Rebecca Eckler

All parents think their children are special. My child is very special.

This is because the girl just does not get scared. She LOVES being scared. She loves roller coasters, can get on a horse no problem, adores haunted houses, didn’t cry when she got her ears pierced, and isn’t scared of needles (even though Mommy has to turn her head). My daughter really is “special.” And by “special” I mean kind of odd.

My daughter’s current favourite show is Mystery Diagnosis. If you don’t know this show, it’s a show on Discovery Health and features people with very rare medical issues. Let me remind you, my daughter is six. She found the channel by accident, while hitting the channel changer.

The other day, when I saw her watching a patient getting a tumor removed from her nose (blood, gore, and all!), I immediately raced to turn it off. I thought I was going to be sick.

“OH MY GOD! HOW CAN YOU WATCH THIS?!” I asked. I had to turn my head, because I can’t stand looking at operations, and yet, I wanted to know what the Mystery Diagnosis was. (Cushing disease.)

My daughter, however, was like, “I like this show.”

For a moment, I wished she was into Paris Hilton or something. I do NOT agree with little girls looking and acting like teenagers, but isn’t that a little more, um, normal than a six-year-old wanting to watch operations? The thing is, she really doesn’t get scared. She has no nightmares. She’s just fascinated with all things medical.

I’m torn. Should she be watching operations, even though she enjoys them and doesn’t get scared? I’m not sure it’s appropriate and yet I can’t help but think, “Well, no harm is being done and perhaps, just perhaps, this means she might want to be a doctor when she grows up.” (Reminder to start saving for medical school!) Plus, it IS educational, isn’t it?

Any other mothers with children into scary things? What do you think is appropriate for children to watch? And how did my child go from watching Treehouse to Discovery Health practically overnight?