Help Please!

[camsmommy08]

My son is 2 1/2 and in the last few months he has been telling us and other people about the owls that talk to him all the time...but especially at night!  He makes me and my husband tell the owls to go away every night.  He is really scared, and we are a tad freaked! What should we do?  Any insight is better than the things that we have come up with!!!!

[mama2landon]

May I ask why you're both freaked out?  I'm guessing that you posted in the spirituality forum because you think he's seeing ghosts or spirits? If that's the case, are you afraid that he will be harmed by them?  Defining what exactly is worrying you can help others give you better advice.

For myself, I do think this kind of thing is normal at this age.  It's right about the time their imaginations really start kicking in, and sometimes all of the wonderful new ideas they are inventing can turn scary.  My son went through a stage when he was two when he would point to random spots on the walls at bedtime and declare them to be people- sometimes he was scared of them, sometimes he was just curious about them and ask who it was. I would just reassure him that he was safe, and that nothing could hurt him.  When he was curious, I just admitted that I couldn't see anything or anybody, and ask him questions like what did they look like, did they look happy, etc.  I think the most important part is just to stay calm and reassuring to your little one, and don't pass judgment or what he says.  Keep it cool and don't overact to it, and most likely the stage will pass quickly enough.  Ours lasted only about 4-5 months, if I remember correctly.

[wombatclay]

OP- how is it going?

Like the last poster mentioned, this could just be a stage where your little one is integrating all sorts of new info and upsetting himself over shadows (not that that is any less scary of course!).  Reassuring stories about owls (from books, nature shows, or made up to suit the moment), bedtime blessings or protections that work for your family's faith/religion, a reassuring bedtime routine or ritual, a stuffed owl toy or other toy he feels can "protect him" from the owls... these could all be helpful. (as a kiddo I had nightmares about rats, a stuffed cat toy was a great solution for me)

If these owls are really a spirit visitation then asking them to come to you for permission (as the adult) before seeking to interact with your son is certainly appropriate.  Explain that they are scaring your son and that from now on they need to speak with you.  Letting your son know that owls can be sent "to mama/dada" might help too.  Then listen to your own dreams and intuition to determine your response.

[ashtak]

around same age my DS saw monsters everywhere and would talk even argue with them. i would hear him doing it when no one was around and he thought he was alone so i ruled out being strictly an attention thing. i agree with PP, it's most likely his new-found creastivity is taking flight. a few times my DS would also get very upset (seeimungly scared) and insist that i help him make the monsters go away.. now he is 5 and occassionally he wants to write an email to "his monster" but that's about it. 

hang in there and don't get too freaked, the more you react the more interesting it becomes for him.

have fun with it, he sounds like a super creative little guy :-) 

[SweetSilver]

I remember this thread, and I thought of my answer one quiet evening lying in bed.  My ears make all kinds of noises all by themselves.  Yes, there is tinitus (not something you'd expect in a 2.5yo, so I don't mean that) but I also have other noises as well, low booming, throbbing noises among others.  In my right ear this is from the blood vessel situated right next to the bone (I actually had an MRI done for all these strange noises.)  What I am hearing is my pulse resonating on my skull!  I can see how noises such as this could sound like an owl.

     The truth could be as simple as this, and yes, some of us who have read your post are eager for an update.