"Maybe that sense of being lost is one reason some children are drawn to disturbing stories. Better a monster in the closet than amorphous dread. A haunted house"
Children notice safety and danger cues in the home more than adults realize. Young people observe routines, tones of voice, moods, faces, and hidden places to orient themselves and determine whether the space is safe. Adults may try to shield children from frightening discoveries or difficult facts, but shielding does not remove danger. When adults fail to recognize what children already sense, they cannot help children make sense of it, leaving children with loneliness and the feeling that adults cannot find them. Some children seek disturbing stories because a specific monster can feel more manageable than vague dread. Fear becomes less overwhelming when it is framed, named, and accompanied, and discernment grows when children are trusted with age-appropriate complexity.
Read at Psychology Today
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