Courtesy: Warner Bros. Television
Halloween is wafting into town. You can smell the mix of musky leaf piles, frothy pumpkin ales, and children’s tears.
Why? Because you tried to introduce The Witches to a four-year-old with no context.
“But it’s a kid’s movie, Brendan! You even put it on your /Film list of the greatest family films!”
This is true, Brendan. Thanks for the reminder. Yes, I did. The Witches is a fantastic family film…in the right context. It’s pure kindertrauma thanks to Jim Henson’s makeup and effects team and Angelica Huston’s powerful performance. While watching three years ago, my eldest, who was four at the time, raised her hand like she was in the classroom and asked if we could turn it off – yet she couldn’t take her eyes off the screen. I turned it off and waited…until this last weekend.
She and my five-year-old endured Roald Dahl’s nightmare fuel at Movie Madness in Portland, Oregon. Guess what? There were no screams. No tears. Everyone slept fine.
Why? Because it’s Halloween. The holiday invites us to get a little uncomfortable. The framing of the spooky season means your kids can endure a little more scariness than usual.
Dads, it’s like when you go to a Sandals resort and throw back a few dozen Dos Equis. The next morning, you wake up at dawn feeling like a million bucks. It’s because your mind is set to vacation. You withstand punishment you couldn’t take outside the vacation mindset. Halloween is a similar state of mind.
I’m not saying to have your two-year-old watch Salem’s Lot like me (thanks, dad!). But if your kids are afraid of mild movies like Nightmare Before Christmas at Christmastime, they may be able to handle it during Halloween. Also, talk to them about why it’s fun to be scared. Tell them we’re able to safely experience fear right where we should be – on our couch or in the reclining seats of a theater – next to dad. Our hands our squeeze-proof.
Besides, screaming is just laughter flipped upside down. It’s good to open our mouths and let it out now and again. Halloween is the perfect time to release.
Scroll down for my family-friendly and not-too-kindertraumatic recommendations.
Happy Halloween!
