I am a scaredy cat. I can’t walk down a dark hallway without a flashlight, I frequently hop into my bed before the “thing” can grab my ankles, and my imagination sends me to dark places that I wish I never visited.
But, this last week, for some strange reason, we I started watching Stranger Things on Netflix.
With my kids.
They are aged 10 and 12, just so you have all the facts.
What is it?
Stranger Things is a new Netflix made show set back in the 80’s about the “mysterious” disappearance of “Will”. It is scary, and Winona Ryder stars in it, which suits this 70’s girls tastes.
It has creepy things coming out of walls, dark and scary other worlds, and music that makes you JUMP.
Why? Why would I do something like this?
Being a “not into scary things” sort of person, why would I do this? and why would I let my kids watch it?
Because, after you get past the initial freaky bits, it is really, really good. So good, you can handle the embarrassment of asking your husband to check the closet ONE MORE TIME before you turn off the light.
So good that it is worth snuggle the kids. All night.
So, so good.
And why would I let me kids watch it?
These days our kids have MUCH more access to information that we ever did, and perhaps by building them a foundation for managing the intake of this stuff, in a place that is safe and comfortable, they won’t get as freaked out as their poor mother does?
Plus, they snuggle me when I am scared.
And, here’s the thing. I have one child STILL having nightmares about Otter Otterton from Zootopia. If THAT is too scary, we can never watch ANYTHING
So, give it a try.
Just keep the lights on.