Essay Example: Children Should Read Scary Stories

In Jackie Torrence’s essay, “Scary Tales” she shares her perspective that children should read scary tales. In her essay, she includes valid points convincing readers like myself that children should read scary stories. Many parents think their children shouldn’t read scary stories as it could be traumatizing but without them, how are children supposed to learn coping mechanisms and learn life lessons? As long as a child is being read just enough age appropriate scary stories, it’ll be beneficial and be a learning experience for them.

Most scary stories teach children important life lessons and coping mechanisms. Those life lessons and coping mechanisms will come into use when the child is experiencing a difficult situation. Some scary stories may teach the lesson of being cautious—or even don’t buy creepy toys. Torrence also states on page 101 lines 56-59, “You should be a little hesitant sometimes, his stories were saying, you should think twice before you go into the woods, there just might be a hairy man and you need to be cautious.” This quote proves that scary stories can teach life lessons. If a child’s in a dangerous situation, they can put to use the lessons that they have learned from those scary stories. Scary stories don’t only just teach important lessons but they teach coping mechanisms too. They’ll teach children how to react after experiencing difficult situations and how to assess the situation.

Children should read scary stories—not a lot but enough for them to be beneficial rather than traumatizing. Scary stories may be beneficial to some children by teaching them life lessons and coping mechanisms. Scary stories aren’t always traumatizing and they should be read to children. Everyone—not just kids but adults too, need to experience and practice fear whether it’s through reading stories or movies because it’s an emotion that we all need.