Rob and Scarlett and I watched the first Harry Potter movie this weekend. I didn’t realize that it was over 2 1/2 hours long, so it was by far the longest movie she’s ever seen. I also wasn’t sure if maybe she was too young for it, because I don’t think that your average five-year-old is out there watching Harry Potter. Three-headed drooling monster dogs and a scary snakelike wizard whose evil face is coming out of the back of someone else’s head…it’s quite a step up from The Octonauts and Frozen.

But it’s an example of something I occasionally find myself doing, which is introducing her to a book, a movie, or a concept a little early just so that I can make sure I get to share it with her. We read Charlottes Web when she was four, even though I thought that might be a little bit early to deal with the themes and storyline. I think her mind probably strayed a little during the book, but ultimately she declared that she loved it, and she was especially fascinated when I started crying at the end. She brought Charlotte’s Web home from the school library this week. She wants to read it again.

Likewise, she really loved Harry Potter and didn’t seem at all afraid, and I think it helped that we had listened to the audiobook first, so that she knew the story and what to expect. When the hideous troll lumbered into the girls bathroom, Scarlett burst out laughing. Read More>