My dd did something today that has really freaked me out!

[SunnyDays06]

She was in the garden on her swing and came running in the house absolutly petrified saying she saw a monster in the garden. She described it and was so so scared and shaken and will not go in the garden now. Shes not scared easily and is a tough little cookie so Im wondering why this happened?! Is this normal for kids this age? Oh, shes almost 4! Maybe it had something to do with the fact she only had 7 hours sleep last night, I dunno but its not like my girl at all :(

Not very helpfully that has reminded me of the Hilary Mantell memoir "giving up the ghost".(She saw a terrifying thing in the garden as a child.)Did your DD go into any detail? Could she have seen a massive spider,or a toad or something like that?

or a paedo fox?

what did she describe?

When I was little, I went into screaming hysterics about the "Green Man" in the pantry. It was several weeks later, after lots of interrupted sleep and disruption that my dad thought of going into the pantry and looking at my level - and he saw the paint splash on the wall that from a 4 year olds height looked like a scary green man. Could it be something like that?

Paedo fox
Sunny does she have a vivid imagination?

She said it was big and black and had a face and stood by her sandpit. I tried to palm it off as a fly or the cat but she wouldnt have it! She was petrified, totally panicked bless her :(

what did she say it looked like?

how many legs? a tail? could it have been a dog, a badger,

get the book "where the wild things are" and give her the tools to frighten the monster away -i.e. staqre in their eyes wiythout blinking once. worked for us

the book tho, not the film which is a weird weird thing!!

can see why that has freaked you out, is she ok now?

Well our garden is well fenced off and no animals expect my cat and husband go in! There is nothing at all I could think of, I tried the greenman trick and couldnt see a thing! She wouldnt even let me go in initially she was scared itd get me!

That book sounds like I need to read it!

Shes snoring next to me but didnt wanna goto sleep. Hope tomorrow when she is well rested shed of chilled a little!

that sounds terrible not surprised you're all freaked out. even i am and need dh to come to the toilet with me now. hope you have a peaceful night

Was it a shadow? Does she understand how shadows work?

Fertile Imagination - tis all

Yeah she loves her shadow we have many games with them. I do think she was overtired, and over reacted to something which isnt like her, but given how tired she was. I bloody hope so I watched Paranormal Activity last night and Im already freaked out!!

ohhh yes! i bet it was shadow

yeah maybe she was really tired, turned round, saw her shadow briefly, her tired mind turned it into something else, she freaked and ran in

Oh Paranormal Activity scared the shit out of me and I'm pretty hardcore, don't think you'll be getting much sleep tonight!

Glad you guys agree, thank you! Teameric - I only got 2 hours sleep last night cos of that film and looks like tonight is the same! Things like that dont bother me but I SO wish Id never watched it!

Paranormal Activity 2 is out soon
Hope your DD feels better about things tomorrow, hopefully it was just the over tiredness and she will have forgotten it.

Yeah the search for Katie. Eeeeek!!

Thank you all, Im new here and youre all lovely and have made me feel better. Thanks again x

Oh bless her - I hope she's OK.

How's she doing now op?

Ok there is no such thing as paranormal monsters waiting to eat your DD or you. An imaginative and overtired child (or adult for that matter) can easily have a minor hallucination or waking dream, and for young DC and gullible or vulnerable adults, the best strategy is usually to encourage defensive measures such as Magic Banishing Words or a particular teddy/talisman that will keep the beasties away.