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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Toddler Irrational Fears (that are sweet and funny)!

51 replies

leroymerlin · 04/02/2011 15:59

I read the other day that between two and three toddlers develop irrational fears. That certainly explains DD fear of seeing cake being squashed - I am not joking this seems to feature on a number of cartoons (yesterday it was Sean the Sheep) and as soon as she realises the cake is going to get it, she leaps up and runs into the other room!

I was wondering what other fears toddlers develop - and where they might come from?!

OP posts:

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Besom · 04/02/2011 16:01

My dad bought dd a coconut the other day (why I'm really not sure) but she was terrified of it.

Besom · 04/02/2011 16:02

I can understand being distressed by cake destruction.

belindarose · 04/02/2011 16:52

Mine is horrified by food being broken in half (eg babybel or biscuit) but I imagine the fear is that she won't be getting it all! Currently highly distressed by anything in the 'wrong' place. The 'right' place is wherever she first saw it.

rickymummy · 04/02/2011 18:20

Oh yes, loads of experience of this one.

Helicopters - because of the helicopter chase in Muzzy;
Cars - because he saw a woman being hit by a tram at Blackpool;
Men - no idea;
Dogs - because he was knocked to the floor by one;
Shops and any enclosed space - no idea;
Hoover - guess it's just the noise;

Funny, it was only my eldest boy and he's completely fine now.

broodyelle · 04/02/2011 18:26

I was in Ikea the other day in the restaurant and this little toddler girl was refusing to eat her food because it was round! The plate was round, the peas were round, the nuggets were round. She would only eat the chips! Her mum was desperate poor thing!

gingerwench · 04/02/2011 19:17

DS is scared of imaginary monsters and... statues. He cowers behind me if we pass one

Simic · 04/02/2011 21:56

This isn´t fear but more general upset. My ds is very upset by the song "To market to market to buy a fat pig, home again home again jiggety jig" because he is adamant that the pig doesn´t want to go home, but wants to go to the sandpit. He has tears rolling down his face every time he hears it. He wails "pig sandpit, not home, sandpit". It really really gets to him and so the song is now banned in our house. I´ve now introduced the new improved version "to the sandpit to the sandpit to dig dig dig dig" to save the situation if we hear the song by accident (dd playing it on a tape my mum gave her). Sometimes that avoids a full on crisis.

TheSleepFairy · 04/02/2011 22:09

All of a sudden DD3 has started to shout "Wooaahh spider spider" she jumps about trying to get the spider off her back.

Today she refused to sit on a chair because of the spider & had a complete meltdown when I sat on the chair!!!!

presario · 04/02/2011 22:14

Hoover, anything with glowing eyes, anything dirty.

Mssoul · 04/02/2011 22:18

Interesting thesleepfairy My dd2 (2) regularly freaks out about spiders. Often in the bath where there are no spiders. The very busy spider (Eric Carle) is a good book as it is tactile and has friendly pictures.

And she doesn't like shadows which is tricky as she won't sleep with the light out.

And cars/car parks.

And my friend from work who comes round for tea somtimes - I think this might be because she has a polish accent.

Funny wee things - My eldest was terrified of swings until she was about 4 Now she's a gymnast!

bb99 · 04/02/2011 22:22

One of the wood knots on his wardrobe. It currently has a sign sellotaped over it on which he 'wrote' orders about how the circle "isn't allowed to move" plus a picture.

Problem solved

Plus imaginary monsters - now a weapon goes to bed with him, plus a teddy bear guard and again another sign - no monsters allowed...(I see a theme developing here...)

rickymummy · 05/02/2011 12:07

"Simic" that is so familiar. As a child, i was terribly upset by Puff the Magic Dragon, because he lived Far Away. Still brings tears to my eye, even to type this!

My Brother was scared of the ghosts in the Typhoo Advert.

izzybiz · 05/02/2011 12:11

Dd now 6 used to be scared of shadows, it got to the point where we used to have to sweep her ceiling with a broom before she'd go to bed!

Mumbybumby · 05/02/2011 12:25

DD 23 months has a fear of cartoon characters going to sleep - she always cries inconsolably until they wake up!
She's also recently become scared of playdoh but only when it has been put through a long, thin worm making machine (you know what I mean!)

mohara · 05/02/2011 12:33

DD woke up one night this week about 9pm, inconsolable because she 'didn't want to the tooth fairy to come and take my teeth away, I really love them'.........she has just turned 3!!

So we now have a tooth fairy phobia !

rattling · 05/02/2011 13:40

Despite having seen the episode at least twice before, a recent ITNG episode where Mr Pontipine lost his moustache caused great terror to one of my 20 month old boys. It seemed to be the accompanying "Whoosh" every time it flew off again that he couldn't deal with.

JimJammum · 05/02/2011 21:47

My 4yo ds still shuts himself in his room when I hoover and if he needs the loo, he flattens himself against the wall and runs past me at full speed. Not sure what he thinks is going to happen if he gets too close....

whomovedmychocolate · 05/02/2011 21:55

DD who is four has suddenly developed a major fear of stairs

She has not fallen down or up stairs but has suddenly become incredibly scared of them. Leaving me lumping her AND DS who is two up and down them when I can't avoid them That's about 70lbs of child, with bags usually, hoicked onto my shoulders as I mount the stairs at the railway station, shopping centre (oh escalators are also scary) and just for fun she announced the other day she is 'quite nervous about lifts'

talking2walls · 05/02/2011 21:55

That ITNG has a lot to answer for. The pinky ponk bumping into a tree when you're 2 1/2 yo is quite simply a tragedy.

whomovedmychocolate · 05/02/2011 21:56

I remember being very, very scared of Bagpuss as a kid! Still am a little bit actually.

trefusis · 05/02/2011 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

wingandprayer · 05/02/2011 22:05

DS suddenly developed fear if saucepans being left unattended. It's bloody Fireman Sam's fault as in the programme this always results in a towering inferno

I have pointed out all will be well because Norman Price does not live here but he's not convinced...

strawberrie · 05/02/2011 22:06

My DD at about 18 months old was petrified by the shapes on Mister Maker.

Loolah · 05/02/2011 22:09

dd2 who is 22mths developed fear of the musical teddy toys at xmas (think it was dd1 who turned on about 10 of them in a shop all at once) toys that move and sing now freak her out

butterpieify · 05/02/2011 22:10

Yep- that ITNG episode where the pinky ponk crashes caused great trauma for DD1.

Also, apparently there is a crab in our back garden, "crabbing". There are no crabs in our garden. There is no way a crab could be in our garden.

DD1 like round food the best. It reminds her of my head apparently. Thanks DD1

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