Toddler fears

[OakBerry]

My ds is 3, and he is so scared of costumes and masks!
We went to a park that had a dressed up mascot (a big weird frog with a conductors hat on) Unfortunatley, I didn't see it coming, but it got too close to ds before I could pick him up. He was in a sheer panic of terror. I felt so bad to see him like that, my poor baby!

The other day I was at the grocery store and they have an aisle with Halloween masks, and he was scared of those too.
I explained that there are just regular people underneath, what else can I do?

He is also scared of shadows now. One good thing, his fear of dogs is getting better! I guess one replaces the other.

[octobermom]

I explained that there are just regular people underneath, what else can I do?

That and validate her feelings. At three she most likely doesn't understand that there is a seperate person under them they just assume the person becomes whats under the mask.. this is very normal behavior it will take some natural growing up on her part to fully understand. I'd refrain from taking her trick or treating through the neighborhood if shes really scared. (if you do that kinda thing) and instead see if you can find a toddler sposered event where masks aren't allowed. Many schools sponser these.

Deanna

[johub]

Last year ds was terrified to wear his OWN spiderman mask at halloween.
WE went to just a couple of houses then he saw some costumed people walking on the other side of the street and FREAKED and we went home.
He is also terrified of Chuck E Cheese , as is his 3 year old best friend.
I dont know why exactly but I think this is a very normal phase at this age.
Oh and not to mention teh wedding we were at a few months ago. SIL married a Marine who was in his dress uniform for the wedding. DS Was just terrified of his new uncle. He would not even go on the same side of the room.
Joline

[OakBerry]

Johub that sounds just like my ds!
I may borrow someone's non-scary mask (like spongebob or something) and let him play with it.

Octobermom we will probably skip the trick or treating, maybe just to to our direct neighbors. Our neighborhood is in the boonies so we get maybe 2 trick or treaters.

[meemee]

i have found nothing works when my dd has fears like that. this year for the first time i noticed actually this last weekend that she is not scared of the costumes anymore. i dont knwo what it is. but many times things just click and she reacts in the opposite way. she is fascinated by them but wont go anywhere near them leave alone touch them. she was fascinated by the parrot she saw but maintained a good 6 ft distance from it. when the person changed i had her watch him but it didnt do any good. i tried the just people under there before but it didnt work either. so for the last two years we avoided halloween. this year she wants to be toothpaste so we probably will be doing halloween.

she used to be scared of the decorations too (even a smiling pumpkin with a candle in them) but i noticed this time she is actually fascinated by them - from a distance. wont touch them or go near them but she definitely looks at them. she actually even smiled back at an evil looking smiling witch.

i remember at our work christmas party many 3 to 5 year olds would run shreiking in the other direction when they saw santa claus. my dd so far is scared of him too and has been far more interested in the snowman. dont know what will happen this year.

i myself remember when i was scared of my shadow. but it almost seems to me their fear is a reflection of how they assimilate the world around them. i have always respected my dd's fears adn never tried to force anything on her. nor have i ever found a way that would make things easier for her. while some of her fears are going down some new ones are developing.