Magic

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Hi
Interested in hearing your thoughts on this one....

Last night the kids ( 12yo both AS) and I were watching a magic show on TV (Dynamo: Magician Impossible) - he is pretty awesome and whilst it was on UK television you can check his stuff out on YouTube.
Any ways, son really enjoyed it but daughter got really upset, hiding behind cushion and crying (although there was nothing scary in it). She got so distressed I suggested we turn it off. Son got most annoyed as he was really into it - telling her it was only for fun and entertainment.
Spoke at length to daughter and she told me the magician was making her head hurt, she explained that she was confused. Its not logical, it makes no sense, how is he doing those things?? etc etc she kept asking getting very tearful again. I explained that magicians were illusionists, tricksters, slight of hand artists etc and that there was always a explanation about how these things could be done.

She seems satisfied with these answers, not sure she'll want to watch it next week though

Foobabe

Maybe get her a book or DVD that teaches magic, so she can understand some of the tricks. Maybe if she can see it as a challenge to figure out how the trick was done, she will be less frightened, just puzzled (like most of us are!).

Years ago on UK TV there was a series by magician Paul Daniels that explained one major trick each week, it was very entertaining. I never did see how he got an elephant to disappear though!

I completely understand your daughter. I used to hate magic shows when I was a kid, for that same reason. I knew that "magic" wasn't how those tricks worked. The secret was something so simple, and yet so elusive: one simple hand motion, one simple cover-up with a handkerchief, one simple tactic to get people to look away. And I hated myself for not being able to figure it out. After all, if I could figure out that one little thing, I'd know how the trick worked. But I couldn't: because I wasn't smart enough, and because the performer will not (and cannot) disclose it. And that hurt a lot.

Heck, I'm still not a fan of magic shows to this day, and I'm 28. The only magic show I enjoyed recently was the one I watched two years ago, and mainly because it had live animals and burlesque-style dancers (in evening dresses, not fishnets). I'm more willing to watch magic tricks involving animals, because then at least the performer has to spend time and effort training the animals. With other tricks, it's just manipulation that uses one simple but elusive secret. Plus, the dancers made the show more fun to watch as well .

What about showing your daughter one of those "Magic Tricks Revealed!" type shows? I saw one a week or so ago and found it faschinating.