It seems that a common theme amongst horror artists is that it all begins at a young age.  Nobody turns 18 and watches their first horror movie, no matter what kind of household in which you were raised.  Whether you had parents who were liberal enough to let you watch monster movies as a kid (I saw John Carpenter’s “The Thing” at the tender age of seven), or you were one of those kids who snuck the movies into your sleepovers or stayed up late and watched them on HBO, if you wanted to watch horror movies, you found a way.  If you had a fascination of fear, a desire for the dead or a craving for the creeps, you satisfied it, no matter what age you were.

But why then do parents often try to shield their children from monsters on the screen?  Isn’t growing up with certain fears a healthy part of childhood?  All kids should have at least a little fear of a monster under the bed or a ghost in the closet–it’s part of growing up.  Maybe scary movies are actually good for children in the same way that cartoons, comedies or musicals can be.

Tina Marconi, a frequent contributor and editor of www.babysitters.net, was kind enough to send us a link to exactly why she thinks scary movies are not only okay for children, but can actually give them a positive experience in their childhood.  Her article, “Ten Reasons Some Scary Movies Can Be Okay for Kids,” can be read here.  Check it out; it’s a unique and practical look at all of the glorious things that horror can do for our families, and we at LAHorror.com couldn’t agree more.

And let’s face it:  if there’s one group of people you can trust on a topic like this, it’s babysitters.  Jamie Lee Curtis taught me that back when I was a little kid.