With Halloween only a few days away, scary movies and TV shows are in full effect on the small screen. And my eyes have been peeking through my hands.

I used to enjoy a good scare, but now that I am a mom my fear factor has soared to new heights. I can’t bear to watch anything too intense anymore. I guess my maternal instincts have kicked in.

The Halloween series with creepy Michael Meyers was a staple this time of year for me, but now I am happy watching Casper and Charlie Brown with my son. I guess since I have to filter what he watches it has made me do the same to myself.

I have tried to watch the TV shows “666 Park Avenue” and “American Horror Story” because they seem like cool, spooky shows for this time of year. But I only made it through the first episode of “666 Park Avenue.” It was creepy enough to deter me from watching again, especially that late at night in a dark house with everyone sleeping.

Last night I watched “Pretty Little Liars” on my Tivo from ABC Family, a channel which is usually family-friendly. But the Halloween episode of the show was scary enough to have me peeking through my hands yet again. Come on, there was a creepy ghost girl playing hide-and-seek and several masks that would even make Michael Myers wince.

I think I’ll keep my eyes covered for a few more days.