explore with....one of the reasons I have wondered if I was right in telling my boys there was a santa, tooth fairy, easter bunny, etc. While they know the truth now, they have to wonder if all the other stuff I explain to them is true or not:confused: Just my thoughts!

[Annalee]

Ernest Scared Stupid. I was like 10 and had a nightmare after seeing it.

I grew up on Halloween/Nightmare on Elm Street/etc.....I remember being terrified at bedtime from watching those.::

[Pestle]

I grew up on Halloween/Nightmare on Elm Street/etc.....I remember being terrified at bedtime from watching those.::

And now you and I have to deal with the kids the morning AFTER they can't sleep.