Wednesday, September 28, 2011


When I was a kid, I was so scared of everything. I'd avoid getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night to lower my chances of being attacked by monsters, and I slept with a nightlight well into my early twenties. It probably didn't help that my mom would use all things scary as a way to get me to behave and mind my manners. With L, I want things to be different. Obviously I want her to be a cautious and polite child, but the last thing I want to do is use scare tactics in order to achieve that. I guess, for me, since I was always so scared and hated being so scared, I don't want her to feel the same strong emotions over such nonsensical stuff. So I'm considering starting a monster collection for her. If I give her the impression that monsters are friendly and that a dark room can be fun and not spooky, I'm hoping she won't suffer from all the paralyzing fears I endured. I don't know. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I definitely think it's worth a try.

5 comments:

  1. Definitely worth a try, I was convinced there was something under my bed and used to stand on the edge of my bed and leap as far away as I could if I had to get up in the night. I also ran out of the bathroom when I flushed the toilet because my sister told me the bogey man came out of the toilet to grab you when you flushed - nice! But then I was also scared of the people on my wallpaper and new clothes...

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  2. Not that it helps me (I still don't like to let my leg dangle over the edge of a bed) but remember that many of the Sesame Street characters are "monsters". My daughter loves Cookie and the "Monster in the Mirror" song is a big hit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNMwRH5UGYY&noredirect=1 . Some very cute and friendly monsters there. With the notable exception of the hellspawn that is Elmo...

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  3. You know what I thinks most important? Teaching children that their imaginations are friendly. If that involves familiarizing your sweet baby with monsters, go for it. :)

    good luck!

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  4. the only slight monster fear i had developed somewhere in school age. i would DASH out of my bed and into the bathroom and back. but i wasnt afraid of monsters per say. i had a cherished monster doll and whatched the monsters in sesame street. i think prolly the best thing you can do for now is letting her feel secure to you so she feels safe to go explore? (god i am such an attachment parenting dork.) anyways it sounds like your mom used scare tactics and we know you wount do that. ;)

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  5. "and that's why you always leave a note!"

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