I’m Tired of My Daughter’s Obsession With Harry Potter

Most of us wished at least once to have magic powers after watching Harry Potter. The movies definitely leave a trace in our memory, and everyone finds something impressive about them. We can learn a few life lessons, and it’s a good story in general, yet, it might be so captivating for some that they don’t want to let it go.

That’s exactly what one of our Bright Side readers is trying to deal with. Her young and imaginative daughter loves the Harry Potter movies too much. We’re here to break the spell and mend the relationship between them as quickly as possible.

Hi, Sarah! Thank you for reaching out to us. We at Bright Side have come up with a few pieces of advice that can help you fix the situation.

• Spend more time with her and try offering other activities that are magic-themed but not related to Harry Potter. Maybe she forces you to watch the movies because she secretly wants to spend more time with you. She doesn’t know how to express her wish to be around you, so she chooses 2-hour movies to enjoy your company. She probably perceived your refusal as a signal that you don’t want to be with her, that’s why she took offense. Let her know that you value her.

• She might feel dissatisfied with her life. Pretending to live in a Harry Potter world might be a form of escapism. She might feel lonely or sad. The best thing is to have a heart-to-heart talk and find out what she’s trying to avoid. It won’t be easy to figure that out, but even small steps will bring you to the solution.

• Compromise and organize your leisure time. For example, this week you’ll watch a Harry Potter movie with her and next week you’ll go to a nature reserve. She’s so young, and there’re so many opportunities for her, there’s no need to shut yourself off from the world watching movies and playing magic. It’s acceptable to do it at times, but if it becomes the sole purpose of her life, it’ll bring her problems in the future.

• Show her that her ordinary school is just as great as Hogwarts. In fact, chemistry and physics can be pure magic, languages and literature have the same amount of charm, and history is just as captivating as the novels. In turn, Hogwarts students also struggle with exams and moody teachers. Offer her a different perspective — she might be taking things for granted and ignoring the beauty of the things around her.

• Encourage her to make friends with Harry Potter fans. Later she’ll understand that spending time with her peers is (as much as she likes you) more fun after all. Her friends might even motivate her to study one way or another, and she’ll finally feel like she belongs in this world.

Teenagers are a whirlwind of emotions, and it takes strength and patience to bring them up. That’s why it might be difficult for them to express themselves clearly. The most important thing that most parents forget is to listen and understand. Luckily, we can always fix that by just sitting down and talking it out.

If you feel like you’ve come up against a brick wall in your life, feel free to contact us anytime. We’ll do our best to help you. Drop us a letter, and we’ll be there for you.