We stopped at the library Monday and the girls were too entranced with the stuffed animals in the children's library to pick out their own books and movies, so it was Mommy's choice. I spied a DVD of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory -- the original one (with Gene Wilder and his crazy hair).

I never liked the movie much, but it's one of my husband's all-time favorites, so I grabbed it up.

I put it in for the kids that afternoon while I did some paperwork and proofreading nearby. My 6-year-old loved it - and was entranced.

My 4-year-old sat watching wide-eyed and clearly terrified. Every time a "bad" kid would disappear or bloat up or fall into the chocolate river, she's say, "Momma, what happened? Where he/she goed? Where did they go? Where did they go? This is scary, momma. What happened to that boy/girl?"

I knew right then that I'd have an extra body in my bed that night. Willie Wonka was sure to produce nightmares (and it did).

Of course, it only makes sense that she would be terrified. It's a freakishly frightening movie. As the Web site I linked to above states, "Promoted as a family musical by Paramount Pictures, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is more of a black comedy, perversely faithful to the spirit of Roald Dahl's original book."

The basic premise is that all the selfish, spoiled, whining brats are, well, disposed of. Only the "good boy" remains.

You can see how this might be terrifying to my 4-year-old who is not exactly a "Charlie" at this point in her life. She knows that her behavior is sometimes less than desirable (and, in fact, she had been "acting up" at a few stores that morning) and then her mommy rents this movie for her showing all the "bad" kids having these terrible things happening to them when they don't listen to the adults.

Hand me my Mother-of-the-Year award.

Though, it is kind of funny if you think about it.

And, don't think I'm above using it next time she starts to whine when we're out shopping.

"Hey, remember Willie Wonka and what happens to bad kids ... "