My daughter likes touture???

Question

My 13 year old daughter loves to study about Medieval torture devices. Is this normal?

She's been liking it since she was 8.....

Other than trying to make a spikey chair when she was 9 out of a paper plate and tooth picks no, she hasn't.

Answer 1

I am not a child psychologist, nor do I have any training in that area. My experience has been as a surrogate parent, and observing siblings, kids and their friends, and reading.

That said, the study of medieval torture devises is just one of thousands of subject areas kids have had over time. I think it is interesting that this interest/love has lasted for five years, where many kids have about ten different interests in that timeframe.

I would examine, however, the level of communication you and your spouse/partner have with her, and your thoughts about how well she shares her feelings about all activities in her life.

Does she have good relationships with siblings, friends, fellow students, dolls/toys, pets, animals, insects? If so, I'd not be overly concerned. On the other hand, if she's a loner, doesn't open up to anyone, dissects dolls or insects, treats pets or animals badly, and plays with fire, you might look for some more professional guidance than you'll find here. The value of Yahoo Answers is equal to what you pay. Take care!

Answer 2

Yeah, its nothing to worry about. When children are young (6 - 10) they have a hard time to understand that these things were acutally done to other humans and what the implications were. When they are preteens lets say they start to grasp that. The horror of it comes into play around age 15. By then the interest often tends to go to Why? Who thought this up? Who believed this was a good idea?

Myself and a number of friends had similair facinations when we were young. I still can't wrap my head around a device called a "scoll's bridal" which was put on woman who talked to much or said the wrong things.

Unless you have reason to believe she's harming other people against their will, its safer then a fixation on guns or material arts.

Answer 3

There is a difference between liking torture and just having a strong interest in the torture devices. Because they are not something that are no longer in use, she may just find them fascinating, especially since she has liked them from a young age. I would not be concerned, different people take interests in different things. If she is obsessive over them, pick her brain about it and see why she likes them. If it is nothing serious, I would not worry.

Answer 4

So she's a budding anthropologist who's already narrowed down her field of interest. Get her some anthropology books about other cultures and time periods and the justice systems and methods of punishment they employed. As long as she's not attempting to build these things, why not let her build interest? Maybe she'll make a discovery one day that will change the way the modern world thinks about medieval crime and punishments!

Answer 5

It's a phase, it'll pass. I was facinated by the atrocities of the concentration camps at that age, maybe that's when you realize how cruel people can really be. If you make a big deal out of it, however, she's likely to develop a fixation on it. I'd just pat her on the head and ignore it.

Answer 6

not usually, but alot of kids that age figure out what they like. you dont have to be worried. like i draw, but all i draw is sexy females and im a girl. its because i know what the curves are of a female so its easier for me.
and maybe for the reason why she likes medieval times is maybe she had a former life in that time and is still connected to it and is attached to the things from that time. but she'll grow out of it.
but maybe it'll lead her to being gothic if not already. but dont be freaked about that either. its not bad.
i was gothic when i was young. they are very intellegant.. so just let her do her thing, just ask about it and make like your interested in what she likes. its good to know what your daughter likes.

Answer 7

Plan on calling her Mistress X as she gets older... I foresee a future dominatrix in the works.

Mostly kidding. Kids explore things, including the horrific things humans have done to each other. As long as you are there discussing how these things are/were bad, why they aren't used anymore, how the world has changed, etc..., she should be just fine.

Answer 8

Sounds like an area she's interested in. . . nothing more. I wouldn't worry until she starts building those devices for personal use.

Answer 9

at that age I became fascinated with serial killers and murder. It had nothing to do with me wanting to kill anyone but more with why and how they could do the things they did. My mom supported me with it and that meant a lot to me. So don't look at her as weird but start asking question's and she might involve you. It's npot weird at all.

Answer 10

Sure. I was always interested in weird things - odd diseases, weird animals, strange religions. She'll be fine. Maybe she's be an academic - encourage her!