Are you a monster to the kids?
- Publication: The Sunday People
- Date: 1975-01-26
- Author: Patricia Boxall
- Page: 27
- Language: English
THE reaction of child experts seems to make nonsense of Mary Whitehouse's warning that children could have nightmares after watching TV's Dr. Who. But what is likely to scare them ?
It could well be what their parents get up to over the tea table, according to child psychologist Dr. Kate MacSorley, who runs a London clinic to help disturbed children.
Dr. MacSorley, like so many child experts, believes that the alarmed reaction of children watching some of the supposedly hair-raising things that happen on TV do no harm because children realise it's make-believe.
"Children love monsters... says Dr. MacSorley. "They enjoy being scared. When they squeal and cover their heads it's really with pleasure.
"They know it's a game — like dad picking them up and pretending to throw them in a lake.
"But If something disturbing happens in the home, that does frighten them. A quarrel between their mother and father, raised voices, lost tempers, threats, physical or verbal ... now these are the things that really trigger off a nightmare.
They know this is real life — their life — and disputes in the home are a threat to their security.
"If children do have nightmares about a monster they've seen on television it is unlikely it is, in fact, the monster that has frightened them. More probably it's what their parents have done."
Dr. MacSorley argues that letting children be scared by TV is healthy. "Happy, healthy children are the ones who gasp over the Daleks and then get put to bed with a comforting cuddle from mum."
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Boxall, Patricia (1975-01-26). Are you a monster to the kids?. The Sunday People p. 27.
- MLA 7th ed.: Boxall, Patricia. "Are you a monster to the kids?." The Sunday People [add city] 1975-01-26, 27. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Boxall, Patricia. "Are you a monster to the kids?." The Sunday People, edition, sec., 1975-01-26
- Turabian: Boxall, Patricia. "Are you a monster to the kids?." The Sunday People, 1975-01-26, section, 27 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Are you a monster to the kids? | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Are_you_a_monster_to_the_kids%3F | work=The Sunday People | pages=27 | date=1975-01-26 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=16 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Are you a monster to the kids? | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Are_you_a_monster_to_the_kids%3F | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=16 April 2025}}</ref>
