To be irritated with DSD for telling DD about monsters?!

[NKfell]

I was putting DD (2) to bed last night and she said not to let it be dark because of monsters. She made a real fuss about it.

She's always slept in the dark but last night she kept asking about monsters and I was saying there are none- then she said "DSD said monsters come in the dark".

I told DSD (12) and she said she was "just joking" and laughed. Grr...

I know it isn't a massive deal- I'm telling MN mainly because I'll look bitchy if I tell anyone else and I don't want to be mean!

But once again...GRR.

I'd be irritated too by a 12 year old telling a 2 year old that monster come in the dark.

YANBU
I'd be annoyed too if any of my DSC told baby DS about monsters

But did she realise that it would have the effect it did? If she did it maliciously I'd be fuming but if she didn't realise it would cause your little one to be that scared i'd be less annoyed iyswim

Talk to DSD. She may not understand that what to her is an off-the-cuff remark is genuinely frightening to an imaginative toddler at bedtime. I've had to talk firmly to my nice MIL whose interaction with my now-three-year-old (who she adores) featured a lot of 'Be good now, or the big black man/policeman/Jack Frost/binman etc etc will come and get you/take you away in a sack.' And, no, don't get me started on the racial politics.

I have heard of people who make 'Anti-Monster spray' - aka a plant mister bottle with water and a bit of fabric conditioner in it - sprayed round the room at night to ward off the monsters - that helps, apparently.

Or tell dsd that she has to sit up with your dd each night and guard her from the monsters.

I had a similar age gap between my children and things like this cropped up occasionally, as well as the sniggering when the Tooth Fairy or Father Christmas was mentioned. Just tell the older one to be careful in future, she probably didn't realise the little one would be scared.

All monsters have to be captured and shut in a special tightly lidded Monster Box to spend the night and not disturb anyone's sleep. That is The Law. They can be let free in the mornings, tho, to have adventures, but have to be recaptured every night at bedtime.

We had two in our house and the tales of what they'd been up to during the day,frankly,couldn't be believed![ shock]

Ask DSD to go talk to DD again and tell her she was only joking and that she didnt mean to scare her and she is sorry.

Yanbu, but did she realize she wasn't supposed to tell her dsis about these things?

Ah, its what kids do. It's really not a big deal.

Prior to opening up your thread I thought your dsd was going to be about 5 years old and I was going to say "Oh it's just a child exercising their natural over active imagination, but 12 fgs, but old to be scaring a little baby, even though my instincts tell me she did so without any malice intended but even so. She should have more sense.
Little tip though about the monsters don't look under the bed for them or in the cupboards or under the Bed for them, because by doing that you're making them seem real to your dd.

I think being irritated implied that your step-daughter was somehow at fault, when it seems unlikely that she really thought far enough ahead to anticipate the consequences. There is a whole Disney film based around the idea which is supposed to be aimed at children, so I doubt it would have crossed her mind to have censored herself.

I have sometimes said or done something which I have later regretted when my toddler has fixated on it, whereas there have been gory stories and things that would have terrified me at that age which he has completely taken in his stride. I think monster banishment of some sort until the bed time shenanigans pass would probably be the best way to deal with this rather than admonishing the step-daughter.

Ah.. I know how to get rid of monsters. couple of things you need to know.

Monsters HATE smiles. Can't bear happiness. So the best way to scare one away if you see one is to give them a great big smile... Laughing or giggling is even more effective, has them running away and hiding, and that would be enough for most ordinary monsters

There are a few that can be a little harder to shift, and here you need Monster-Be-Gone Spray . the can and its contents is magical, so as you would imagine it's invisible to humans, but the effect when you press the button and ftsssssssssss around the room is instant. Clears the area of all monsters instantly. It particularly helps if you ask the little one with the monster problem where needs spraying.

Its powerful stuff, so best to keep Monster-Be-Gone in a grown up's care, but by all means feel free to spray a little onto a tissue that can be waved at any reluctant monster, or indeed on a pillow, wherever the little one thinks would be most successful.

Main thing is to get them to show you where any monster could lurk, little ones know these things better than grown ups..

Thanks everyone- I know it's not a big deal, just irritating!

I told DSD to go in last night and tell her there's none in their and of course she did- she loves her little sister.

She isn't a bad kid but she tests my patience- if I tell her no, she always says her Mum let's her. At one point I thought she must really dislike me but then she always hugs me and wants to 'hang out' with me.

It's just her age I suppose- my eldest is almost 6 (he got told about the monsters but he was hoping they DID exist and were of the moshi variety!)

I'm just grumbling...I'm also thinking I might need to buy a night light- I can't keep her bedroom door ajar and the landing light on all night every night!

Mmm my dss are 10 years older than the dds and they would know this was silly.

Chat to dsd. Get her to come up with a plan of action to mitigate the fear.

That way you are working together

To he honest though op most kids don't sleep in the dark and are scared of monsters etc.

*there not their!