Monsters

[ShyDaisi]

Micah has started to utilize his imagination (or his friends' imaginations...not sure) to create monsters. He hasn't really shown a fear to this point, per se, but has voiced concerns over them. He makes the comments in a matter of fact manner such as: "Monsters will come when we are sleeping." OR "When the monsters come, I will get/kick/hit them so they will go away." OR "Is that a monster?" (after hearing a noise in the living room)...No apprehension.

I don't want to increase his "fear", if that is what is developing. I don't want to make him think that only I can save him (others, IRL, have suggested I tell him that as long as he is with me he is safe or that I would keep him safe). I also do not want to discount his imagination (which I worry would occur if I told him monsters aren't real as some have suggested IRL).

If anyone else has dealt with an active imagination and monsters, how did you respond?

[A&A]

Two words: "Monster Spray!!"

We got an empty spray bottle, told ds it was monster spray, and told him to spray wherever he needed to in order to keep things safe. So he'd "spray" (empty air) under his bed every night before going to sleep.

[ShyDaisi]

That is a great idea!! Anyone else?

[meemee]

you cannot stop that fear from developing. right now he is using the words monster in the same way as polar bear or tiger or butterfly.

when his imagination kicks in he might go thru a phase where it might frighten him. many children do it to themselves. you cant get out of it. my dd did it and i supported her when she was scared. i gave credence to her fears and followed her directions. which meant not walking down that particular street or going with her to the bathroom.

with dd she didnt have a fear of monsters till her ps read her stories which told her she should be scared of monsters. she was really frightened of where the wild things are. she had monster friends till the stories said they were scary.

there is also monster perfume

and a friend had her gpa dress up and be a monster destroyer. he came in totally dressed up so gchild couldnt recognise him loaded with a bucket nad couple of brooms. he asked everyone to leave the room and then beat the monster out of there making a huge racket for 10 - 15 minutes and then came out all dishevelled saying he had gotten the monster and it would never come back.

unfortunately everything that i did didnt work with my dd. her monsters were too smart adn could figure out all teh ploys. so i would do what she needed me to do till the phase passed and the monsters actually became her friends.

[Gator-mom]

I have the same problem with ds, but his is 'bad guys'. Sometimes I give him a random object to stick under his pillow and tell him it keeps bad guys away..or I'll run around the room clapping my hands and tell him I've kicked everyone out of the room except him. He thinks its funny and it seems to make him feel better

Good Luck!

[tbone_kneegrabber]

If he's not scared of monsters he may just be playing. I am often a "tickle monster" or a "blanket putting away monster" or other such thing. I talk in a loud crazy voice and say "monster" a lot. As in "blanket putting away monster is putting away all these blankets. give the monster the blankets...."

Lots of kids I hang out with do some "oh no a monster" running around/tag-like games as well.

Sometimes we call the washing maching a monster (a clothes washing monster) because it sounds really loud when you are in our kitchen.

[lonegirl]

Starting from about 18m my son's fave movies were "Monsters Inc" and "Monsters vs Aliens"....in these the Monsters were good and fought the bad guys....lol he has never thought monsters to be bad things....just buddies to help fight evil

[eepster]

If he isn't actually fearful of monsters, I would just let him enjoy his play. DS isn't scared of monsters.

All the boys play monster during recess at his preschool (I'm hoping next year there will be less monster play since the ringleader of the monster play was a kindergärtner and graduated this spring.) I tend to just leave DS to his fun if he isn't getting too carried away (sometimes it gets a bit physical.)

[2cutiekitties]

Same with my 3 yr old. He has been talking monsters for at least a year. He isnt scared of them until nightime when he has to go to bed and he cuddles next to me and tells me he is scared....scared of the monsters. I just tell him that FiFi our cat will kill them so dont worry