What to Know
In the early days of motherhood, I was able to catch up on several seasons of Game of Thrones, throw caution to the wind with the raciest episodes of Sons of Anarchy, and listen to the “explicit content” versions of my favorite albums. When kids are babies, and even toddlers, they hardly know any better, right? That’s the idea behind one mom’s decision to do away with Ms. Rachel and instead expose her little one to an alternative, the Scream franchise.
The mom, Trina, posted a TikTok video of her toddler watching Scream 2 with her and wrote on the screen that it was an alternative to “frying your kids’ brains with Ms. Rachel.” Clearly, she meant that as a joke, and the other part she wrote on the screen about horror movies being “educational” was also a joke. But there’s nothing funny about all of the moms who are in agreement about this idea, if only to take their living room TVs back.
@trinabeanx3 We love a good scream marathon 😱#scream7 #screammovie #momtok #baby #ghostface ♬ sonido original – Musicaenlavida
The “bad mom” has plenty of other moms standing with her for horror movies instead of Ms. Rachel.
In the caption of Trina’s TikTok, she wrote, “We love a good Scream marathon.” In the video, her toddler is drinking from a juice box as he watched the opening to Scream 2 with her on the couch.
Honestly, it’s a comfort movie for most of us horror fans. And, it seems, Trina is done with the habit of having educational and sing-song shows like Ms. Rachel’s show on her TV most hours of the day.
Not everyone agreed with the mom, and left comments that could feel like judgement.
One wrote, “No.. why would I show a little kid horror movies even if they like it? Especially Scream? How do y’all not understand that the scariness isn’t the only factor?”
“What’s with the comments,” another wrote. “Yes, wow, let’s show children reenactments of unaliving…”
Other moms left comments to share that they, too, have gotten rid of Ms. Rachel and that they see Trina’s vision in getting kids started early with horror movies. Maybe Trina makes sure her kids cover their eyes at the truly gory parts. Or maybe, somehow, her kids get bored for the majority of the movies and they wander off to play instead of watching screens at all. Hey, it could happen.
Either way, though, other self-proclaimed “bad moms” commented to agree with Trina.
“Yay! I’ve found my fellow bad moms!” One mom commented. “Mine loves Ghostface and Jason, says Michael is boring.”
Another mom wrote, “My daughter is obsessed with horror movies, at five she would watch IT on repeat.” That makes one of us, but OK.
A mom who also happens to be on the anti-Ms. Rachel train added, “Ms. Rachel is far more scary than Scream…. just saying.”
And just in case you have any concerns about what exposing kids to horror movies does to them long-term, parents of older kids shared their own experiences with that. One mom commented, “When my daughter was five I introduced Mr. Ghostface to her. She’s loved him since and she’s 18 now.”
Someone else added, “I saw Jeepers Creepers at three and forever been a horror fan.”
